PORTLAND — The Portland Sea Dogs limped home after winning just two of six starts during last week’s road trip in dire need of a pick me up.

Tuesday, the Dogs found just the tonic they needed in the form of a healthy 9-4 triumph over the Reading Phillies, before 6,755 at Hadlock Field.

Portland was paced by the top half of the batting order, with Daniel Nava and Jon Still (both went 2-for-4) each blasting three run round trippers.

“It’s good to have everyone contributing,” said center fielder Ryan Kalish (3-for-4, RBI). “If we keep doing this, we could make a (playoff) run.”

The Dogs spotted Reading three first inning runs ”“ all of them coming on a blast by Brian Stavisky ”“ then rebounded to take a 5-3 second-inning lead.

Still delivered three runs with one swing, when he jumped on a fastball from R-Phils’ starter Vance Worley and sent it over the wall in leftcenter.

“It was just one of those things,” said Still. “Guys ahead of me did a good job of getting on base. I got a pitch to hit. I think he (Worley) made a mistake in a 1-2 count, and I put a pretty good swing on it. I felt good about it.”

The homer, Still’s 15th, upped his RBI total to 80, which is tops among all Red Sox minor leaguers.

Next inning, with the bases loaded and two away, Jorge Jimenez then served a blooper on another 1-2 count to shallow right that brought in two more runs.

Portland starter Blake Maxwell (5-7), shrugged off his first inning struggles and departed after five innings with a 6-3 lead.

“I started off a little shaky,” said Maxwell, who has won four of his last five decisions, “but (catcher Luis) Exposito did a great job of mixing up the pitches. We changed speeds well, and had good defense behind me again.”

Maxwell gave way to reliever Chris Province who weaved into a bases loaded jam, then dodged trouble by cashing out Quintin Berry on an inning-ending strikeout.

Reading never threatened after that.

Nava, who has reached base in all 11 appearances since arriving from High-A Salem, capped the scoring in the bottom of the eighth with his third homer.

CHIN MUSIC: Portland is striving to land its fifth straight playoff appearance, but has two Northern Division rivals ”“ New Britain and Trenton ”“ to fend off and 24 games left to play.

According to first baseman/designated hitter Lars Anderson, the Dogs’ fate rests in how well they handle the minor details coming down the home stretch.

“I think we just need to tighten it up a little bit,” said Anderson. “I think we’re playing well. (But) it’s the little things that decide ball games. All it takes is a little bit of focus, and I think we’re fine.”

Anderson lugged heaps of expectations into this season, which considering his standing as Boston’s top minor league prospect (as dubbed by Baseball America), was hardly a surprise.

However, this season has been a rough, as suggested by his so-so numbers (.242, 8, 49).

A nagging hamstring pull hasn’t helped matters, although he said he’s feeling better each day.

However, Anderson is bent on tending to his own small details, hoping for improvement.

“I’ve been working really hard,” he said, “physically and mentally to improve my game. There are a few things I’m doing to let my body do what it needs to do, and leave my head out of it. To go out there and not get in my own way.”

The teams will continue their three-game set tonight (6:05), when LHP Kason Gabbard (0-3, 18.90) will face Reading lefty Yohan Flande (2-3, 4.31).

— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.