PORTLAND ”“ The losses are mounting and so is the sense of angst.

It’s safe to say that the Portland Sea Dogs are one frustrated ball club, after dropping a 7-4 count to the Richmond Flying Squirrels, before 6,945 at Hadlock Field.

“It definitely is,” said veteran shortstop Ray Chang. “You don’t really notice it in the clubhouse. We’re upbeat guys. We’re hanging in there. But we’re going through a pretty tough stretch.”

The Dogs, who’ve now lost eight of 11, made matters tougher for themselves.

A couple of costly errors, a couple of wild pitches ”“ both of those thrown by reliever Mitch Herold that fueled Richmond’s decisive three-run eighth ”“ all added gasoline to the flame.

The Dogs held early leads of 1-0 and 3-1, but couldn’t cling to either.

Portland answered a Squirrels’ third inning run with two in the bottom of that frame, using a double by Nate Spears sandwiched between singles by Che-Hsuan Lin and Anthony Rizzo.

However, Richmond touched Sea Dogs starter Casey Kelly for three runs in the top of the fifth to take a 4-3 lead.

Matters might have been worse if Kelly hadn’t gotten Thomas Neal to line into a double play.

“That’s baseball,” said Kelly, who scattered seven hits and four runs (three earned) over 6.2 innings. “They hit it where you’re not, sometimes. You just kind of take it for what it is, and try to limit the damage as much as possible.”

Portland received new life in the bottom of the seventh, when Chih-Hsien Chiang socked a solo homer to right center field, which knotted the score at 4-4.

The reprieve, however, was brief.

Richmond scored three runs in the eighth off Herold, whose problems were amplified when he failed to corral a come backer by Ryan Lormand that allowed a run.

“It’s August,” said Chang, “and we’re trying to grind it out. There are a lot of sore bodies out there. A lot of tired arms. But we’re battling every day. It’s not like we’re throwing in the white towel.

“We’re playing hard, but balls aren’t falling our way right now.”

CHIN MUSIC: This was the Dogs’ first-ever meeting with the Flying Squirrels, formerly the Connecticut Defenders. It also marked the return to Portland of Squirrels’ hitting coach Russ Morman, who formerly served the Sea Dogs in that capacity. ”¦ The teams will hook up again tonight (6 p.m.). RHP Blake Maxwell (2-0, 2.25) will throw for Portland ”“ and no doubt will make his customary pregame sprint from the bullpen to the mound ”“ while the Squirrels will counter  lefty Clayton Tanner (7-7, 2.98).