Once again, the Boston Red Sox have reached down to the Sea Dogs to fill holes in the upper ranks of the system. Henry Owens, the first pitcher in the 20-year history of the Portland Sea Dogs to win 14 games, has been promoted to Pawtucket. And it is a very safe bet that the Big O will face major leaguers before the sorry Sox’s season ends.

And the Dogs lost their best hitter, best fielder, and most exciting player when Mookie Betts moved up to Pawtucket, and on to the Red Sox. The Sox surely taketh away.

But the Sox also giveth. Time will tell if the new faces will help keep the Sea Dogs on track for a winning postseason. Portland leads second place Binghamton by four games, with New Britain far from a playoff spot, 11 games behind the Mets.

So making the postseason is a lock; winning the Eastern League title is another story.

The newest Sea Dogs are Eduardo Rodriguez, a 21-year-old left-handed pitcher received from Baltimore in the Andrew Miller trade, and Mike Miller, an infielder just promoted from High A Salem.

Rodriguez earned the win in his Sea Dogs debut last Sunday with a most impressive five and 1/3 innings. Once the Orioles’ No. 3 prospect, the new hurler allowed just two hits, one run, while striking out seven and walking one. The Sea Dogs won 4-1 to break a three-game losing streak at home.

And, so far, Miller is hitting 1.000: two for two, two walks, one RBI and a run scored in his first game as a Sea Dog. With Salem, the 25-year-old infielder (second, short, third base) hit .307 in 49 games.

Following another week on the road, the Sea Dogs return to Portland on Tuesday, Aug. 12, for three games with the Akron Rubber Ducks, followed by three with the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

Henry Owens won his 14th and final game for the Sea Dogs before moving up to Pawtucket. The soon-to-be Red Sox allowed six hits and two runs in the Dogs 3-2 victory.Mike Miller scores his first Double A run Sunday by barely eluding the tag of Trenton catcher Francisco Arcia.