PORTLAND — There’s not much middle ground with the Portland Sea Dogs, these days, or so it seems.

On the heels of one of their most lopsided losses of the season, the Dogs regrouped and hung a hefty 9-2 blasting on the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, before a sold out Hadlock Field crowd numbering 7,368.

Josh Reddick clubbed two solo homers while catcher Juan Apodaca knocked in four runs, to help the Dogs step happily into the two-day Eastern League All-Star break.

“Especially after yesterday,” said Portland manager Arnie Beyeler, referring to Sunday’s 11-3 pasting by the Fisher Cats, “the guys bounced back well. They showed a lot of character after getting thumped, to show up and play hard right before the break.”

The effort showed from beginning to end, from the solid six inning, two-hit scoreless stint put out by starter Adam Mills (6-5) to the flash of leather shown by the likes of third baseman Jorge Jimenez, whose grimy, dirt-caked uniform  pants bore witness to his leave-it-on-the-field but take-the-dirt-with-you bravado.

Then there were the two clouts by Reddick, which boosted his total to a team-high 12.

Neither of them proved pivotal in the final result.

By then, Apodaca had already sparked Portland’s four-run first inning with a clutch two-run double, which came when he drove a 1-2 offering by New Hampshire starter Kenny Rodriguez (1-2) to the opposite field.

No matter.

It’s the process that counts, and to Reddick, both homers were the reward for putting together some good at bats.

“I just went out there,” said Reddick, who also made a stellar, diving catch in center field, “and didn’t try to do too much, like I had been before. I had been trying too hard, and the (bat) head was flying. I was just taking deep breaths in the (batter’s) box, and not trying to think too much.”

New Hampshire had little to cheer about, except for an inside-the-park homer by speedy Darin Mastroianni, which came when Dogs’ right fielder Reid Engel made lunge for his sinking liner and came up empty.

CHIN MUSIC: Had Reddick not lost more than a month of the season with a strained oblique muscle, he would probably be joining teammates Lars Anderson, Dustin Richardson, Jimenez, and Chris Province in Trenton, N.J. for the All-Star festivites.

The honor, he said, would have been nice, but he’ll enjoy the time off instead.

“It wasn’t really in my head to go there,” he said. “Just because of the time I had missed. It’s not much of a let down, because I’ll take these two days off, and use them to my advantage.”

Province had also planned on having a respite. Instead, he was named to replace his former Dogs’ bullpen mate T.J. Large, who was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket.

“It’s a great opportunity,” said Province (2-4, 3.29) who has allowed just five earned runs in his last 14 appearances. “I’m glad to go and represent the Sea Dogs there. Instead of having a few days off, I’ll stay in the rhythm of playing ball. I’m a big rhythm guy. So if I get an inning in, I’ll stay with my plan of attack. But it’s definitely a good thing to get to go.”

The four Portland All-Star representatives will stick around in Trenton after the festivities, as their mates will join them Thursday to begin a four-game set with the Thunder at Waterfront Park. Also joining them there will be RHP Junichi Tazawa, who was selected to both the All-Star Game and Sunday’s rain-plagued Future’s Game, but end up having pitched in neither. It had been thought that Tazawa, who is among the EL’s leaders in wins (8), ERA (2.79) and strikeouts (79), might be moved up to Pawtucket. However, Tazawa’s promotion, while still likely, will have to wait a little longer.

— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.