Portland, ME -- Clay Buchholz fanned eight over 5.2 shutout innings, becoming the first Sea Dog pitcher with at least seven strikeouts in eight straight starts, as the Portland Sea Dogs completed a four-game sweep of the Reading Phillies with a 4-1 win before 7,217 fans at Hadlock Field. The win was Portland's 500th at Hadlock Field in franchise history.

Buchholz (2-1) earned his second Double-A win, allowing only two singles and three walks with his eight strikeouts. The Phillies did not put a runner past second base against the right-hander and advanced only two runners past second base on the afternoon. Buchholz broke Josh Beckett's record of consecutive 7-strikeout games and moved into the Eastern League lead with 69 strikeouts on the season.

Lincoln Holdzkom allowed a run over 2.1 innings on a Matt Padgett home run, holding the lead for Mike James, who earned his ninth save with a scoreless ninth frame.

Jed Lowrie doubled and scored on Cory Keylor's RBI double in the opening inning. Lowrie also walked as he extended his on-base streak to 27 games, the longest on-base streak by a Sea Dog since Kevin Youkilis reached in his final 62 games with Portland in 2003.

Jay Johnson added a two-run single in the third inning off Heath Totten (2-5), who suffered the loss to a Red Sox affiliate in his second straight start -- Totten was defeated by Triple-A Pawtucket last Saturday.

Portland closed its scoring in the seventh inning when Iggy Suarez singled, moved to second on Jeff Corsaletti's RBI single and scored on consecutive fly balls by Lowrie and Jeff Natale.

In the ninth inning, James was helped by his defense. Keylor robbed Greg Jacobs of a home run with a leaping catch against the right field wall and Suarez made a diving catch of a Juan Tejeda liner. After two walks, James induced Peeter Ramos to a ground out to complete the sweep.

The Sea Dogs, winners of five in a row, begin a seven-game home and home series with Connecticut Tuesday night at Dodd Stadium in Norwich. Michael Bowden (1-0, 1.00) makes his third Double-A start for Portland.

NOTES: Portland completed a four-game sweep of Reading for the first time in franchise history... The near sellout completed a four-game series attendance of 29,321, a new Sea Dogs franchise record for a four-game series... The Portland bullpen allowed only one run on four hits over its final 13.1 innings of the series.

Allied Home Mortgage Big Dog of the Game - Clay Buchholz