Rock Cats rally in 10th to top Sea Dogs

PORTLAND – Jeff Deardorff drilled a two-run double in the top of the 10th inning as the New Britain Rock Cats rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Portland Sea Dogs 5-2 Thursday in the Eastern League.

Jeff Smith and Jeremy Owens homered for the Sea Dogs. Josh Stevens threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings for Portland but was not involved in the decision.

Portland took a 2-0 lead into the eighth inning. Smiths blast over the right-field fences sent the Sea Dogs (47-40) ahead in the second and Owens shot over the left-field wall made it 2-0 in the seventh.

Singles by Kevin West and Ryan Owens and Josh Rabes sacrifice fly sparked two runs as New Britain (42-45) tied it in the eighth.

After Owens led off New Britains 10th inning with a double and Rabe followed with a single, Deardorff drove in both runners when he laced a 2-2 pitch down the left-field line. Deardorff scored the final run of the game when he scampered home on Terry Tiffees sacrifice fly.