NEW BRITAIN, Connecticut — Portland DH Tim Roberson became the third player in team history to hit for the cycle, as the Sea Dogs overcame a six-run deficit, and beat the New Britain Rock Cats 13-11 in 10 innings on Friday night at New Britain Stadium.
Portland snapped New Britain’s 13-game winning streak.
Roberson (4-for-6) capped off the cycle with a two-run triple in the 10th off losing pitcher Kraig Sitton (0-1), snapping an 11-11 tie. During a five-run seventh inning, Roberson brought the Sea Dogs within one, hitting a grand slam to dead center.
The homer was his first of the season and the team’s first grand slam. Roberson doubled in the third and singled in the ninth.
Roberson’s cycle is the third in team history: Corey Keylor on Aug. 4, 2007 at Harrisburg and Cesar Crespo June 16, 2000 vs. Binghamton are the other two. Crespo’s cycle came as a Marlins affiliate.
Pat Light (1-1) got his first Double-A win, retiring all five batters with three strikeouts. In the ninth inning with two on, Light got out of the inning by inducing a groundout and fanning Trevor Story.
Portland’s Oscar Tejeda went 3-for-4, 3 RBI and reached base four times. Tejeda has a multi-hit game in 10 of his last 14 games. Portland trailed 11-9 and tied the game in the ninth inning on a two-run single by Marco Hernandez.
The Sea Dogs started the game in style, as Mike Miller led off the game with a homer. Carlos Asuaje doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Tejeda.
New Britain responded in a big way, scoring four times off Mike McCarthy in their first turn. Mike Tauchman and Trevor Story began the frame with doubles. Tom Murphy tied the game with a double and David Dahl added a two-run single.
Portland added a run in the third inning, cutting the deficit to 4-3. Miller led off with a single and scored on a sac-fly by Jantzen Witte. Once again, the Rock Cats responded, scoring three times in their third. Jayson Langfels picked up an RBI single and Pat Valaika hit a two-run homer.
Tejeda would continue his hot hitting, driving home a run in the fifth inning on a single, cutting the New Britain lead to 7-4. The Rock Cats would answer for the third time, receiving a two-out RBI double by Valaika off Joe Gunkel. In the sixth, the Rock Cats added two runs off Gunkel.