Portland snapped a two-game losing streak by rallying for two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to pull out a 5-4 win against South Portland in an SMAA baseball game Saturday at Hadlock Field.

Nick Archambault started the rally with a double and scored the tying run on Joe Fusco’s single. Fusco ended up on third on a throwing error, and Jack Nichols drove him in with a sacrifice fly to right.

“It was a character win,” said Portland Coach Mike Rutherford, who was not on the bench to see the Bulldogs (10-2) stage their winning rally.

Rutherford, shortstop Jake Knop and second baseman Dom Tocci were ejected in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“(Knop) was arguing balls and strikes, which you can’t do, and I had to go out and protect my player,” Rutherford said.

Tocci was ejected for sliding out of the base line to try to break up an inning-ending force play at second base.

Rutherford and the two starting infielders won’t be eligible to play in Monday’s game against Deering.

Rutherford noted the importance of beating South Portland, last year’s Western Class A champion (now Class A South). The Red Riots (11-2) are ranked third in Class A South, one spot ahead of Portland.

“After what happened, the kids could have just died, blame it on the umpires and move on from there,” said Rutherford. “We needed that win, and the kids came through.”

The loss snapped the Riots’ seven-game winning streak.

“We just made too mistakes today,” South Portland Coach Mike Owens said. “We’ve been a very good defensive team all year. (Portland) is a really good team that runs well, and we gave them too many opportunities.”

South Portland committed five errors.

The Riots took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Following walks to Ben Conti and Nick Troiano, Matt Crockett lined a two-out, opposite-field single to right to bring in the run.

The Bulldogs answered with three runs in the fourth.

Dom Tocci led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch and went to third when John Williams singled sharply to left.

As Archambault was striking out, Williams stole second. Fusco was walked intentionally to load the bases, and two runs scored when Nichols singled to center.

The third run scored when Nick Troiano, South Portland’s catcher, overthrew third attempting to get Fusco.

South Portland made it 3-2 in the fifth, manufacturing a run without a hit. Ben Conti reached on an error by Knop, moved up when Drew Abramson walked, went to third on a double play grounder and scored on a wild pitch.

The Riots tied it in the sixth. Zach Johnson led off by doubling off the wall above the scoreboard in left. With two outs, Riley Hasson sent a bouncing ball up the middle that was snagged by Knop behind the bag, but his throw to first was too late to get Riley. Williams, the first baseman, threw home too late to get Johnson after dropping the ball.

“I was really proud of the way we competed,” Owens said.

“(Portland) had a big inning and we came right back and chipped away, and I think that’s a sign of a good team that is ready to deal with some adversity and is ready to bounce back.”

South Portland took a 4-3 lead when Johnson, who had three hits, led off the top of the eighth with another double and scored on a single by Aaron Radziucz.

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