Hartford — A strong back nine helped propel Adam Rainaud to his second Connecticut PGA Championship victory.

Rainaud, an assistant at Black Hall Club in Old Lyme, had four of his five birdies on the back nine of his second round on Wednesday at Keney Park Golf Course. He finished with a 3-under 67 for a two-round total of 5-under 137, giving him a two-stroke margin over runnerup Fran Marrello of Canaan Country Club. He also won the event in 2014.

It was another addition to his trophy case. Rainaud captured the Connecticut Open last month.

In last year's Connecticut PGA Championship, he held a two-stroke lead on the 17th hole before stumbling.

"It was good redemption because last year I threw the tournament away on the last couple of holes and recently I have felt like I have been playing so well," Rainaud said in a release.

Rainaud entered the second round locked in a six-way tie for first place at 68. He shot even par on the first nine before heating up after making the turn. He rang up birdies on No. 10, No. 12 and No. 14, but a bogey on 17 narrowed his lead over Marrello to just one stroke.

He responded by capping off his tournament with a birdie on the par 3, 18th hole.

Defending champion Kevin Giancola of Golf Quest Family Sports Center and Brent Paladino of the Connecticut State Golf Association placed third at 2-under 138 and fourth at 1-under 139, respectively.

With each golfer firing a 3-under 67 on Wednesday, Rainaud, Paladino and Marc Bayram of Timberlin Golf Course all set the course record.

Jantzen Vargas of Lake of Isles finished in the top 10, tying for ninth at 2-over 142 (70-72).

Tigers fall

• The Connecticut Tigers were held to three hits in a 4-2 loss to the Hudson Valley Renegades in the New York-Penn League.

Daniel Woodrow hit a two-run single in the top of the fifth inning that pulled the Tigers (35-29) even at 2-2. Ryan Castellanos (7-5) took the loss, allowing nine hits and four runs over six innings.