Long Island escapes two big jams to secure second straight victory

(Central Islip, N.Y., Aug. 5, 2017) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Bridgeport Bluefish 4-3 before a past-capacity crowd of 7,038 on Saturday night in the third game of a four-game series at Bethpage Ballpark.

GAME VIDEO: Highlights from the Ducks’ thrilling Saturday night victory

POSTGAME VIDEO: Kevin Baez, Alex Burg and Matt Larkins talk about the win

Jose Gil gave the Bluefish a 1-0 lead in the second with a solo home run to right field off Ducks starter Matt Larkins. In the bottom of the frame, Alex Burg went the opposite way to right for a solo homer of his own off Bluefish starter Reinier Roibal.

Bridgeport went back in front in the fourth on an RBI single to right by Tony Abreu. However, Long Island responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-2 lead. Marc Krauss drilled a solo homer to right, and Angelo Songco scored on a double play ball.

Another run came across for the Flock in the sixth when Dan Lyons was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, forcing home Elmer Reyes. A run-scoring groundout off the bat of Ozney Guillen in the eighth trimmed Ducks’ lead to 4-3.

Bridgeport then nearly tied the game twice, but they came up short. Following a two-out walk to Gil in the eighth, Abreu lined a double to left-center. However, a perfect relay from Krauss to Lyons to Burg nailed Gil at the plate. The Bluefish then put the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at first with two outs in the ninth. However, Amalio Diaz induced a double play ball from Angelys Nina and a flyout from Luis Hernandez to end the game.

Larkins (5-6) earned the win, pitching six innings of two-run ball and allowing four hits and two walks while striking out six. Roibal (1-1) suffered the loss, giving up four runs on eight hits and three walks over six innings with five strikeouts. Diaz picked up his fifth save with one and one-third scoreless innings, yielding two hits.

Burg had three hits, an RBI and a run to lead the Flock offensively, while Delta Cleary Jr. added two hits.

The Ducks and Bluefish wrap up their four-game set on Sunday evening. Game time is slated for 5:05 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 4:05 (3:50 for full season ticket holders). The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Ducks Aluminum Water Bottles, courtesy of News 12 Long Island. It’s also a Sunday Family Funday! Prior to the game, fans will be invited onto the field for an autograph session with the Ducks from 4:20 to 4:35. After the game, kids and kids at heart can take part in Kids Run the Bases, presented by Bethpage Federal Credit Union. Left-hander Rafael Perez (6-7, 4.67) gets the ball for the Ducks against Bluefish righty Charles Brewer (7-4, 4.23).

Tickets to the game, and all Ducks home games, are available by visiting the Bethpage Ballpark box office, calling (631) 940-TIXX or CLICKING HERE. Those unable to make the game can follow all the action on the Long Island Ducks Broadcast Network. Live streaming HD video and audio will be available via BoxCast on the Ducks’ official Facebook page, YouTube channel and at LIDucks.com.

The Long Island Ducks are members of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and play their home games at Bethpage Ballpark. For further information, call (631) 940-DUCK or visit www.liducks.com.

About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)

The Atlantic League has been a leader in professional baseball and a gateway to Major League Baseball since 1998. Over 37 million fans have attended Atlantic League games and more than 800 players and 50 managers and coaches have joined MLB organizations directly from the ALPB. The Atlantic League emphasizes winning baseball games, showcasing the talent of top-caliber players and offering affordable family entertainment to metropolitan markets serving nearly 15{fe96d6e17d87505a1465284f96a4c69c9ad7d7051973bed0757ffc13536530ff} of the US population.

For more information, please visit www.atlanticleague.com.

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 Game Date: 08/05/2017 Bridgeport Bluefish 3 AT Long Island Ducks 4 YTD YTD Bridgeport AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG Hernandez, L SS 5 0 0 0 .273 Berry, Q RF 5 0 0 0 .211 Cuevas, J 3B 4 1 1 0 .269 Cleary Jr., D CF 4 0 2 0 .255 Dotel, W CF 2 0 0 0 .259 Pacheco, J DH 4 0 1 0 .275 Fields, D DH 1 0 0 0 .307 Krauss, M LF 3 1 1 1 .294 Guillen, O DH,PH 3 1 1 1 .252 Songco, A 1B 4 1 1 0 .260 Gil, J C 3 1 2 1 .308 Reyes, E 2B 3 1 1 0 .287 Abreu, T 2B 3 0 2 1 .316 Burg, A C 3 1 3 1 .226 Galvez, J 1B 4 0 1 0 .277 Alfonzo, G 3B 2 0 1 0 .296 Lambo, A RF 3 0 0 0 .281 Lyons, D SS 3 0 1 1 .256 Nina, A LF 4 0 0 0 .221 32 3 7 3 31 4 11 3 Bridgeport 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 - 3 7 0 L Island 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 x - 4 11 2 2B--Abreu, T 2B (17), Galvez, J 1B (17), Reyes, E 2B (16). HR--Gil, J C (3), Krauss, M LF (15), Burg, A C (9). RBI--Guillen, O DH,PH (20), Gil, J C (36), Abreu, T 2B (42), TOTALS 3 (0), Krauss, M LF (57), Burg, A C (26), Lyons, D SS (28), TOTALS 3 (0). HP--Abreu, T 2B (2), Burg, A C (6), Alfonzo, G 3B (4), Lyons, D SS (8). SH--Lambo, A RF (0), Alfonzo, G 3B (0). SB--Cuevas, J 3B 2 (9), Dotel, W CF (2), Guillen, O DH,PH (4), Berry, Q RF (11). CS--Dotel, W CF (4), Cleary Jr., D CF (4). E--Reyes, E 2B (3), Burg, A C (10). LOB--Bridgeport 7, L Island 10. DP--J. Galvez(1B) - J. Gil(C), E. Reyes(2B) - D. Lyons(SS) - A. Songco(1B), T. Abreu(2B) - L. Hernandez(SS) - J. Galvez(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Bridgeport Roibal, R (L,1-1) 6.0 8 4 4 3 5 2 4.18 Pestano, V 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 6.00 DeJiulio Jr., F 1.0 2 0 0 0 1 0 4.63 8 11 4 4 3 7 2 L Island Larkins, M (W,5-6) 6.0 4 2 2 2 6 1 4.20 Crider, P 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.34 Treece, Z 0.2 1 1 1 1 1 0 4.65 Diaz, A (S,5) 1.1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1.82 9 7 3 3 3 8 1 WP--Roibal, R (2), Pestano, V (1). PB--Gil, J. HB--Roibal, R 3 (5), Larkins, M (4). SO--Cuevas, J, Dotel, W 2, Fields, D, Lambo, A, Nina, A 3, Cleary Jr., D, Pacheco, J 2, Krauss, M 2, Songco, A, Lyons, D. BB--Dotel, W 2, Gil, J, Cleary Jr., D, Krauss, M, Reyes, E. BF--Roibal, R 29 (109), Pestano, V 4 (40), DeJiulio Jr., F 5 (213), Larkins, M 25 (460), Crider, P 3 (150), Treece, Z 4 (182), Diaz, A 5 (162). P-S--Roibal, R 90-57, Pestano, V 13-9, DeJiulio Jr., F 14-11, Larkins, M 97-60, Crider, P 15-9, Treece, Z 13-7, Diaz, A 14-11. T--3:05. A--7038 Daniel Fields ejected in the middle of the first inning for arguing balls and strikes. Luis Hernandez was ejected postgame for unsportsmanlike conduct. Plate Umpire - Fred DeJesus, Field Umpire #1 - Silvio Martinez, Field Umpire #2 - Warren Nicholson