(Sugar Land, Texas, May 12, 2012) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Sugar Land Skeeters 8-6 on Saturday night in the second game of a six-game series at Constellation Field.
GAME AUDIO: Dan Lyons’ RBI triple to right-center
GAME AUDIO: Ryan Garko’s grand slam to left
GAME AUDIO: Jon Meloan works out of a bases loaded, no-out jam in the eighth
The Ducks lit the scoreboard first in the second inning on Kraig Binick’s two-run double to left off Skeeters starter Ryan McKeller. Five more runs in the fourth extended the lead to 7-0. Dan Lyons drove in one with a triple to right-center field and Ryan Garko clubbed a grand slam to left to add four more.
The teams traded runs in the fifth and sixth, as Ben Harrison hit a solo homer and Bryant Nelson collected a RBI double. However, five runs in the bottom of the sixth for Sugar Land cut the score to 8-6. A RBI single by Ofilio Castro, a two-run double for Vic Gutierrez and a two-run single from Bubba Bell did the damage.
Sugar Land rallied to load the bases in the eighth, but Jon Meloan came on and got out of the jam without allowing a run. Then, with the tying run at the plate in the ninth, he got Jimmy Van Ostrand to ground out to short, securing the victory.
Loree (1-0) earned the win despite allowing six runs on seven hits in five and two-thirds innings. McKeller (0-3) suffered the loss, yielding five runs on four hits in three and two-thirds innings. Meloan earned his fifth save by recording the final six outs.
Garko, Ford, Binick and Lyons each had two hits to lead the Flock.
Long Island and Sugar Land continue their six-game set on Sunday afternoon. Game time is slated for 4:05 p.m. CST at Constellation Field. Fans can follow all the action live on the radio at MyCountry 96.1 FM, with Michael Polak calling the play-by-play. The game can also be heard online at www.liducks.com by clicking the Listen Live icon on the homepage.
The Ducks return home on Friday, May 18 to begin a 10-game homestand, as they host the Somerset Patriots for a three-game series. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 6:05. It’s “Don’t Zone Out Night” at the ballpark, and the first 2,500 fans will receive a Ducks Static Cling Decal, courtesy of CSEA. Tickets for the game and all Ducks home games are available by visiting the Bethpage Ballpark box office, calling 631-940-TIXX or visiting www.liducks.com.
GAME DATE: 05/12/2012 Long Island Ducks 8 AT Sugar Land Skeeters 6 YTD YTD L Island AB R H BI AVG Sugar Land AB R H BI AVG K.Binick LF 4 1 2 2 .258 B.Bell CF 5 0 3 2 .225 B.Nelson 3B 3 1 1 1 .224 D.Locke LF 4 0 0 0 .283 L.Ford CF 4 1 2 0 .397 J.Botts 1B 5 1 1 0 .355 R.Garko 1B 2 1 2 4 .446 J.Pressley DH 5 0 1 0 .254 R.Navarrete 2B 5 0 0 0 .236 J.Van Ostrand 3B 5 0 0 0 .304 J.McOwen RF 5 0 0 0 .318 O.Castro SS 3 1 2 1 .714 R.Gorecki DH 3 1 0 0 .083 B.Harrison RF 3 2 2 1 .304 J.Johnson C 3 1 1 0 .265 O.Martinez C 3 1 1 0 .231 D.Lyons SS 4 2 2 1 .341 M.Cabral 2B 0 0 0 0 .087 V.Gutierrez 2B 4 1 1 2 .211 33 8 10 8 37 6 11 6 L Island 0 2 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 - 8 10 0 Sugar Land 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 0 0 - 6 11 2 2B--K.Binick (1), B.Nelson (2), J.Johnson (3), B.Bell 2 (5), V.Gutierrez (2). 3B--D.Lyons (1). HR--R.Garko (3), B.Harrison (4). RBI--K.Binick 2 (8), B.Nelson (12), R.Garko 4 (14), D.Lyons (10), B.Bell 2 (6), O.Castro (2), B.Harrison (7), V.Gutierrez 2 (3). HP--K.Binick (3), D.Lyons (5), D.Locke (1). SB--B.Nelson (1), R.Gorecki 2 (2). CS--K.Binick (2), J.McOwen (1), J.Johnson (1). E--V.Gutierrez (2), E.Krebs (1). LOB--L Island 10, Sugar Land 8. DP--J. Van Ostrand(3B) - V. Gutierrez(2B) - J. Botts(1B), J. Meloan(P) - J. Johnson(C) - R. Garko(1B), O. Castro(SS) - J. Botts(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA L Island M.Loree (W,1-0) 5.2 7 6 6 2 3 1 3.91 J.Monti 1.1 1 0 0 0 2 0 4.61 J.Hill 0.0 2 0 0 1 0 0 8.22 J.Meloan (S,5) 2.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.90 9 11 6 6 3 6 1 Sugar Land R.McKeller (L,0-3) 3.2 4 5 5 6 3 0 7.47 T.Rackel 2.1 3 3 3 2 0 1 4.32 E.Krebs 1.1 3 0 0 1 1 0 1.50 M.Nix 1.2 0 0 0 1 1 0 11.81 9 10 8 8 10 5 1 HB--M.Loree (1), R.McKeller 2 (3). SO--L.Ford, R.Navarrete 2, R.Gorecki 2, D.Locke 2, J.Botts, J.Pressley 3. BB--B.Nelson 2, L.Ford, R.Garko 3, R.Gorecki 2, J.Johnson 2, O.Castro, B.Harrison, O.Martinez. BF--M.Loree 27 (96), J.Monti 5 (55), J.Hill 3 (39), J.Meloan 6 (40), R.McKeller 20 (80), T.Rackel 12 (34), E.Krebs 8 (22), M.Nix 5 (26). P-S--M.Loree 104-65, J.Monti 19-13, J.Hill 12-7, J.Meloan 11-9, R.McKeller 91-47, T.Rackel 38-21, E.Krebs 32-17, M.Nix 18-10. T--3:26. A -- 7373 Weather: Fair-Sun-NW Wind 11 mph - 82 Umpires: Plate Ump - Eric Diaz, Field Ump #1 - Mike Terry (1B), Field Ump #2 - Pat McLaughlin (3B)