Ducks combine for 16 runs, 21 hits in back-to-back victories

(Central Islip, N.Y., July 27, 2016) – The Long Island Ducks swept a single admission doubleheader from New Britain Bees on Wednesday night at Bethpage Ballpark, taking game one 9-2 and game two 7-4.

GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the game one win

GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the game two victory

POSTGAME VIDEO: Kevin Baez, Mark Minicozzi and Fehlandt Lentini talk about the doubleheader sweep

The Ducks opened up a 3-0 lead in the third inning of game one against Bees starter Kyle Simon. An RBI groundout by Fehlandt Lentini, an RBI single by Delta Cleary Jr. and a run-scoring wild pitch did the damage. Three more runs in the fifth on Cleary Jr.’s two-run home run to right and an RBI double from Mark Minicozzi extended the advantage to 6-0.

New Britain got on the scoreboard in the sixth on Jon Griffin’s RBI single off of Ducks starter John Brownell. However, another trio of runs in the bottom of the frame put the game out of reach at 9-1. Lentini’s two-run double and an RBI fielder’s choice off the bat of Dan Lyons highlighted the inning.

Brownell (8-3) earned the win with a complete game effort. The right-hander allowed just two runs on nine hits in seven innings, walking one while striking out seven. Simon (5-4) suffered the loss, surrendering six runs on nine hits and two walks in four and two-thirds innings with five strikeouts.

Cleary Jr. led the Flock with three hits, while Lentini and Cody Puckett and Sean Burroughs each added two. Cleary Jr. and Lentini each totaled three RBI and two runs.

Long Island jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning of game two. Bees starter Anthony Marzi allowed a sacrifice fly off the bat of Puckett, and RBI doubles to Minicozzi and Ruben Gotay. Matt Wessinger’s RBI double in the second upped the lead to four.

The Bees closed to within 4-3 in the third on Jake McGuiggan’s three-run homer to left-center off Ducks starter Kevin Vance. However, the Ducks answered back with a run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double by Mike Dowd. An RBI single by Nick Murphy in the fourth trimmed the Ducks’ lead to 5-4, but a two-run double in the sixth from Minicozzi ballooned the advantage back up to three at 7-4.

Scott Shuman (2-3) collected the win after throwing one inning of relief, allowing a run on one hit and one walk while striking out three. Marzi (1-1) took the loss, yielding four runs on four hits and two walks with one strikeout in two innings. Todd Coffey earned his 16th save with a scoreless seventh, striking out two. Vance did not factor into the decision but lasted three innings, giving up three runs on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts.

Gotay paced the Ducks with three hits, while Minicozzi, Wessinger and Mike Blanke each chipped in with two.

The Ducks continue their homestand on Thursday night when they open a four-game series against the Sugar Land Skeeters. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m. with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders). The Ducks will be running a Lucky Seat Giveaway throughout the game, presented by Small Town Brewery and Not Your Father’s Root Beer. Every inning, one lucky seat in the ballpark will be selected. If you have the ticket for that seat, you’ll be going home with a prize pack valued at $60. It’s also a Thirsty Thursday at the ballpark, and all fans are invited to visit the Duck Club restaurant/bar, normally reserved for VIP/season ticket holders, on the suite level. There will be both drink and food specials featured, including half price domestics. Right-hander Nick Struck gets the start for the Ducks against Skeeters lefty Roy Merritt.

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. It’s the “Ducks Game of the Week,” and those unable to make the game can follow all the action live on the Ducks’ flagship radio station, 103.9-FM LI News Radio. Streaming video and audio will also be available online via the Ducks’ official YouTube channel by CLICKING HERE.

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 35 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{f7b134541f126dcd33819b5eec9a91dff238b58155023223dba97c27371a7fb5} of the US population.

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

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 Game Date: 07/27/2016 (GAME ONE) New Britain Bees 2 AT Long Island Ducks 9 YTD YTD N Britain AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG Skelton, J C 4 1 1 0 .263 Vega, A LF 2 2 0 0 .275 Crouse, M CF 3 0 2 1 .283 Lentini, F RF 4 2 2 3 .314 Rosa, J 3B 4 0 0 0 .300 Cleary Jr., D CF 4 2 3 3 .332 Maddox, C DH 4 1 3 0 .285 Puckett, C 3B 3 1 2 0 .291 Griffin, J 1B 3 0 1 1 .293 Lyons, D SS 4 0 0 1 .296 Roof, J 2B 3 0 1 0 .258 Minicozzi, M 1B 3 0 1 1 .344 McOwen, J RF 3 0 0 0 .462 Burroughs, S DH 4 0 2 0 .282 Hewitt, A LF 3 0 1 0 .211 Gotay, R 2B 2 1 0 0 .283 McGuiggan, J SS 3 0 0 0 .179 Blanke, M C 2 1 0 0 .254 30 2 9 2 28 9 10 8 N Britain 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 - 2 9 1 L Island 0 0 3 0 3 3 x - 9 10 1 2B--Skelton, J C (11), Lentini, F RF (24), Minicozzi, M 1B (4), Burroughs, S DH (6). 3B--Maddox, C DH (1). HR--Cleary Jr., D CF (2). RBI--Crouse, M CF (32), Griffin, J 1B (39), TOTALS 2 (0), Lentini, F RF 3 (47), Cleary Jr., D CF 3 (26), Lyons, D SS (34), Minicozzi, M 1B (11), TOTALS 8 (0). HP--Blanke, M C (3). SB--Crouse, M CF (34), Lentini, F RF 3 (29), Cleary Jr., D CF 3 (20). E--Hewitt, A LF (5), Lyons, D SS (6). LOB--N Britain 8, L Island 7. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA N Britain Simon, K (L,5-4) 4.2 9 6 6 2 5 1 3.27 Roe, N 0.2 1 3 3 1 0 0 10.39 Patterson, S 0.2 0 0 0 2 1 0 7.94 6 10 9 9 5 6 1 L Island Brownell, J (W,8-3) 7.0 9 2 2 1 7 0 2.89 7 9 2 2 1 7 0 WP--Simon, K 2 (2). HB--Roe, N (1). SO--Skelton, J 2, Crouse, M, Roof, J, Hewitt, A, McGuiggan, J 2, Vega, A, Lentini, F, Puckett, C, Lyons, D, Minicozzi, M, Burroughs, S. BB--Crouse, M, Vega, A 2, Puckett, C, Minicozzi, M, Gotay, R. BF--Simon, K 25 (310), Roe, N 5 (22), Patterson, S 4 (55), Brownell, J 31 (456). P-S--Simon, K 99-67, Roe, N 19-9, Patterson, S 17-9, Brownell, J 109-69. T--2:10. A--7049 Plate Umpire - Fred DeJesus, Field Umpire #1 - Warren Nicholson, Field Umpire #2 - Tom Gandolfo Jr. Game Date: 07/27/2016 (GAME TWO) New Britain Bees 4 AT Long Island Ducks 7 YTD YTD N Britain AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG Crouse, M CF 3 1 0 0 .279 Vega, A LF 4 0 0 0 .270 McGuiggan, J SS 4 1 2 3 .200 Lentini, F RF 2 2 1 0 .315 Rosa, J 3B 4 0 1 0 .299 Cleary Jr., D CF 2 1 0 0 .329 Maddox, C DH 4 0 1 0 .285 Puckett, C 3B 1 1 0 1 .290 Griffin, J 1B 3 0 0 0 .290 Minicozzi, M 1B 4 1 2 3 .353 Roof, J 2B,LF 2 0 0 0 .256 Gotay, R 2B 4 1 3 1 .292 McOwen, J LF 0 0 0 0 .462 Dowd, M C 4 0 1 1 .300 Skelton, J 2B 2 1 0 0 .261 Blanke, M DH 3 1 2 0 .260 Hewitt, A RF 3 1 1 0 .212 Wessinger, M SS 3 0 2 1 .203 Murphy, N C 3 0 1 1 .182 28 4 6 4 27 7 11 7 N Britain 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 - 4 6 0 L Island 3 1 1 0 0 2 x - 7 11 2 2B--Rosa, J 3B (19), Minicozzi, M 1B 2 (6), Gotay, R 2B (12), Dowd, M C (6), Blanke, M DH 2 (11), Wessinger, M SS (9). 3B--Maddox, C DH (2), Lentini, F RF (4). HR--McGuiggan, J SS (1). RBI--McGuiggan, J SS 3 (7), Murphy, N C (1), TOTALS 4 (0), Puckett, C 3B (49), Minicozzi, M 1B 2 3 (14), Gotay, R 2B (30), Dowd, M C (28), Wessinger, M SS (18), TOTALS 7 (0). HP--Puckett, C 3B (8). SF--Puckett, C 3B (3). SB--Skelton, J 2B (11), Hewitt, A RF 2 (7), Lentini, F RF 3 (32), Cleary Jr., D CF (21), Wessinger, M SS 2 (4). E--Dowd, M C (7), Coffey, T P (1). LOB--N Britain 6, L Island 9. DP--J. Skelton(2B) - J. McGuiggan(SS) - J. Griffin(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA N Britain Marzi, A (L,1-1) 2.0 4 4 4 2 1 0 3.89 Fry, B 1.1 3 1 1 0 2 0 4.21 Santos, O 2.0 3 2 2 3 1 0 7.62 Wood, G 0.2 1 0 0 0 1 0 3.49 6 11 7 7 5 5 0 L Island Vance, K 3.0 4 3 3 1 4 1 5.60 Shuman, S (W,2-3) 1.0 1 1 1 1 3 0 2.78 De La Rosa, E 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2.91 Crider, P 1.0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0.72 Coffey, T (S,16) 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3.34 7 6 4 4 3 11 1 WP--Santos, O (1). HB--Fry, B (3). SO--Crouse, M 3, Maddox, C, Griffin, J 2, Roof, J, Skelton, J, Hewitt, A, Murphy, N 2, Vega, A 2, Cleary Jr., D, Gotay, R, Blanke, M. BB--Crouse, M, Roof, J, Skelton, J, Lentini, F 2, Cleary Jr., D 2, Puckett, C. BF--Marzi, A 12 (165), Fry, B 7 (150), Santos, O 12 (16), Wood, G 3 (119), Vance, K 14 (122), Shuman, S 5 (12), De La Rosa, E 4 (142), Crider, P 4 (98), Coffey, T 4 (129). P-S--Marzi, A 55-36, Fry, B 26-15, Santos, O 42-22, Wood, G 11-10, Vance, K 53-32, Shuman, S 21-13, De La Rosa, E 11-9, Crider, P 15-9, Coffey, T 15-10. T--2:33. Plate Umpire - Warren Nicholson, Field Umpire #1 - Tom Gandolfo Jr., Field Umpire #2 - Fred DeJesus