Complete game effort puts Ducks on top in series
(Central Islip, N.Y., Sept. 18, 2013) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 6-2 on Wednesday night at Bethpage Ballpark in Game One of the Liberty Division Championship Series. The Ducks now lead the best-of-five series one game to none.
GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the Game One victory
POSTGAME VIDEO: Kevin Baez, John Brownell and Ryan Strieby talk about the series-opening win
CLICK HERE to view a game recap article from Newsday
CLICK HERE to view a game recap story from News 12 Long Island
Long Island struck first in the bottom of the second on Ryan Strieby’s RBI double to center off Blue Crabs starter Gaby Hernandez. Southern Maryland tied the game in the fourth on Nick Schwaner’s solo homer to right off Ducks starter John Brownell. However, Ramon Castro’s sac fly to left and Strieby’s RBI single to right put the Flock back on top 3-1 in the bottom of the frame.
Jeremy Owens closed the gap to one with a solo homer in the top of the fifth, but Bryant Nelson answered back immediately in the home half of the inning with a solo blast of his own to right. Adam Bailey’s solo blast to right in the sixth and a RBI single by Dan Lyons in the eighth put the game out of reach.
Brownell (1-0) dominated for the complete game win, allowing just two runs on seven hits while striking out 12 batters. Hernandez (0-1) took the loss, surrendering five runs on eight hits with five strikeouts in six innings.
Strieby led the Flock with four hits while Nelson and Bailey each added two.
The Ducks and Blue Crabs will continue the Liberty Division Championship Series on Thursday night with Game Two. First pitch is slated for 6:35 pm., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 5:35. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive Title Towels, courtesy of News 12 Long Island and News 12 Traffic and Weather. Right-hander Shaun Garceau takes the mound for the Ducks against Blue Crabs righty Ian Marshall.
Tickets for the game and all potential Ducks postseason games are now on sale. Fans can purchase their tickets at the Bethpage Ballpark box office, by calling (631) 940-TIXX or by CLICKING HERE. Those unable to make the game can follow all the action live online, with streaming video and audio available on the Ducks official YouTube channel, http://www.youtube.com/ducksbaseball.
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Duck Tales: John Brownell’s 12 strikeouts were a franchise record for a Ducks pitcher in a playoff game. The previous high was 10, done by Matt Way in Game Two of the 2012 Liberty Division Championship Series against Southern Maryland and Mike Loree in Game One of the 2011 Atlantic League Championship Series against York. Brownell’s season-high for strikeouts was nine, done on May 5 at York and July 22 at Camden. It also marked just the 2nd time in franchise history that a Ducks pitcher tossed a complete game in a playoff game. The only other pitcher to do so was Lance Davis in Game Three of the 2005 North Division Championship Series at Nashua…Ryan Strieby’s four hits tied the franchise record for most hits by a Ducks player in a playoff game. The only previous four-hit game in Ducks postseason history was done by George Lombard in Game Four of the 2009 Liberty Division Championship Series against Southern Maryland…Bryant Nelson’s solo homer was his third playoff homer as a Duck. The switch hitter also hit a go-ahead two-run home run in Game Five of the 2012 Liberty Division Championship Series against the Blue Crabs and a solo homer in Game Two of the 2007 North Division Championship Series against Newark. Nelson now has 10 RBI and nine runs scored in his 15 postseason games with Long Island.
GAME DATE: 09/18/2013 Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 2 AT Long Island Ducks 6 YTD YTD S Maryland AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG D.Webb LF 4 0 2 0 .500 L.Ford CF 5 0 1 0 .200 R.Osuna SS 3 0 1 0 .333 J.Barfield 2B 3 0 0 0 .000 N.Schwaner 3B 4 1 1 1 .250 B.Nelson 3B 4 2 2 1 .500 I.Gac DH 4 0 0 0 .000 B.Hall DH 3 2 1 0 .333 J.Opitz 2B 3 0 2 0 .667 A.Bailey RF 4 1 2 1 .500 J.Salas 1B 4 0 0 0 .000 R.Castro C 3 0 0 1 .000 S.Smith RF 4 0 0 0 .000 R.Strieby 1B 4 1 4 2 1.000 A.Colina C 3 0 0 0 .000 K.Binick LF 4 0 1 0 .250 J.Owens CF 3 1 1 1 .333 D.Lyons SS 4 0 1 1 .250 32 2 7 2 34 6 12 6 S Maryland 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 - 2 7 0 L Island 0 1 0 2 1 1 0 1 x - 6 12 0 2B--D.Webb (1), B.Hall (1), R.Strieby (1). HR--N.Schwaner (1), J.Owens (1), B.Nelson (1), A.Bailey (1). RBI--N.Schwaner (1), J.Owens (1), B.Nelson (1), A.Bailey (1), R.Castro (1), R.Strieby 2 (2), D.Lyons (1). SF--R.Castro (1). SH--R.Osuna (0), J.Barfield (0). SB--D.Webb (1). LOB--S Maryland 5, L Island 7. DP--D. Lyons(SS) - J. Barfield(2B) - R. Strieby(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA S Maryland G.Hernandez (L,0-1) 6.0 8 5 5 1 5 2 7.50 K.Mertins 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 W.Korpi 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 T.Redding 0.2 3 1 1 0 0 0 13.49 8 12 6 6 1 6 2 L Island J.Brownell (W,1-0) 9.0 7 2 2 1 12 2 2.00 9 7 2 2 1 12 2 SO--D.Webb 2, R.Osuna, N.Schwaner, I.Gac 3, J.Salas, S.Smith 3, J.Owens, L.Ford, J.Barfield, B.Hall 2, K.Binick, D.Lyons. BB--J.Opitz, B.Hall. BF--G.Hernandez 27 (27), K.Mertins 4 (4), W.Korpi (1), T.Redding 5 (5), J.Brownell 34 (34). P-S--G.Hernandez 101-65, K.Mertins 12-9, W.Korpi 3-3, T.Redding 19-12, J.Brownell 136-89. T--2:44. A--3106 Umpires: Plate Ump - Marty Bauer, Field Ump #1 - Dan Kiley, Field Ump #2 - Andrew Steinberg, Field Ump #3 - Matt Beaver