Strong start, two solo homers lead Ducks to victory
(Sugar Land, Texas, Aug. 7, 2015) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Sugar Land Skeeters 2-1 on Friday night in the third game of a four-game series at Constellation Field.
GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the swing game of the series
Long Island took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Cody Puckett’s leadoff solo home run to left field off of Skeeters starter Derek Blacksher. Sugar Land tied the game at one in the bottom of the frame on Johan Limonta’s RBI double off of Ducks starter John Brownell.
Mike Blanke put the Ducks back in front with a mammoth solo homer to left in the fourth. It stayed 2-1 until the ninth inning when the Skeeters put the tying and winning runs on base on an error and a walk. However, Amalio Diaz induced a double play from Daryle Ward and struck out Chris Wallace to end the ballgame.
Brownell (8-3) earned the win, tossing seven innings of one-run ball, allowing just three hits and a walk while striking out six. Blacksher (4-3) suffered the hard luck loss, yielding two runs on three hits and a walk in six innings with seven strikeouts. Diaz collected his fourth save with a scoreless ninth.
Long Island and Sugar Land wrap up their four-game set on Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EDT from Constellation Field. Right-hander Bobby Blevins gets the ball for the Ducks against Skeeters righty Josh Geer. Fans can follow all of the action live on the Ducks’ flagship radio station, 103.9-FM LI News Radio. Streaming audio will be available online by CLICKING HERE.
The Ducks return home on Sunday, August 9 to open up a four-game set against the Camden Riversharks. 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). Sunday will be Jewish Heritage Night at the ballpark, and the Ducks will be running promotions, videos, and music with a Jewish theme. It will also be 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 p.m. After the game, kids and kids at heart can take part in Kids Run the Bases, presented by Bethpage Federal Credit Union. 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.
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Game Date: 08/07/2015 Long Island Ducks 2 AT Sugar Land Skeeters 1 YTD YTD L Island AB R H BI AVG Sugar Land AB R H BI AVG F.Lentini RF 4 0 0 0 .268 J.Dominguez 2B 4 0 0 0 .279 D.Cleary Jr. CF 4 0 1 0 .283 D.Young RF 3 0 0 0 .268 D.Lyons DH 3 0 0 0 .300 D.Ward 1B 4 0 0 0 .235 C.Puckett 2B 4 1 1 1 .268 C.Wallace DH 4 0 0 0 .265 B.Sabatella LF 4 0 0 0 .280 T.Scott C 3 1 2 0 .243 M.Blanke C 4 1 1 1 .291 J.Limonta LF 3 0 1 1 .236 J.Griffin 1B 3 0 1 0 .233 K.Russo SS 3 0 0 0 .259 S.McQuail 3B 3 0 0 0 .172 D.Almonte CF 3 0 0 0 .201 C.Hughes SS 3 0 0 0 .143 P.Palmeiro 3B 2 0 0 0 .240 32 2 4 2 29 1 3 1 L Island 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 - 2 4 1 Sugar Land 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 3 1 2B--J.Limonta (15). HR--C.Puckett (7), M.Blanke (6). RBI--C.Puckett (34), M.Blanke (26), J.Limonta (30). SB--F.Lentini (1), D.Lyons (14). E--B.Sabatella (3), P.Palmeiro (10). LOB--L Island 4, Sugar Land 3. DP--C. Puckett(2B) - C. Hughes(SS) - J. Griffin(1B), C. Hughes(SS) - J. Griffin(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA L Island J.Brownell (W,8-3) 7.0 3 1 1 1 6 0 3.08 R.Kussmaul 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.19 A.Diaz (S,4) 1.0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1.40 9 3 1 1 2 8 0 Sugar Land D.Blacksher (L,4-3) 6.0 3 2 2 1 7 2 2.26 R.Delgado 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1.41 A.Martin 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 4.75 R.Weinhardt 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3.25 9 4 2 2 1 11 2 WP--D.Blacksher 2 (4). SO--D.Cleary Jr., D.Lyons, C.Puckett, B.Sabatella 2, M.Blanke, J.Griffin 2, S.McQuail, C.Hughes 2, C.Wallace 3, J.Limonta, K.Russo, D.Almonte 2, P.Palmeiro. BB--D.Lyons, D.Young, P.Palmeiro. BF--J.Brownell 24 (493), R.Kussmaul 3 (183), A.Diaz 4 (168), D.Blacksher 23 (261), R.Delgado 3 (136), A.Martin 4 (130), R.Weinhardt 3 (133). P-S--J.Brownell 99-59, R.Kussmaul 8-6, A.Diaz 21-13, D.Blacksher 90-56, R.Delgado 10-7, A.Martin 15-10, R.Weinhardt 16-11. T--2:31. A--6750 Plate Umpire - Eric Davis, Field Umpire #1 - 1B Greg Oros, Field Umpire #2 - 3B Doug Williams