Long Island comes from behind to pick up victory
(Central Islip, N.Y., Sept. 5, 2015) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 4-2 on Saturday night in the second game of a four-game series at Bethpage Ballpark.
GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the victory
POSTGAME VIDEO: Kevin Baez, Dan Lyons and Bruce Kern talk about the win
Southern Maryland struck for the first run of the ballgame in the fourth inning. Jamar Walton’s sacrifice fly to center off Ducks starter Bruce Kern put the Blue Crabs on top 1-0. Long Island responded and took a 3-1 lead in the fifth. Fehlandt Lentini hit a two-run double off Blue Crabs starter Jon Leicester, before Dan Lyons’ RBI single gave Long Island a two-run lead.
In the seventh, Zach Wilson worked a walk with the bases loaded to bring in a run and cut the Long Island lead to 3-2. The Ducks got the run back in the bottom of the frame on a RBI single from Sean Burroughs off Blue Crabs reliever Wade Korpi. Amalio Diaz completed the win for Long Island in the ninth.
Kern (8-5) was the victor. He allowed two runs on six hits in six and two-thirds innings while walking three and striking out five. Leicester (3-1) suffered the loss, giving up three runs on six hits in five and one-third innings. He walked three and struck out two. J.C. Romero tossed one and one-third innings of scoreless relief for the Ducks, before Diaz picked up his 11th save in the final frame.
Lentini finished with a double, two RBI, and one run scored in the Long Island victory. Lyons and Delta Cleary, Jr. each finished with a pair of hits as well.
The Ducks continue their four-game set with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs on Sunday afternoon. Game time is slated for 1:35 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 12:35 (12:20 for full season ticket holders). It will be a Sunday Family Funday at the ballpark! Prior to the game, fans will be invited onto the field for an autograph session with the Ducks from 12:50 to 1:05 p.m. After the game, kids and kids at heart can take part in Kids Run the Bases, presented by Bethpage Federal Credit Union. Righty Ian Marshall gets the start for the Ducks against Blue Crabs right-hander Brian Grening.
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 of the action live on the Ducks’ official YouTube channel. Streaming video and audio will be available online by CLICKING HERE.
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Duck Tales: Saturday’s crowd of 6,551 was the Ducks’ 11th past-capacity crowd of the season. It was also their 650th sold out crowd all-time, which is an Atlantic League record. Since the inaugural season of 2000, the Ducks have welcomed 6,625,001 fans through the gates of Bethpage Ballpark, which is also a league record. They lead the Atlantic League in average attendance this season at 5,302…Delta Cleary, Jr. connected for two hits on Saturday and has now hit safely in 20 consecutive games. That is the longest hitting streak by a Duck this season. During the streak, the outfielder is batting .427 (38-for-89) with five doubles, one triple, seven RBI and 15 runs scored. It was also his 18th two-hit game of the year and 31st multi-hit contest…Dan Lyons collected two more hits in the game and ranks second on the team in hits this season with 129. He trails only Cody Puckett, who ranks second in the league with 135. Lyons has now compiled 21 two-hit games and 30 multi-hit contests this season. In addition, he became the first Duck in 2015 to reach 70 RBI. That total is good for second in the Atlantic League, trailing only York’s Andres Perez (72)…Bruce Kern pitched his second consecutive quality start, both of which have come against the Blue Crabs. In the two outings, he combined to allow five runs in 12 and two-thirds innings (3.55 ERA) on 12 hits and four walks while striking out eight. This season, he has a record of 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA in four starts against Southern Maryland.
Game Date: 09/05/2015 Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 2 AT Long Island Ducks 4 YTD YTD S Maryland AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG A.DeJesus CF 4 0 2 0 .245 F.Lentini RF 5 1 1 2 .293 C.Stevenson DH 4 0 0 0 .278 D.Cleary Jr. CF 4 1 2 0 .313 Z.Wilson 1B 3 0 0 1 .284 D.Lyons SS 4 0 2 1 .304 C.Maddox C 4 1 1 0 .262 R.Ruiz DH 3 0 1 0 .332 B.Nelson 2B 4 0 1 0 .295 S.Burroughs 1B 4 0 1 1 .353 J.Walton LF 3 0 1 1 .280 M.Blanke C 3 0 0 0 .287 C.Frawley SS 3 0 1 0 .260 C.Puckett 3B 3 0 1 0 .277 T.Wagner RF 4 0 0 0 .219 E.Reyes 2B 4 1 1 0 .217 G.Zawadzki 3B 3 1 1 0 .178 A.Vega LF 4 1 1 0 .266 K.Castillo PH 1 0 1 0 .254 33 2 8 2 34 4 10 4 S Maryland 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 - 2 8 0 L Island 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 x - 4 10 0 2B--C.Maddox (16), F.Lentini (10), D.Cleary Jr. (17). RBI--Z.Wilson (52), J.Walton (37), F.Lentini 2 (17), D.Lyons (70), S.Burroughs (48). HP--C.Frawley (10). SF--J.Walton (11). SB--A.DeJesus (10). LOB--S Maryland 9, L Island 9. DP--B. Nelson(2B) - C. Frawley(SS) - Z. Wilson(1B), E. Reyes(2B) - D. Lyons(SS) - S. Burroughs(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA S Maryland J.Leicester (L,3-1) 5.1 6 3 3 3 2 0 2.25 W.Korpi 2.2 4 1 1 0 3 0 5.79 8 10 4 4 3 5 0 L Island B.Kern (W,8-5) 6.2 6 2 2 3 5 0 3.39 J.Romero 1.1 1 0 0 0 2 0 2.17 A.Diaz (S,11) 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1.66 9 8 2 2 3 7 0 PB--C.Maddox. HB--B.Kern (6). SO--A.DeJesus, C.Stevenson, Z.Wilson, J.Walton 2, T.Wagner 2, F.Lentini 2, D.Cleary Jr., E.Reyes, A.Vega. BB--A.DeJesus, C.Stevenson, Z.Wilson, R.Ruiz, M.Blanke, C.Puckett. BF--J.Leicester 25 (165), W.Korpi 12 (288), B.Kern 30 (397), J.Romero 5 (121), A.Diaz 3 (205). P-S--J.Leicester 94-54, W.Korpi 44-32, B.Kern 113-70, J.Romero 17-16, A.Diaz 8-6. T--2:41. A--6551 Plate Umpire - Frank Iurilli, Field Umpire #1 - Matt Criss, Field Umpire #2 - John Grasso