(Central Islip, N.Y., July 23, 2012) – The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 7-4 on Monday night in the first game of a three-game series at Bethpage Ballpark.
POSTGAME VIDEO: Nick Singleton and Matt Fleishman talk about the game
Bryant Nelson put the Ducks in front with a solo home run to left off Blue Crabs starter Hunter Jones in the bottom of the second. Southern Maryland answered with a two-run homer by Richard Mercado in the fourth off Ducks starter Nick Singleton. Brian Barton’s RBI single to center in the fifth pushed the lead to 3-1.
Matt Fleishman cut the deficit to one with a two-out RBI double to left-center in the fifth, but two more runs in the sixth on back-to-back RBI doubles by Kevin Rios and Jeremy Owens made the score 5-2. Long Island pulled back within one in the seventh on a RBI double by Dan Lyons and a run-scoring groundout off the bat of Josh Johnson. However, another two-spot for the Crabs in the ninth put the game out of reach.
Jones (1-3) collected the win, tossing six innings, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out nine. Singleton (2-3) also struck out nine batters but took the loss, yielding five runs on eight hits in five and two-thirds innings. Jim Ed Warden earned his 10th save with a scoreless ninth.
Reid Gorecki led the Flock with two hits at the plate.
The Ducks and Blue Crabs continue their three-game series on Tuesday night. Game time is slated for 7:05 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at a special time of 5:10 for a softball game between the Oyster Bay Police Department and QSAC. It’s the Fourth Annual Fire Safety Awareness Day at the ballpark, and the first 2,000 fans in attendance will receive Drawstring Bags, courtesy of Underwriters Laboratories. In addition, Ducks staff members will be handing out coupons for $5 off a purchase of $50 at Pet Supplies Plus to fans.
Tickets for the game and all Ducks home games are available by visiting the Bethpage Ballpark Box Office, calling (631) 940-TIXX, or going online to www.liducks.com. Fans unable to make the game can follow the action live online at LIDucks.com by clicking the Watch Live icon on the homepage. Streaming video and audio will be provided by iBN, the Internet Broadcast Network.
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Duck Tales: Bryant Nelson’s solo home run in the second was his ninth longball of the season and second of the year against the Blue Crabs. Nelson entered the game hitting .342 with 11 RBI against Southern Maryland in 2012. It was also the 1,998th hit of his minor league career…With two hits in the contest, Reid Gorecki earned his sixth two-hit game of the year. The East Rockaway native now has 13 multi-hit games this season…Matt Fleishman’s RBI double in the fifth was the first extra-base hit of his professional career. The Villanova alum is hitting .310 (9-for-29) in 10 games with Long Island.
GAME DATE: 07/23/2012 Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 7 AT Long Island Ducks 4 YTD YTD S Maryland AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG J.Owens CF 5 1 2 1 .239 R.Gorecki CF 4 0 2 0 .270 M.Daniel RF 4 0 0 0 .248 K.Binick LF 3 0 0 0 .265 B.Barton DH 5 1 3 1 .322 R.Navarrete 2B 3 0 0 0 .307 C.Benjamin 2B 5 1 1 2 .274 B.Sing 1B 4 0 0 0 .275 T.Garcia 3B 4 1 1 0 .178 B.Nelson 3B 4 1 1 1 .261 S.Pedroza 1B 3 1 1 0 .154 S.Williams DH 4 1 1 0 .286 R.Mercado C 4 1 2 2 .227 D.Lyons SS 3 2 1 1 .277 C.Lopez C,PR 0 0 0 0 .217 M.Fleishman RF 4 0 1 1 .310 R.Giannotti LF 2 0 0 0 .195 J.Johnson C 3 0 0 1 .194 K.Rios SS 4 1 1 1 .213 36 7 11 7 32 4 6 4 S Maryland 0 0 0 2 1 2 0 0 2 - 7 11 1 L Island 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 - 4 6 1 2B--J.Owens (14), B.Barton (15), T.Garcia (3), K.Rios (7), R.Gorecki (11), D.Lyons (9), M.Fleishman (1). HR--C.Benjamin (8), R.Mercado (3), B.Nelson (9). RBI--J.Owens (35), B.Barton (33), C.Benjamin 2 (40), R.Mercado 2 (12), K.Rios (8), B.Nelson (50), D.Lyons (40), M.Fleishman (3), J.Johnson (17). HP--R.Giannotti (5), K.Binick (19). SH--M.Daniel (0). SB--J.Owens (11), B.Barton (15), S.Pedroza (1), C.Lopez 2 (9), R.Gorecki (14), K.Binick (18). CS--R.Giannotti (1). E--R.Mercado (2), J.Johnson (8). LOB--S Maryland 7, L Island 4. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA S Maryland D.Jones (W,1-3) 6.0 3 2 2 2 9 1 5.31 R.Barrett 1.0 3 2 2 0 1 0 4.97 C.Mobley 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2.25 J.Warden (S,10) 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 7.45 9 6 4 4 2 12 1 L Island N.Singleton (L,2-3) 5.2 8 5 5 3 9 1 5.00 E.Niesen 1.1 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.76 A.Benitez 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 9.24 J.Hunton 1.0 2 2 2 0 2 1 3.44 9 11 7 7 3 12 2 WP--R.Barrett (3), N.Singleton (2). PB--R.Mercado. HB--D.Jones (3), A.Benitez (1). SO--J.Owens, M.Daniel 3, B.Barton, C.Benjamin 2, T.Garcia, R.Giannotti 2, K.Rios 2, R.Gorecki, K.Binick, B.Sing 3, B.Nelson, S.Williams 2, D.Lyons, M.Fleishman, J.Johnson 2. BB--T.Garcia, S.Pedroza, R.Giannotti, R.Navarrete, D.Lyons. BF--D.Jones 23 (176), R.Barrett 6 (110), C.Mobley 3 (99), J.Warden 3 (139), N.Singleton 28 (117), E.Niesen 4 (171), A.Benitez 4 (67), J.Hunton 5 (76). P-S--D.Jones 104-65, R.Barrett 17-11, C.Mobley 11-8, J.Warden 9-7, N.Singleton 126-76, E.Niesen 9-7, A.Benitez 19-11, J.Hunton 16-10. T--3:07. A--5493 Umpires: Plate Ump - Eric Diaz, Field Ump #1 - Pat McLaughlin, Field Ump #2 - Mike Terry