Long Island comes up short in back-and-forth affair
(Lancaster, Penn., July 13, 2015) – The Long Island Ducks fell to the Lancaster Barnstormers 5-4 on Monday night in the opener of a four-game series at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the originally scheduled contest
Lancaster opened the scoring in the first on Kent Matthes’ run-scoring groundout against Ducks starter Ian Marshall. Long Island got the run back in the second on Mike Blanke’s sacrifice fly that scored Randy Ruiz. The Barnstormers responded and went ahead 2-1 on Kevin Rivers’ solo homer in the bottom of the inning. Delta Cleary, Jr.’s sacrifice fly tied the game once again in the third.
Rivers put Lancaster ahead 3-2 with his second solo homer in the fourth frame. The Ducks plated two runs in the sixth on a RBI double from Cody Puckett and a sacrifice fly from Jon Griffin to go on top 4-3. The Barnstormers got both runs back in the seventh. Marshall’s wild pitch scored the tying run before Brian Cavazos-Galvez’s pinch-hit RBI single made it 5-4 Lancaster. The Ducks could not respond.
Marshall (3-5) suffered the loss for Long Island, throwing six and two-thirds innings and allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits. He walked one and struck out seven. Pete Andrelczyk (3-2) earned the win for Lancaster, allowing one hit across three scoreless innings of relief to end the game. Bryan Morgado took a no decision as Lancaster’s starter. J.C. Romero pitched an inning and one-third of relief without allowing a run on two hits for the Ducks.
Puckett led the way offensively for the Ducks with a double, RBI, and a walk.
Before tonight’s originally scheduled game, the two teams finished their suspended contest from May 18, which was halted with the score tied at three in the bottom of the sixth. The Barnstormers defeated the Ducks 6-5 in 13 innings. Lancaster went ahead 5-3 on Lance Zawadzki’s two-run double in the sixth off of Ducks reliever Patrick Crider. Long Island tied the game at five on Reegie Corona’s solo homer in the seventh and Griffin’s RBI single in the ninth. After three scoreless innings, Zawadzki won it for Lancaster with a walk off homer to right against Ducks reliever Matt Soren. Soren (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing the one run on one hit with one strikeout. Chad Beck (1-0) earned the win for Lancaster, pitching a scoreless 13th frame.
GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the previosuly suspended game
The Ducks continue their four-game series with the Lancaster Barnstormers on Tuesday night. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m. from Clipper Magazine Stadium. Lefty Darin Downs will make his Ducks debut against Lancaster right-hander Shunsuke Watanabe. Fans can follow all of the action live on the Ducks’ official YouTube channel by CLICKING HERE.
Long Island returns home on Friday, July 17 to open up another three-game set against the Patriots. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders). The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Ducks Logo T-Shirts, courtesy of the YMCA of Long Island. It will also be a Fowl Pole, Pizza Hut K-Man and Air Trampoline Sports Friday at the ballpark. 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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CLICK HERE to view Monday’s box score