Long Island collects season-high 18 hits in offensive explosion against Bluefish
(Central Islip, N.Y., June 20, 2015) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Bridgeport Bluefish 12-6 on Saturday night in the second game of a four-game series at Bethpage Ballpark.
GAME AUDIO: Highlighs from the offensive showcase
POSTGAME VIDEO: Dan Lyons, Jose Morales and Prentice Redman talk about the victory
Long Island wasted no time getting on the scoreboard against Bridgeport starter Kameron Loe, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Randy Ruiz drove in Delta Cleary, Jr. and Reegie Corona on a two-run double to put the Ducks ahead. Ruiz plated another run in the third on a RBI groundout to short to put the Ducks up 3-0.
The Bluefish tied the game at three in the fourth inning on Jobduan Morales’ solo homer and Luis Rodriguez’s two-run double. Long Island took the lead right back when they erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the inning. Jose Morales launched a solo shot to left, and Reegie Corona’s bunt single, coupled by a throwing error from Loe, put the Ducks up two. Cleary, Jr.’s sacrifice fly to center, Jon Griffin’s RBI single and a three-run double by Morales highlighted the rest of the frame.
After a Bridgeport run in the fifth, Dan Lyons’ solo homer and Griffin’s RBI single put the Ducks ahead 12-4. The Bluefish tacked on two more runs in the sixth off of Ducks reliever Patrick Crider, bringing the score to 12-6, but could not close the gap.
Buckner (4-1) picked up the win, pitching five innings and allowing four runs on eight hits. He walked five and struck out four. Loe (0-1) suffered the loss, yielding eight runs on ten hits with one walk and two strikeouts in three and one-third innings.
Lyons led the way for the Ducks with four hits, one RBI, and two runs. Morales added two hits, four RBI and one run.
The Ducks continue their series with the cross-sound rival Bridgeport Bluefish on Sunday in the third game of a four-game set. Game time is slated for 1:35 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 12:35 (12:20 for season ticket holders). Righty Mark Rogers gets the ball for Long Island against Bridgeport right-hander Reinaldo Lopez. Prior to the game, the Ducks will be hosting a Father’s Day Barbecue in the Hebrew National Picnic Area. The picnic will begin two hours before first pitch at 11:30 a.m. and will last through the start of the game. Fans can purchase this package now, which includes access to the Father’s Day Barbecue and a ticket to the game, for just $30 ($20 upgrade for season ticket and 10-game mini plan holders).
Sunday will also be “Re-discover TOPPS” Day at Bethpage Ballpark. The first 5,000 fans in attendance at the Father’s Day game will receive an MLB sample card pack to take home with them. Finally, it is a Sunday Family Funday. Fans are invited onto the field for a pre-game 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.
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. Live streaming video and audio will be available on the Ducks’ official YouTube channel by CLICKING HERE.
###
Duck Tales: With the win, Long Island has now won eight consecutive games and 18 of their last 19 contests, all during the month of June. In addition, the Flock have won five straight games over the Bluefish and 11 straight games overall at Bethpage Ballpark. The longest home winning streak in franchise history was 12 games, which was done July 5-20, 2006…Long Island’s 18 hits in the game were their most in a single game this season. The previous high was 16, done on May 20 at York in an 11-9 comeback victory. The Ducks finished just one run shy of their season best of 13, which they did on June 5 in game two of a doubleheader at Camden…Lew Ford has now earned hits in 13 consecutive games after picking up a single in the game. In those 13 games, the former big leaguer is batting .451 (23-for-51) with six doubles, eight RBI and 13 runs. Ford currently leads the Atlantic League in hits (71), RBI (44), total bases (108), doubles (19) and extra-base hits (26)…Jose Morales hit his first home run of the season with his solo blast in the fourth. He also finished with four RBI, becoming just the fourth Duck to do so this year. Lew Ford (twice), Jon Griffin and Mike Blanke are the only others…Dan Lyons finished with four hits in Saturday’s game. He became just the fourth Duck this year to collect four hits in a single game. The others were Ford (twice), Delta Cleary, Jr. and Bryan Sabatella…Saturday’s crowd of 6,112 marked the second sold out crowd of the season for the Ducks, both coming in the last two games. Long Island has now hosted 641 sellout crowds in franchise history, an Atlantic League record. In addition, Long Island has welcomed 6,405,120 fans through the gates since their inaugural game of April 28, 2000.
Game Date: 06/20/2015 Bridgeport Bluefish 6 AT Long Island Ducks 12 YTD YTD Bridgeport AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG E.Chapman LF 6 0 1 0 .192 R.Corona 2B 6 2 2 0 .291 L.Rodriguez 2B 3 1 2 2 .280 D.Cleary Jr. CF,LF 3 2 2 1 .317 W.Dotel RF 5 1 2 0 .291 L.Ford CF 2 2 1 0 .345 J.Alonso 1B 2 1 0 1 .249 B.Sabatella RF 1 0 0 0 .298 J.Morales C 3 1 2 2 .266 R.Ruiz DH 4 1 2 3 .324 A.Rodriguez DH 4 1 1 0 .184 J.Griffin 1B 5 1 2 2 .267 J.Simmons CF 5 1 2 1 .230 C.Puckett 3B 5 0 0 0 .290 M.Burns SS 4 0 0 0 .105 J.Morales C 5 1 2 4 .272 M.Wessinger 3B 4 0 1 0 .200 P.Redman LF,RF 5 1 3 0 .229 D.Lyons SS 5 2 4 1 .311 36 6 11 6 41 12 18 11 Bridgeport 0 0 0 3 1 2 0 0 0 - 6 11 1 L Island 2 0 1 7 2 0 0 0 x - 12 18 0 2B--L.Rodriguez 2 (7), W.Dotel (9), R.Ruiz (5), J.Morales (4), D.Lyons (11). HR--J.Morales (1), J.Morales (1), D.Lyons (3). RBI--L.Rodriguez 2 (14), J.Alonso (25), J.Morales 2 (6), J.Simmons (16), D.Cleary Jr. (13), R.Ruiz 3 (11), J.Griffin 2 (38), J.Morales 4 (12), D.Lyons (28). SF--J.Alonso (3), D.Cleary Jr. (3). SB--E.Chapman 2 (2), L.Rodriguez (1), R.Corona (7), D.Cleary Jr. (12). E--K.Loe (1). LOB--Bridgeport 13, L Island 10. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Bridgeport K.Loe (L,0-1) 3.1 10 8 8 1 2 1 21.60 C.Povich 1.2 5 4 4 2 2 1 10.13 E.Niesen 2.0 1 0 0 1 2 0 5.40 E.Draxton 1.0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3.00 8 18 12 12 4 6 2 L Island B.Buckner (W,4-1) 5.0 8 4 4 5 4 1 4.61 P.Crider 1.0 2 2 2 1 1 0 3.63 F.DeJiulio Jr. 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3.86 N.Struck 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1.59 M.Soren 1.0 0 0 0 3 2 0 5.91 9 11 6 6 9 9 1 WP--C.Povich (1), E.Niesen (1), M.Soren (1). SO--E.Chapman 3, A.Rodriguez 2, J.Simmons 2, M.Wessinger 2, R.Corona 2, D.Cleary Jr., B.Sabatella, C.Puckett 2. BB--L.Rodriguez 2, J.Alonso 2, J.Morales 2, A.Rodriguez, M.Burns, M.Wessinger, D.Cleary Jr., L.Ford 2, R.Ruiz. BF--K.Loe 21 (21), C.Povich 12 (28), E.Niesen 8 (28), E.Draxton 5 (105), B.Buckner 27 (126), P.Crider 6 (93), F.DeJiulio Jr. 3 (74), N.Struck 4 (73), M.Soren 6 (53). P-S--K.Loe 64-42, C.Povich 59-36, E.Niesen 30-19, E.Draxton 13-9, B.Buckner 103-57, P.Crider 16-8, F.DeJiulio Jr. 12-9, N.Struck 12-8, M.Soren 28-11. T--3:19. A--6112 43 minute rain delay prior to first pitch Plate Umpire - Warren Nicholson, Field Umpire #1 - Tom Magier, Field Umpire #2 - Richard Katz