Long Island rallies for win in opener before Pats rebound to take nightcap

(Central Islip, N.Y., May 11, 2013) – The Long Island Ducks split a day/night doubleheader with the Somerset Patriots on Saturday, winning the opener 6-5 before dropping the nightcap 12-6 at Bethpage Ballpark.

GAME ONE AUDIO: Anthony Armenio’s three-run triple and Ralph Henriquez’s two-run homer

GAME TWO AUDIO: Joash Brodin’s RBI triple and Dontrelle Willis’ sac fly and RBI single

POSTGAME VIDEO: Kevin Baez, Ralph Henriquez and Dontrelle Willis talk about the doubleheader

Somerset struck first in game one for three runs off Ducks starter Connor Graham on a two-run double by Corey Smith and a RBI double by Luis Montanez. It stayed that way until the fourth inning when Anthony Armenio tied the game at three with a three-run triple down the right field line off Patriots starter Brad Thompson.

Long Island took the lead in the fifth on a sacrifice fly to center by Ray Navarrete, but Somerset grabbed the lead back in the seventh on a sac fly to center by John Skelton and a RBI single to left from Bobby Stevens. Ralph Henriquez would put the Ducks on top for good though in the eighth, as he lifted a two-run homer to right-center.

Neither starter factored into the decision. Graham allowed three runs on six hits in five innings of work while Thompson yielded four runs (three earned) on six hits in six and two-thirds innings. Jared Lansford (1-1) collected the win after pitching a scoreless eighth inning while Paul Phillips (1-1) suffered the loss, allowing two runs on three hits in one and one-third innings. Leo Rosales earned his fourth save with a scoreless ninth.

In game two, Long Island took a 2-0 lead in the in the first on a RBI triple from Joash Brodin and a run-scoring wild pitch thrown by Patriots starter Graham Taylor. After a run by Somerset in the second off Ducks starter Matt Way, Dontrelle Willis pushed the lead to three with a sacrifice fly to left in the second and a RBI single to right in the fourth.

Somerset responded with a five-run fifth inning to take a 6-4 lead. RBI singles by Corey Smith and Mike Wilson along with a two-run double by Luis Montanez highlighted the scoring. After a bases loaded walk to Armenio in the fifth, the Patriots put the game out of reach with a three-run eighth and a three-run ninth.

Taylor did not factor into the decision, allowing two runs on one hit in two-thirds of an inning. David Harden (3-0) earned the win, allowing three run (two earned) on seven hits in three and two-thirds innings. Way (1-1) suffered the loss, surrendering six runs (five earned) on eight hits in four and one-third innings.

The Ducks return to action on Tuesday night when they open up a three-game series against the York Revolution. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 5:35. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive 2004 Atlantic League Champions pins as part three of seven in the 2013 Collector’s Series. MLB veteran Dontrelle Willis takes the mound for the Ducks against Revolution righty Nick Green.

Tickets for the game and all Ducks regular season home games are now on sale. Fans can purchase their tickets by visiting the Bethpage Ballpark box office, calling 631-940-TIXX or by CLICKING HERE. Fans unable to make the game can follow all the action live online, with streaming video and audio available on the Ducks’ official YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/ducksbaseball.

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Duck Tales (Game One): Ray Navarrete extended his on-base streak to eight games with two hits in the ballgame. That’s the longest on-base streak by a Duck this year. Entering the game, Navarrete was hitting .324 (11-for-34) with one homer, four RBI and three runs in his last nine games. It was also the eighth-year Duck’s third two-hit game of the year and second consecutive game with two hits…Ralph Henriquez’s two-run homer in the eighth inning as his third of the year and first at Bethpage Ballpark. It was also the Ducks’ 20th home run as a team in 2013, good for third in the Atlantic League. Henriquez launched the Ducks’ first home run of the season on April 21 at Sugar Land.

Duck Tales (Game Two): Joash Brodin’s RBI triple was his first three-bagger of the season and the Ducks’ fourth of the year. Gabe Suarez, Adam Bailey and Anthony Armenio all each have picked up triples as well. The Ducks totaled 17 triples as a team during the 2012 season…Willis picked up three RBI in the game in his first time batting as a member of the Ducks. He last hit in a game in 2011 with the Cincinnati Reds. Willis has a .244 career average in the Major Leagues with nine home runs and 39 RBI…Joash Brodin and Rian Kiniry each had two hits in the game. Brodin is now tied for second on the team in two-hit games with five, while Kiniry picked up his first two-hit contest of 2013.

 GAME DATE: 05/11/2013 (GAME ONE) Somerset Patriots 5 AT Long Island Ducks 6 YTD YTD Somerset AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG D.Hennigan 2B,SS 3 1 0 0 .214 D.Perales CF 4 0 1 0 .280 J.Kroeger RF 3 0 0 0 .205 R.Navarrete 2B 3 1 2 1 .243 J.Fox 3B 4 1 1 0 .315 R.Castro C 4 1 1 0 .222 J.Tucker 2B,PR 0 0 0 0 .242 R.Henriquez DH 3 2 1 2 .133 C.Smith DH 5 1 2 2 .333 J.Brodin RF 4 1 3 0 .268 M.Wilson LF 5 0 1 0 .324 A.Armenio 1B 4 0 1 3 .250 L.Montanez CF 5 1 2 1 .301 G.Suarez 3B 3 0 0 0 .231 E.Martinez-Este 1B 4 1 2 0 .308 R.Kiniry LF 3 0 0 0 .154 J.Skelton C 3 0 0 1 .122 D.Lyons SS 2 1 0 0 .206 B.Stevens 3B,SS 3 0 2 1 .244 35 5 10 5 30 6 9 6 Somerset 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 - 5 10 1 L Island 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 2 x - 6 9 2 2B--C.Smith (7), L.Montanez (5), R.Navarrete (5), R.Castro (1). 3B--A.Armenio (1). HR--R.Henriquez (3). RBI--C.Smith 2 (10), L.Montanez (14), J.Skelton (3), B.Stevens (5), R.Navarrete (8), R.Henriquez 2 (6), A.Armenio 3 (3). HP--B.Stevens (1), G.Suarez (2). SF--J.Skelton (1), R.Navarrete (2). SH--D.Hennigan (0). SB--D.Perales (2), G.Suarez (3). CS--J.Brodin (2). E--J.Fox (4), A.Armenio (1), R.Kiniry (2). LOB--Somerset 12, L Island 4. DP--J. Skelton(C) - D. Hennigan(SS), D. Hennigan(2B) - B. Stevens(SS) - E. Martinez-Esteve(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Somerset B.Thompson 6.2 6 4 3 1 5 0 3.09 P.Phillips (L,1-1) 1.1 3 2 2 0 3 1 2.89 8 9 6 5 1 8 1 L Island C.Graham 5.0 6 3 3 4 1 0 5.52 J.Lansford 1.0 1 0 0 1 0 0 5.87 T.Hose 1.0 3 2 1 0 1 0 5.14 J.Lansford (W,1-1) 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 7.71 L.Rosales (S,4) 1.0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1.86 9 10 5 4 6 5 0 PB--R.Castro. HB--B.Thompson (1), C.Graham (2). SO--J.Kroeger 2, C.Smith, M.Wilson 2, D.Perales 2, R.Navarrete, R.Henriquez, A.Armenio, G.Suarez, R.Kiniry 2. BB--D.Hennigan, J.Kroeger 2, J.Fox, E.Martinez-Esteve, J.Skelton, R.Henriquez. BF--B.Thompson 27 (133), P.Phillips 6 (39), C.Graham 26 (70), J.Lansford 5 (36), T.Hose 5 (33), J.Lansford 4 (32), L.Rosales 4 (43). P-S--B.Thompson 105-70, P.Phillips 21-14, C.Graham 87-52, J.Lansford 18-12, T.Hose 13-10, J.Lansford 17-12, L.Rosales 18-10. T--2:56. A--4524 Mike Wilson and Shane Spencer were ejected in the top of the ninth inning for arguing balls and strikes Umpires: Plate Ump - Marty Bauer, Field Ump #1 - Frank Leparik, Field Ump #2 - Dan Kiley

 GAME DATE: 05/11/2013 (GAME TWO) Somerset Patriots 12 AT Long Island Ducks 6 YTD YTD Somerset AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG J.Tucker CF 6 2 2 2 .247 D.Perales CF 4 1 0 0 .266 D.Hennigan 2B 5 3 2 0 .242 R.Navarrete 2B 3 0 1 0 .247 C.Smith 3B 6 1 2 1 .333 J.Brodin RF 5 2 2 1 .276 M.Wilson DH 5 2 3 2 .342 R.Henriquez C 4 0 1 0 .143 L.Montanez RF 4 3 2 3 .312 G.Suarez 3B 5 0 1 0 .228 E.Martinez-Este 1B 4 0 2 2 .321 A.Armenio 1B 3 0 0 1 .143 A.Donachie C 6 0 2 1 .316 D.Lyons SS 5 2 2 0 .219 A.Eggleston LF 4 0 1 1 .245 R.Kiniry LF 4 1 2 0 .186 B.Stevens SS 5 1 1 0 .240 D.Willis DH 2 0 1 3 .500 45 12 17 12 35 6 10 5 Somerset 0 1 0 0 5 0 0 3 3 - 12 17 3 L Island 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 - 6 10 2 2B--L.Montanez (6), E.Martinez-Esteve (5), B.Stevens (3), J.Brodin (3), R.Kiniry (3). 3B--J.Brodin (1). HR--J.Tucker (1). RBI--J.Tucker 2 (14), C.Smith (11), M.Wilson 2 (18), L.Montanez 3 (17), E.Martinez-Esteve 2 (8), A.Donachie (9), A.Eggleston (5), J.Brodin (8), A.Armenio (4), D.Willis 3 (3). HP--L.Montanez (1), A.Eggleston (3), R.Navarrete (3). SF--D.Willis 2 (2). SB--R.Kiniry (1). CS--R.Henriquez (1). E--J.Tucker (5), B.Stevens (4), D.Harden (1), A.Armenio (2), D.Lyons (3). LOB--Somerset 13, L Island 11. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Somerset G.Taylor 0.2 1 2 2 1 0 0 6.10 D.Harden (W,3-0) 3.2 7 3 2 1 2 0 4.91 R.Merritt 1.1 0 0 0 1 1 0 5.06 J.Lowey 0.1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2.46 B.Braboy 2.0 1 1 0 1 3 0 2.13 J.Hoey 1.0 1 0 0 1 2 0 3.86 9 10 6 5 6 8 0 L Island M.Way (L,1-1) 4.1 8 6 5 3 5 0 3.76 J.Houser 1.2 1 0 0 1 3 0 1.46 E.Niesen 2.0 4 3 3 0 2 0 5.23 I.Snell 0.0 3 3 3 1 0 1 14.29 P.Budkevics 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 9 17 12 11 5 11 1 WP--G.Taylor (1), B.Braboy (2). HB--B.Braboy (3), J.Houser 2 (2). SO--J.Tucker 2, C.Smith 4, M.Wilson 2, A.Donachie, B.Stevens 2, D.Perales, R.Henriquez, G.Suarez 3, A.Armenio, R.Kiniry 2. BB--D.Hennigan, M.Wilson, L.Montanez, E.Martinez-Esteve 2, D.Perales, R.Navarrete, R.Henriquez, A.Armenio 2, R.Kiniry. BF--G.Taylor 4 (98), D.Harden 19 (65), R.Merritt 5 (28), J.Lowey 2 (32), B.Braboy 9 (59), J.Hoey 5 (12), M.Way 25 (118), J.Houser 9 (51), E.Niesen 10 (44), I.Snell 4 (30), P.Budkevics 4 (23). P-S--G.Taylor 24-12, D.Harden 65-40, R.Merritt 20-12, J.Lowey 6-2, B.Braboy 35-22, J.Hoey 22-14, M.Way 90-59, J.Houser 32-19, E.Niesen 37-25, I.Snell 23-13, P.Budkevics 15-11. T--3:45. A--5759 Rain delay of 1:10 prior to first pitch...Graham Taylor ejected in the first inning for arguing a call by the HP umpire Umpires: Plate Ump - Andrew Steinberg, Field Ump #1 - Dan Kiley, Field Ump #2 - Frank Leparik