Four-run first inning too much for Flock to overcome
(Central Islip, N.Y., June 23, 2013) – The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Sugar Land Skeeters 8-4 on Sunday afternoon in the final game of a three-game series at Bethpage Ballpark.
GAME AUDIO: Bryant Nelson’s two-run single and Ben Broussard’s solo home run
POSTGAME VIDEO: Kevin Baez and Ben Broussard talk about the tough loss
Sugar Land struck first with a four-run opening inning against Ducks starter Bill Murphy. Two-run home runs by Reid Gorecki and Steve Moss did the damage. The Ducks responded in the bottom of the frame with a two-out, two-run single to center by Bryant Nelson off Skeeters starter Greg Aquino.
Both teams traded runs in the fourth. Sugar Land scored on a fielding error, and the Ducks brought home a run on a double play groundout by Ramon Castro. A solo homer to center by Ben Broussard in the fifth brought Long Island within one, but Gorecki’s second longball of the game in the seventh pushed the Skeeters lead to 6-4. Eduardo Perez’s two-run home run in the ninth put the game out of reach.
Clint Everts (2-1) got the win in relief, allowing a run on one hit in two innings of work. Aquino threw four innings, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out three. Murphy (0-8) suffered the loss, surrendering five runs (four earned) on five hits in five innings.
Broussard led the Flock with three hits while Hall added a pair of doubles.
The Ducks continue their homestand on Monday evening when they open up a five-game series with the cross-sound rival Bridgeport Bluefish. The series will begin with a single admission doubleheader featuring two seven inning games. First pitch for the opener is scheduled for 6:05 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 5:35. Game two will begin approximately 30 minutes after the completion of game one. MLB veteran Dontrelle Willis gets the start for the Ducks in game one against Bluefish southpaw Hunter Jones. Right-hander John Brownell toes the rubber for Long Island in game two against Bluefish righty and former Duck Mike Parisi.
Tickets for the twinbill 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 doubleheader can follow all the action live online, with streaming video and audio available on the Ducks official YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/ducksbaseball.
###
Duck Tales: Ben Broussard’s homer in the fifth was his eighth of the year and third at Bethpage Ballpark. The former big leaguer has now gone deep four times in the team’s last eight games. Long Island has now homered in eight consecutive games and nine of their last ten, increasing their season total to 61 which is good for third in the Atlantic League…With three hits, Broussard earned his fifth three-hit game of the year, tying him with Joash Brodin for the team lead. The slugger also picked up his 12th multi-hit game of the season…With two doubles, Bill Hall tied several Ducks for the most in a single game this season. The last time a Duck had two doubles in a game was by Broussard in game one of a doubleheader against Southern Maryland on June 8…With three walks, Rian Kiniry tied Brodin for the most in a single game by a Duck this season. Brodin walked three times on May 18 at Southern Maryland…Ducks pitchers earned eight more strikeouts today to extend their season total to 434. That’s tops in the Atlantic League over the York Revolution and Lancaster Barnstormers, who each entered the day with 417.
GAME DATE: 06/23/2013 Sugar Land Skeeters 8 AT Long Island Ducks 4 YTD YTD Sugar Land AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG A.Godwin CF 4 1 2 0 .270 J.Brodin LF 5 0 1 0 .319 J.Dominguez 2B 5 0 0 0 .258 J.Barfield 2B 5 0 1 0 .319 R.Gorecki RF 4 2 2 3 .196 B.Broussard 1B 5 2 3 1 .346 A.Bates 1B,LF 5 2 2 0 .321 B.Hall DH 5 1 2 0 .220 S.Moss DH 5 1 1 2 .308 B.Nelson 3B 3 1 1 2 .264 E.Perez 3B 5 1 2 2 .230 A.Bailey RF 4 0 1 0 .251 K.Clemens C 4 1 1 0 .197 R.Castro C 4 0 0 0 .246 R.Mitchell 1B 3 0 0 0 .184 R.Kiniry CF 1 0 0 0 .220 M.Rockett LF 0 0 0 0 .226 D.Lyons SS 4 0 1 0 .224 D.Ramos SS 3 0 0 0 .231 38 8 10 7 36 4 10 3 Sugar Land 4 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 - 8 10 0 L Island 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 - 4 10 1 2B--K.Clemens (6), B.Hall 2 (5). HR--R.Gorecki 2 (3), S.Moss (6), E.Perez (5), B.Broussard (8). RBI--R.Gorecki 3 (6), S.Moss 2 (26), E.Perez 2 (19), B.Broussard (20), B.Nelson 2 (29). HP--K.Clemens (4). SB--A.Godwin (27), R.Gorecki (6). E--B.Nelson (9). LOB--Sugar Land 8, L Island 9. DP--D. Ramos(SS) - J. Dominguez(2B) - R. Mitchell(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Sugar Land G.Aquino 4.0 5 3 3 2 3 0 2.67 C.Everts (W,2-1) 2.0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1.29 J.Marshall 0.1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0.87 R.Giron 1.2 1 0 0 0 2 0 2.38 J.Bergmann 1.0 2 0 0 1 2 0 0.35 9 10 4 4 4 8 1 L Island B.Murphy (L,0-8) 5.0 5 5 4 2 3 2 8.08 B.Zimmermann 1.0 2 0 0 1 2 0 3.52 I.Snell 1.0 1 1 1 0 2 1 4.70 N.DeBarr 2.0 2 2 2 1 1 1 6.88 9 10 8 7 4 8 4 HB--N.DeBarr (5). SO--J.Dominguez, A.Bates, S.Moss, E.Perez, K.Clemens 2, R.Mitchell, D.Ramos, J.Barfield, B.Broussard, B.Hall 2, A.Bailey, R.Castro 2, R.Kiniry. BB--A.Godwin, R.Gorecki, R.Mitchell, D.Ramos, B.Nelson, R.Kiniry 3. BF--G.Aquino 18 (109), C.Everts 7 (25), J.Marshall 3 (86), R.Giron 6 (95), J.Bergmann 6 (93), B.Murphy 23 (208), B.Zimmermann 6 (34), I.Snell 4 (96), N.DeBarr 10 (243). P-S--G.Aquino 57-35, C.Everts 19-13, J.Marshall 11-6, R.Giron 24-17, J.Bergmann 19-12, B.Murphy 103-56, B.Zimmermann 28-17, I.Snell 13-8, N.DeBarr 41-22. T--2:57. A--5509 Umpires: Plate Ump - Frank Leparik, Field Ump #1 - Chase Edmondson, Field Ump #2 - Aaron Freeman