Taylor Ard completes comeback with two-run home run
 

(Photo courtesy of Joe Doll)

(New Britain, Conn., July 4, 2018) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the New Britain Bees 5-3 on Wednesday afternoon in the second game of a three-game series at New Britain Stadium.

GAME VIDEO: Highlights from today’s victory.

The Bees scored their first run in the second inning off Ducks starter Lee Sosa when James Skelton drove home Brock Stassi with a base hit. New Britain tacked on two more in the fifth after an RBI single by Ozney Guillen and a run scoring ground out from Deibinson Romero.

The Ducks stormed back in the eighth inning with an incredible rally started by a Dan Lyons triple. Jordany Valdespin drove him in with a base hit, and Travis Snider followed with an RBI single of his own. Emilio Bonifacio scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Lew Ford, then Taylor Ard crushed a two-run home run to left field to complete the comeback and give the Ducks a 5-3 lead.

Neither starter factored into the decision, with Lee Sosa allowing one run on one hit and two walks in two innings of work for the Ducks. Andy Van Hekken threw five and two-thirds scoreless innings for the Bees, allowing five hits.

Ashur Tolliver (1-2) earned the win, dealing one and one-third scoreless innings of relief, including a bases-loaded strikeout to prevent a run from scoring in the sixth inning. Jim Fuller (0-1) suffered the loss, lasting just one-third of an inning and allowing four runs on three hits, walking one. Francisco Rodriguez converted his 13th save, allowing one hit in a scoreless ninth inning.

Valdespin and Lyons paced the Flock with two hits and a run apiece, with the former adding an RBI.

The Ducks close out their three-game series and the first half tomorrow night against the New Britain Bees. First pitch matchup is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at New Britain Stadium. Fans can follow all the action on the Long Island Ducks Broadcast Network. Live streaming HD video and audio will be available via BoxCast on the Ducks official Facebook page, YouTube channel and at LIDucks.com. Left-hander Jake Fisher (3-3, 4.17) gets the start for the Ducks against Bees righty Mark Hamburger (5-5, 3.91).

Long Island returns home on Friday, July 6 to begin a three-game series against the Sugar Land Skeeters. Game time is slated for 5:05 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 4:05 (3:50 for full season ticket holders). It’s a Bowlero Friday, and as fans exit the ballpark following the game, Ducks staff members will be handing out coupons for a special “buy one game of bowling, get one free” offer, courtesy of Bowlero. The Red Robin K-Man promotion will be taking place as well. A player on the Road Warriors will be designated as the K-Man, and if he strikes out, all fans in a lucky section of the ballpark will win a “buy one entree, get one half off” discount, courtesy of Red Robin. Tickets to the game, and all 2018 Ducks home games, are available by visiting the Bethpage Ballpark box office, calling (631) 940-TIXX or CLICKING HERE.

The Long Island Ducks are members of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and play their home games at Bethpage Ballpark. For further information, call (631) 940-DUCK or visit www.liducks.com.

About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)

The Atlantic League has been a leader in professional baseball and a gateway to Major League Baseball since 1998. Over 38 million fans have attended Atlantic League games and more than 900 players and 50 managers and coaches have joined MLB organizations directly from the ALPB. The Atlantic League emphasizes winning baseball games, showcasing the talent of top-caliber players and offering affordable family entertainment.

For more information, please visit www.atlanticleague.com.
 

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 Game Date: 07/04/2018 Long Island Ducks 5 AT New Britain Bees 3 YTD YTD L Island AB R H BI AVG N Britain AB R H BI AVG Valdespin, J 2B 4 1 2 1 .351 Ford, D CF 0 0 0 0 .281 Bonifacio, E CF 3 1 1 0 .305 Guillen, O RF 4 0 1 1 .214 Snider, T DH 4 0 1 1 .278 Brignac, R SS 4 0 0 0 .292 Ford, L LF 4 0 1 1 .267 Romero, D 3B 5 0 1 1 .290 Vega, A LF,PR 0 1 0 0 .234 Rogers, J 1B 4 0 0 0 .321 Ard, T 1B 4 1 1 2 .269 Stassi, B LF 4 1 2 0 .386 Puckett, C 3B 4 0 1 0 .225 Tuiasosopo, M DH 3 0 0 0 .220 Fields, D RF 4 0 0 0 .236 Walton, J CF,RF 4 0 0 0 .284 De La Hoz, R C 4 0 0 0 .000 Galvez, J 2B 2 1 0 0 .274 Lyons, D SS 4 1 2 0 .194 Skelton, J C 2 1 2 1 .268 35 5 9 5 32 3 6 3 L Island 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 - 5 9 1 N Britain 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 - 3 6 1 3B--Lyons, D SS (1). HR--Ard, T 1B (8). RBI--Valdespin, J 2B (28), Snider, T DH (44), Ford, L LF (39), Ard, T 1B 2 (20), TOTALS 5 (0), Guillen, O RF (11), Romero, D 3B (37), Skelton, J C (20), TOTALS 3 (0). HP--Ford, D CF (6). SB--Stassi, B LF (1). E--Vega, A LF,PR (3), Romero, D 3B (10). LOB--L Island 4, N Britain 11. DP--J. Galvez(2B) - R. Brignac(SS) - J. Rogers(1B), J. Valdespin(2B) - D. Lyons(SS) - T. Ard(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA L Island Sosa, L 2.0 1 1 1 2 2 0 5.75 Dunning, J 2.0 0 0 0 1 1 0 7.63 Pimentel, C 1.2 3 2 2 3 3 0 2.83 Tolliver, A (W,1-2) 1.1 1 0 0 1 2 0 4.37 Murray, C 1.0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2.35 Rodriguez, F (S,13) 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2.25 9 6 3 3 8 8 0 N Britain Van Hekken, A 5.2 5 0 0 0 5 0 3.96 Ramirez, E 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4.03 Burke, D 1.1 1 1 1 0 1 0 4.77 Fuller, J (L,0-1) 0.1 3 4 4 1 0 1 3.72 Gervacio, S 1.1 0 0 0 0 3 0 2.40 9 9 5 5 1 9 1 WP--Sosa, L (4), Fuller, J (1). HB--Sosa, L (1). SO--Snider, T, Ard, T, Puckett, C 2, Fields, D 2, De La Hoz, R 3, Guillen, O, Brignac, R 2, Tuiasosopo, M 3, Walton, J, Galvez, J. BB--Bonifacio, E, Brignac, R, Rogers, J, Stassi, B, Tuiasosopo, M, Galvez, J 2, Skelton, J 2. BF--Sosa, L 10 (73), Dunning, J 6 (138), Pimentel, C 11 (127), Tolliver, A 6 (102), Murray, C 4 (33), Rodriguez, F 4 (81), Van Hekken, A 21 (275), Ramirez, E (97), Burke, D 5 (46), Fuller, J 5 (88), Gervacio, S 4 (124). P-S--Sosa, L 51-31, Dunning, J 28-16, Pimentel, C 51-31, Tolliver, A 20-15, Murray, C 16-10, Rodriguez, F 14-10, Van Hekken, A 86-61, Ramirez, E 5-3, Burke, D 20-16, Fuller, J 14-6, Gervacio, S 16-12. T--3:20. A--3023 Plate Umpire - Jorge Teran, Field Umpire #1 - Mario Rosas, Field Umpire #3 - John Grasso