Grand slam sets Ducks back in series opener

(Waldorf, Md., May 17, 2013) – The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 7-5 on Friday night in the opening game of a three-game series at Regency Furniture Stadium.

The Ducks opened the scoring in the first inning on a Joash Brodin two-run double off Blue Crabs starter Ian Marshall. Southern Maryland answered back with five runs in the second inning on an Alvin Colina RBI single, and a Cesar Nicolas grand slam.

The Blue Crabs tacked on two more runs in the seventh inning on a RBI double by Brian Barton and a Jose Julio-Ruiz RBI single. Ray Navarrete hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning to close the gap to 7-5, but that was as close as the Ducks would come.

Marshall (3-1) earned the win, tossing seven innings, allowing two runs, both unearned, on four hits while striking out four. Nick DeBarr (0-4) suffered the loss, giving up seven runs on eight hits and two walks with five strikeouts in six and two-thirds innings of work. Jim Ed Warden earned his six save of the year with a scoreless ninth.

Ray Navarrete led the Ducks with two hits and three runs batted in, while Joash Brodin added two RBI.

The Ducks continue their three-game series against the Blue Crabs Saturday night. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m. from Regency Furniture Stadium. Right-hander Connor Graham gets the ball for for the Ducks against Blue Crabs lefty Michael Ballard. Fans can follow all the action live on the radio home of the Ducks, 103.9-FM WRCN, and online by CLICKING HERE.

Long Island returns home on Friday, May 24 when they host the Blue Crabs in the first game of a three-game set. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 6:05. It’s “Don’t Fry Day” with Skin Cancer Awareness, and the first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Duck Mini Bats, courtesy of Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. 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.

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Duck Tales: Ray Navarrete extended his team-high on-base streak to thirteen games. During the streak, he is batting .416 (20-for-48) with two home runs, 12 RBI and ten runs scored. Since the streak began, he has also raised his batting average from .111 to .269 and his on-base percentage from .146 to .340. He recorded his second three-RBI game, and his fifth two-hit game, his eighth multi-hit game overall…Joash Brodin drove in two runs for the first time in 2013, and recorded his second multi-RBI game overall…Long Island has homered in three straight games and has 23 longballs on the year…Nick DeBarr posted his longest outing, throwing six and two-thirds innings. His previous high was six innings in his first start on April 21…James Houser and Ian Snell combined to throw an inning and a third of scoreless relief, giving up just one hit and one walk combined. The Ducks bullpen has surrendered just one run in eighth and two-thirds innings during the last two games.

 GAME DATE: 05/17/2013 Long Island Ducks 5 AT Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 7 YTD YTD L Island AB R H BI AVG S Maryland AB R H BI AVG D.Perales DH 3 1 1 0 .284 R.Osuna SS 4 0 1 0 .292 A.Bailey RF 4 1 1 0 .242 B.Barton CF,RF 4 1 1 1 .286 R.Navarrete 2B 4 2 2 3 .269 R.Mulhern 1B 3 0 0 0 .301 M.Watts 1B 4 1 0 0 .118 J.Julio-Ruiz LF 3 1 2 1 .353 J.Brodin LF 4 0 1 2 .280 C.Hankerd RF 3 1 2 0 .252 R.Henriquez C 3 0 0 0 .167 J.Owens CF 0 0 0 0 .151 R.Castro C,PH 1 0 0 0 .221 A.Colina C 4 1 1 1 .294 R.Kiniry CF 3 0 1 0 .200 B.Jones 2B 4 1 0 0 .233 G.Suarez 3B 3 0 0 0 .250 W.Sutil 2B 0 0 0 0 .227 B.Nelson PH 1 0 0 0 .204 C.Nicolas 3B 4 1 1 4 .165 D.Lyons SS 4 0 0 0 .241 K.Hightower DH 3 1 1 0 .241 S.Smith DH,PH 1 0 0 0 .140 34 5 6 5 33 7 9 7 L Island 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 - 5 6 1 S Maryland 0 5 0 0 0 0 2 0 x - 7 9 2 2B--J.Brodin (5), B.Barton (4), C.Hankerd (10). HR--R.Navarrete (2), C.Nicolas (2). RBI--R.Navarrete 3 (15), J.Brodin 2 (11), B.Barton (12), J.Julio-Ruiz (7), A.Colina (6), C.Nicolas 4 (9). HP--D.Perales (1). SB--B.Barton (6), K.Hightower (1). E--G.Suarez (6), R.Osuna (5), B.Jones (11). LOB--L Island 4, S Maryland 5. DP--R. Navarrete(2B) - G. Suarez(3B) - M. Watts(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA L Island N.DeBarr (L,0-4) 6.2 8 7 6 2 5 1 7.86 J.Houser 0.1 1 0 0 1 0 0 3.38 I.Snell 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.38 8 9 7 6 3 5 1 S Maryland I.Marshall (W,3-1) 7.0 4 2 0 1 4 0 3.67 C.Manning 0.0 1 2 2 0 0 0 3.68 B.Vaughan 1.0 1 1 1 0 3 1 5.79 J.Warden (S,6) 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.73 9 6 5 3 1 8 1 WP--I.Marshall (3). HB--C.Manning (2). SO--A.Bailey, M.Watts 2, J.Brodin, R.Castro, R.Kiniry, B.Nelson, D.Lyons, R.Osuna, R.Mulhern, A.Colina, C.Nicolas, K.Hightower. BB--R.Kiniry, R.Mulhern, J.Julio-Ruiz, C.Hankerd. BF--N.DeBarr 30 (120), J.Houser 3 (59), I.Snell 3 (41), I.Marshall 27 (155), C.Manning 2 (70), B.Vaughan 4 (20), J.Warden 3 (48). P-S--N.DeBarr 119-86, J.Houser 9-5, I.Snell 14-8, I.Marshall 90-59, C.Manning 5-3, B.Vaughan 19-11, J.Warden 9-7. T--2:42. A--4415 With 2 outs in top of 8th, LI's Ralph Henriquez and Mgr. Kevin Baez were ejected Weather: Umpires: Plate Ump - Tim McCaffrey, Field Ump #1 - Alan JoJo Reyes, Field Ump #2 - Matt Hensel