Four Ducks homer in matinee victory
(Central Islip, N.Y., Sept. 6, 2015) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 16-14 on Sunday afternoon in the third game of a four-game series at Bethpage Ballpark.
GAME AUDIO: Ducks smack four home runs
POSTGAME VIDEO: Kevin Baez, Randy Ruiz, and Anthony Vega talk about the slugfest
The Blue Crabs opened the scoring in the second when Keith Castillo hit a two-run double off Ducks starter Ian Marshall. Casey Stevenson extended the lead to 4-0 with a two-run single in the third. Anthony Vega put the Ducks on the scoreboard with a solo homer in the bottom of the inning off Blue Crabs starter Brian Grening.
In the fourth, Castillo’s second two-run double of the ballgame gave the Blue Crabs a 6-1 advantage. The Ducks then struck for nine runs in the home half of the frame, highlighted by Nelfi Zapata’s three-run homer and Randy Ruiz’s two-run shot. Trailing 10-6, the Blue Crabs responded and tied the game in the fifth when Jamar Walton hit a grand slam to right off Ducks reliever Mariel Checo. But, the Ducks retook the lead with four runs in the bottom of the inning on a RBI bases-loaded walk by Fehlandt Lentini, a two-run single by Delta Cleary, Jr., and a RBI single from Ruiz.
Southern Maryland plated two runs in the sixth on Bryant Nelson’s RBI double and Jovan Rosa’s RBI single to cut the Long Island lead to two. In the seventh, the Blue Crabs added two more against Ducks reliever Frank DeJiulio, Jr. to tie the game at 14-14. Lentini’s solo homer in the bottom of the inning gave the Ducks a 15-14 edge. Cody Puckett added another insurance run on a RBI double in the eighth, before Ryan Kussmaul completed the win in the ninth.
DeJiulio, Jr. (3-1) earned the win, allowing two runs on three hits in one and one-third innings of relief. Blue Crabs reliever Orlando Santos (3-7) suffered the loss, surrendering one run on one hit in one inning of relief. Both starters took a no decision. Marshall tossed four innings and allowed seven runs (six earned) while walking three and striking out two. Grening went three and one-third, giving up six runs on seven hits with two walks and one strikeout. Kussmaul held on for his 26th save of the season in the final frame.
Every Ducks starter had at least one hit and one run scored, while seven drove in at least one run. Vega, Zapata, Ruiz, and Lentini each finished with a homer apiece. Cleary, Jr. finished with a pair of hits, three RBI, and one run scored.
The Ducks complete their four-game set with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs on Monday afternoon. Game time is slated for 1:35 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 12:35 (12:20 for full season ticket holders). As part of a great package that can be purchased today, fans will receive a 90-minute, all-you-can-eat BBQ Picnic in the Hebrew National Picnic Area and a ticket to the game for just $30 ($24 for children four through nine). In addition, it’s a 20K Match Game Monday. During the game, the Ducks will post a special Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of a featured vehicle. If the last six digits of YOUR driver’s license number match that number, you’ll be the lucky winner of $20,000! Southpaw Darin Downs toes the rubber for the Ducks against Blue Crabs righty Daryl Thompson.
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. It’s the “Ducks Game of the Week,” and fans can follow all of the action live on the Ducks’ flagship radio station, 103.9-FM LI News Radio. Streaming video and audio will also be available online by CLICKING HERE.
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Duck Tales: The Ducks set new season-highs in runs and hits for a single game by scoring 16 runs and collecting 19 hits. Their previous high in runs was 14, done on August 21 in a 14-5 victory over Camden at home. Their previous high in hits was 18, done on June 20 against Bridgeport at home and on May 18 in a 6-5 loss at Lancaster. Long Island also tied a season-high for runs in a single inning with nine in the fourth. They have previously accomplished the feat three times, including September 2 against Bridgeport (6th inning), June 5 at Camden in game two of a doubleheader (4th inning) and May 20 at York (4th inning)…Four different Ducks players hit home runs on Sunday, the most homers in a single game by the Ducks this year. Anthony Vega’s solo homer in the third was his fourth of the year and third with the Ducks. Nelfi Zapata’s three-run blast in the fourth was his first as a Duck. Randy Ruiz’s two-run dinger in the fourth was his ninth of the year and second in three games. Fehlandt Lentini’s game-winning solo shot in the seventh was his third of the season and second of the homestand…Delta Cleary, Jr. connected for two more hits on Sunday and has now hit safely in 21 consecutive games. That is the longest hitting streak by a Duck this season and one shy of the longest in the Atlantic league this year. That was accomplished by Camden’s Carlos Guzman from July 24 to August 18. During the streak, the outfielder is batting .426 (40-for-94) with five doubles, one triple, 10 RBI and 16 runs scored. It was also his 19th two-hit game of the year and 32nd multi-hit contest…Ricardo Gomez made his Ducks debut for 2015 with a perfect inning in the eighth. The right-hander struck out two batters while inducing a groundout as well. He was signed by the Ducks last Sunday to begin his second stint with the Flock. His first came in 2010 when he compiled a 3-3 record with a 3.15 ERA and nine saves in 43 games.
Game Date: 09/06/2015 Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 14 AT Long Island Ducks 16 YTD YTD S Maryland AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG F.Lewis RF 4 2 0 0 .243 F.Lentini RF 4 3 3 2 .305 C.Stevenson 3B 5 0 2 3 .280 D.Cleary Jr. CF 5 1 2 3 .314 B.Nelson 2B 5 1 1 1 .293 D.Lyons SS 5 1 1 2 .303 J.Rosa DH 5 1 1 1 .272 R.Ruiz DH 5 2 3 3 .338 C.Maddox 1B 5 2 3 0 .269 S.Burroughs 1B 4 2 3 0 .358 J.Walton LF 4 2 1 4 .280 N.Zapata C 5 1 2 3 .313 C.Frawley SS 4 2 1 0 .260 C.Puckett 3B 5 1 2 1 .278 K.Castillo C 5 1 4 4 .266 E.Reyes 2B 5 2 2 0 .250 A.DeJesus CF 5 3 4 0 .254 A.Vega LF 3 3 1 1 .267 42 14 17 13 41 16 19 15 S Maryland 0 2 2 2 4 2 2 0 0 - 14 17 2 L Island 0 0 1 9 4 0 1 1 x - 16 19 1 2B--B.Nelson (13), K.Castillo 2 (12), A.DeJesus (10), S.Burroughs 2 (10), C.Puckett (21), E.Reyes 2 (3). HR--J.Walton (3), F.Lentini (3), R.Ruiz (9), N.Zapata (1), A.Vega (4). RBI--C.Stevenson 3 (43), B.Nelson (20), J.Rosa (48), J.Walton 4 (41), K.Castillo 4 (37), F.Lentini 2 (19), D.Cleary Jr. 3 (39), D.Lyons 2 (72), R.Ruiz 3 (40), N.Zapata 3 (10), C.Puckett (48), A.Vega (25). HP--F.Lewis (4), A.Vega (4). SH--F.Lewis (0). SB--D.Cleary Jr. (32). E--C.Maddox (10), B.Grening (1), I.Marshall (5). LOB--S Maryland 7, L Island 5. DP--B. Nelson(2B) - C. Frawley(SS) - C. Maddox(1B), B. Nelson(2B) - C. Frawley(SS) - C. Maddox(1B), B. Nelson(2B) - C. Frawley(SS) - C. Maddox(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA S Maryland B.Grening 3.1 7 6 6 2 1 2 4.74 T.Barham 0.2 6 7 6 0 0 1 3.64 C.Bodishbaugh 2.0 3 1 1 1 0 0 7.82 O.Santos (L,3-7) 1.0 1 1 1 0 1 1 2.89 W.Korpi 1.0 2 1 1 0 0 0 5.84 8 19 16 15 3 2 4 L Island I.Marshall 4.0 7 7 6 3 2 0 4.20 M.Checo 1.0 2 3 3 0 1 1 9.00 P.Crider 0.2 3 2 2 1 1 0 3.54 F.DeJiulio Jr. (W,3-1) 1.1 3 2 2 0 2 0 2.55 R.Gomez 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0.00 R.Kussmaul (S,26) 1.0 2 0 0 0 1 0 3.29 9 17 14 13 4 9 1 WP--F.DeJiulio Jr. (4). HB--T.Barham (1), P.Crider (2). SO--F.Lewis 3, J.Rosa, C.Maddox 2, C.Frawley 2, A.DeJesus, R.Ruiz, N.Zapata. BB--C.Stevenson, B.Nelson, J.Walton, C.Frawley, F.Lentini, S.Burroughs, A.Vega. BF--B.Grening 18 (472), T.Barham 9 (225), C.Bodishbaugh 9 (59), O.Santos 4 (271), W.Korpi 5 (293), I.Marshall 21 (597), M.Checo 5 (11), P.Crider 7 (221), F.DeJiulio Jr. 7 (154), R.Gomez 3 (3), R.Kussmaul 5 (227). P-S--B.Grening 50-31, T.Barham 28-19, C.Bodishbaugh 28-18, O.Santos 13-8, W.Korpi 12-11, I.Marshall 70-39, M.Checo 20-13, P.Crider 30-19, F.DeJiulio Jr. 24-17, R.Gomez 12-8, R.Kussmaul 21-14. T--3:17. A--4616 Plate Umpire - Matt Criss, Field Umpire #1 - John Grasso, Field Umpire #2 - Tom Magier