Ducks claim opener in extras and blank Skeeters in game two

(Sugar Land, Texas, Sept. 4, 2014) – The Long Island Ducks swept a doubleheader against the Sugar Land Skeeters on Thursday night, taking game one 6-5 in 11 innings and game two 3-0 at Constellation Field.

GAME ONE AUDIO: Highlights from the extra inning victory

GAME TWO AUDIO: Highlights from the shutout win

Long Island took the lead in game one with three runs in the third inning off Sugar Land starter Sean Gallagher. Brendan Harris’ sacrifice fly to right and Lew Ford’s mammoth two-run homer to left did the damage. The Skeeters closed to within two in the fourth on Michael Rockett’s RBI single to right off Ducks starter Shaun Garceau.

The Ducks answered right back in the fifth with a two-out RBI single by Adam Bailey to take a 4-1 lead. However, a three-run rally by Sugar Land in the sixth tied the game at four. Adam Godwin’s RBI single and a two-run base hit by Rene Tosoni highlighted the frame.

Long Island responded immediately in the seventh with Ford’s RBI single to left to jump back in front. Sugar Land would pull even though in the bottom of the inning on Rockett’s RBI single to left. It stayed that way until the top of the 11th when Harris scored from third with two outs on a wild pitch by Jared Wells.

Neither starter factored into the decision. Garceau tossed five and two-thirds innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out three. Gallagher lasted four and two-thirds innings, yielding four runs on six hits and four walks. Eric Niesen (4-3) picked up the win after tossing one and one-third scoreless innings of relief, giving up two hits while striking out two. Wells (3-2) suffered the loss, surrendering a run on one hit and two walks in two innings. Josh Lansford earned his first save of the year after getting Rockett to line into a game-ending double play.

Ford led the Ducks with three hits and three RBI in the opener.

C.J. Retherford gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead in the second inning of game two with a solo homer to left off Skeeters starter Dan Meadows. Brandon Bantz extended the advantage to three in the fourth with a two-out, two-run triple to left.

That was more than enough for Bob Zimmermann (3-2) to earn the win, as he tossed five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and a walk while striking out two. Meadows (2-5) took the loss, giving up three runs on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts in five innings. Sergio Perez earned his first save with a scoreless seventh inning.

Retherford and Cody Puckett led the Flock with two hits in game two.

The Ducks and Skeeters will continue their seven-game set on Friday night. Game time is slated for 8:05 p.m. EDT at Constellation Field. Right-hander Jared Lansford takes the mound for the Ducks against Skeeters righty Matt Wright. Fans can follow all the action on Long Island’s home for news, traffic and weather, 103.9-FM LI News Radio. The game can also be heard online by CLICKING HERE.

Long Island returns home on Tuesday, September 9 to begin a three-game series against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 5:35. It will be the Ninth Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Night at the ballpark, presented by PinkTie.org/1st Equity Title & Closing Services/Steiner Sports. The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Commemorative T-Shirts, and Ducks staff members will also be handing out Commemorative Pamphlets. Following the game, all fans in attendance will be treated to a Pyrotecnico Fireworks Extravaganza. Tickets for the game and every Ducks regular season home game 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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 Game Date: 09/04/2014 (GAME ONE) Long Island Ducks 6 AT Sugar Land Skeeters 5 (EXTRA INNINGS) YTD YTD L Island AB R H BI AVG Sugar Land AB R H BI AVG F.Lentini RF 4 1 1 0 .306 A.Godwin CF 6 1 1 1 .250 B.Harris 3B,SS 2 2 1 1 .302 R.Tosoni 1B 6 0 2 2 .143 L.Ford CF 5 1 3 3 .346 D.Young 2B 6 0 3 0 .290 B.Hall DH 4 0 1 0 .261 T.Scott C,DH 5 1 1 0 .222 A.Bailey LF 5 0 1 1 .308 D.Almonte LF 6 0 1 0 .206 C.Retherford 1B,3B 5 0 1 0 .357 D.Ramos SS 5 0 2 0 .282 C.Puckett 2B 3 0 0 0 .287 T.Jennings C 3 0 1 0 .327 B.Bantz C 5 1 1 0 .273 R.Langerhans PH 1 1 1 0 .273 J.Brodin 1B 5 1 2 0 .258 C.VanAllen P 0 0 0 0 .000 D.Lyons SS 0 0 0 0 .256 R.Corcoran P 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Wells P 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Lambin PH 1 0 0 0 .195 M.Rockett 3B 6 1 3 2 .224 B.Hunt RF 2 1 0 0 .275 38 6 11 5 47 5 15 5 L Island 0 0 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 - 6 11 2 Sugar Land 0 0 0 1 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 - 5 15 0 2B--L.Ford (38), D.Young (24), R.Langerhans (14). HR--L.Ford (15). RBI--B.Harris (45), L.Ford 3 (87), A.Bailey (83), A.Godwin (19), R.Tosoni 2 (2), M.Rockett 2 (34). HP--B.Hunt (2). SF--B.Harris (3). SH--F.Lentini 2 (0), B.Harris (0), D.Ramos (0), R.Corcoran (0). E--S.Garceau (4), E.Niesen (1). LOB--L Island 10, Sugar Land 15. DP--D. Young(2B) - D. Ramos(SS) - R. Tosoni(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA L Island S.Garceau 5.2 8 4 4 1 3 0 4.79 K.Regas 0.1 2 0 0 0 0 0 13.50 S.Perez 1.0 2 1 1 1 0 0 3.55 T.Organ 2.0 1 0 0 1 1 0 2.38 E.Niesen (W,4-3) 1.1 2 0 0 0 2 0 3.35 J.Lansford (S,1) 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.00 11 15 5 5 3 6 0 Sugar Land S.Gallagher 4.2 6 4 4 4 0 1 5.40 A.Johnston 1.1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2.35 G.Majewski 1.0 2 1 1 0 1 0 3.07 C.VanAllen 1.1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2.30 R.Corcoran 0.2 0 0 0 1 1 0 2.53 J.Wells (L,3-2) 2.0 1 1 1 2 2 0 3.22 11 11 6 6 7 4 1 WP--S.Gallagher (6), J.Wells (6). HB--S.Garceau (4). SO--B.Hall 3, J.Brodin, A.Godwin, T.Scott, D.Almonte 2, D.Ramos, C.Lambin. BB--B.Harris 2, L.Ford, B.Hall 2, C.Puckett 2, T.Scott, B.Hunt 2. BF--S.Garceau 28 (643), K.Regas 3 (8), S.Perez 6 (55), T.Organ 8 (46), E.Niesen 7 (229), J.Lansford (167), S.Gallagher 22 (253), A.Johnston 5 (90), G.Majewski 5 (227), C.VanAllen 5 (178), R.Corcoran 3 (225), J.Wells 9 (224). P-S--S.Garceau 91-61, K.Regas 13-10, S.Perez 13-8, T.Organ 29-17, E.Niesen 29-18, J.Lansford 2-2, S.Gallagher 85-43, A.Johnston 16-10, G.Majewski 15-11, C.VanAllen 14-9, R.Corcoran 12-7, J.Wells 36-22. T--3:46. Weather: Cloudy, 85 Degrees Plate Umpire - Reggie Ligons, Field Umpire #1 - 1B Rodney Galloway, Field Umpire #2 - 3B Ken Langford Game Date: 09/04/2014 (GAME TWO) Long Island Ducks 3 AT Sugar Land Skeeters 0 YTD YTD L Island AB R H BI AVG Sugar Land AB R H BI AVG F.Lentini CF 4 0 0 0 .304 A.Godwin CF 3 0 0 0 .247 B.Harris 3B 3 0 1 0 .302 N.Stavinoha PH 1 0 0 0 .249 L.Ford DH 3 0 0 0 .344 C.Lambin DH 2 0 1 0 .197 A.Bailey RF 3 0 1 0 .308 D.Young 1B 2 0 1 0 .291 C.Retherford 1B 2 2 2 1 .438 T.Scott C 3 0 1 0 .223 C.Puckett 2B 3 1 2 0 .289 R.Tosoni RF 3 0 0 0 .118 B.Bantz LF 3 0 1 2 .274 D.Ramos SS 3 0 1 0 .283 J.Vazquez C 3 0 0 0 .204 D.Almonte LF 3 0 0 0 .204 D.Lyons SS 2 0 0 0 .254 M.Rockett 3B 3 0 1 0 .225 B.Hunt 2B 1 0 0 0 .272 R.Langerhans PH 0 0 0 0 .273 26 3 7 3 24 0 5 0 L Island 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 - 3 7 1 Sugar Land 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 5 0 2B--C.Puckett (14). 3B--B.Bantz (2). HR--C.Retherford (1). RBI--C.Retherford (2), B.Bantz 2 (27). SH--B.Hunt (0). CS--D.Lyons (1). E--D.Lyons (20). LOB--L Island 4, Sugar Land 7. DP--C. Puckett(2B) - D. Lyons(SS) - C. Retherford(1B), B. Hunt(2B) - M. Rockett(3B) - D. Young(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA L Island B.Zimmermann (W,3-2) 5.0 3 0 0 1 2 0 3.55 J.Lansford 0.1 1 0 0 1 0 0 2.98 T.Organ 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.25 S.Perez (S,1) 1.0 1 0 0 1 0 0 3.29 7 5 0 0 3 2 0 Sugar Land D.Meadows (L,2-5) 5.0 4 3 3 2 3 1 4.21 B.Kozlowski 2.0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3.74 7 7 3 3 2 3 1 SO--B.Harris, B.Bantz, J.Vazquez, D.Ramos, B.Hunt. BB--C.Retherford, D.Lyons, C.Lambin, D.Young, R.Langerhans. BF--B.Zimmermann 18 (152), J.Lansford 3 (170), T.Organ 2 (48), S.Perez 5 (60), D.Meadows 20 (197), B.Kozlowski 8 (238). P-S--B.Zimmermann 61-39, J.Lansford 16-9, T.Organ 8-5, S.Perez 15-9, D.Meadows 73-48, B.Kozlowski 24-12. T--1:58. A--4796 Weather: Cloudy, 82 Degrees Plate Umpire - Rodney Galloway, Field Umpire #1 - 1B Ken Langford, Field Umpire #2 - 3B Reggie Ligons