Four-run fifth inning lifts Sugar Land to even series

(Photo courtesy of Joe Doll)

(Sugar Land, Texas, Sept. 13, 2016) – The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Sugar Land Skeeters 6-4 on Tuesday night in the middle game of a three-game series at Constellation Field.

GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the matchup in Texas

Long Island opened the scoring with RBI singles from Dan Lyons and Cody Puckett in the first inning off Skeeters starter Aaron Thompson. Sugar Land responded with a two-run homer in the bottom of the frame from Jeremy Barfield off Ducks starter Bobby Blevins. The Ducks immediately took the lead back in the second on a two-out RBI single from Fehlandt Lentini.

It stayed that way until the fifth when the Skeeters took advantage of a fielding error on potential double play ball and scored four runs (one earned). Rene Tosoni’s RBI single, a run-scoring groundout from Travis Scott and a two-run double by Delwyn Young put Sugar Land in front 6-3. Ruben Gotay’s sacrifice fly to center in the eighth trimmed the deficit to two, but the Ducks could not even the score.

Thompson (9-5) picked up the win, pitching six innings of three-run ball, allowing six hits and two walks while striking out three. Blevins (2-12) took the loss, yielding six runs (three earned) on nine hits over seven innings with three strikeouts. Derrick Loop earned his 30th save of the season with a scoreless ninth, striking out two.

Lyons, Puckett and Mike Blanke each had two hits to pace the Flock.

The Ducks and Skeeters wrap up their three-game set on Wednesday night. Game time is slated for 8:05 p.m. EDT from Constellation Field. Fans can follow all the action live online via the Ducks’ official YouTube channel. Streaming audio will be available by CLICKING HERE. Left-hander Daniel Herrera takes the mound for the Ducks against Skeeters righty Sean Gallagher.

Following the road trip, the Ducks will begin the 2016 Atlantic League playoffs on Wednesday, September 21 at a location to be determined. After playing Games One and Two on the road, the best-of-five Liberty Division Championship Series will return to Long Island on Friday, September 23 for Game Three. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders). The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive Playoff Rally Towels, courtesy of News 12 Long Island. Tickets to the game and all Ducks home postseason 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 36 million fans have attended Atlantic League games and more than 800 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 to metropolitan markets serving nearly 15{f7b134541f126dcd33819b5eec9a91dff238b58155023223dba97c27371a7fb5} of the US population. For more information, please visit www.atlanticleague.com.

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 Game Date: 09/13/2016 Long Island Ducks 4 AT Sugar Land Skeeters 6 YTD YTD L Island AB R H BI AVG Sugar Land AB R H BI AVG Lentini, F RF 4 1 1 1 .313 Dominguez, J 2B,LF 4 0 0 0 .243 Lyons, D SS 5 1 2 1 .276 Tosoni, R CF 4 2 2 1 .299 Cleary Jr., D CF 3 0 0 0 .321 Barfield, J RF 4 2 2 2 .310 Ford, L LF 4 0 1 0 .314 Scott, T DH 4 0 0 1 .252 Puckett, C DH 4 1 2 1 .279 Young, D 1B 4 0 2 2 .293 Gotay, R 2B 2 0 0 1 .271 Zawadzki, L SS 4 0 0 0 .250 Dowd, M C 4 0 1 0 .290 Martinez, J 2B,3B 4 0 1 0 .167 Blanke, M 1B 4 0 2 0 .251 Limonta, J LF 3 1 1 0 .244 Wessinger, M 3B 4 1 1 0 .212 Palmeiro, P 3B 0 0 0 0 .245 Cordero, A C 3 1 1 0 .278 34 4 10 4 34 6 9 6 L Island 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 - 4 10 1 Sugar Land 2 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 x - 6 9 2 2B--Puckett, C DH (19), Blanke, M 1B (18), Wessinger, M 3B (13), Tosoni, R CF (20), Young, D 1B (25), Limonta, J LF (9). 3B--Martinez, J 2B,3B (1). HR--Barfield, J RF (25). RBI--Lentini, F RF (72), Lyons, D SS (49), Puckett, C DH (70), Gotay, R 2B (60), TOTALS 4 (0), Tosoni, R CF (39), Barfield, J RF 2 (83), Scott, T DH (66), Young, D 1B 2 (57), TOTALS 6 (0). SF--Gotay, R 2B (5). SH--Cleary Jr., D CF (0). SB--Lentini, F RF (48). E--Gotay, R 2B (12), Martinez, J 2B,3B (1), Thompson, A P (5). LOB--L Island 7, Sugar Land 4. DP--J. Dominguez(2B) - J. Martinez(3B) - D. Young(1B), D. Runzler(P) - A. Cordero(C) - D. Young(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA L Island Blevins, B (L,2-12) 7.0 9 6 3 0 3 1 5.51 Crider, P 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1.71 8 9 6 3 0 4 1 Sugar Land Thompson, A (W,9-5) 6.0 6 3 3 2 3 0 3.98 Mattheus, R 0.1 2 0 0 0 1 0 3.15 Runzler, D 1.1 2 1 1 0 0 0 2.05 Johnston, A 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.84 Loop, D (S,30) 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2.09 9 10 4 4 2 6 0 WP--Runzler, D (7). SO--Lentini, F, Gotay, R, Dowd, M, Wessinger, M 3, Dominguez, J, Zawadzki, L 2, Cordero, A. BB--Lentini, F, Gotay, R. BF--Blevins, B 31 (561), Crider, P 3 (175), Thompson, A 25 (567), Mattheus, R 4 (176), Runzler, D 5 (118), Johnston, A (228), Loop, D 3 (243). P-S--Blevins, B 94-75, Crider, P 13-9, Thompson, A 95-65, Mattheus, R 19-12, Runzler, D 17-10, Johnston, A 4-3, Loop, D 14-9. T--2:34. A--3489 Weather: Cloudy, 80 Degrees Plate Umpire - Rodney Galloway, Field Umpire #1 - 1B David Frame, Field Umpire #2 - 3B Ken Langford