Valdespin and Ard launch homers as Flock plates 11
(Central Islip, N.Y., July 30, 2018) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Somerset Patriots 11-5 on Monday night in the opener of a three-game series at Bethpage Ballpark.
Alfredo Rodriguez put the Patriots in front with a first-inning solo home run off Ducks starter John Brownell. Long Island responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning on a two-run single by Lew Ford and a wild pitch by Patriots starter David Kubiak that scored Travis Snider. Justin Pacchioli’s RBI double brought Somerset to within a run, but Jordany Valdespin’s two-run homer to right field in the bottom of the second gave the Ducks a 5-2 lead.
Ramon Cabrera’s bases-loaded walk in the fifth put Long Island ahead by four. The Patriots closed to within 6-5 in the sixth, highlighted by RBI singles from Nate Coronado and Endy Chavez. However, a four-run bottom of the sixth put the game out of reach at 10-5. An RBI single by Emilio Bonifacio, a two-run double from Taylor Ard and an RBI double by David Washington did the damage. Ard’s two-out solo homer to left in the eighth rounded out the scoring.
Brownell (7-8) picked up the win, tossing five innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out two. He moved into a tie for first place on the Atlantic League’s all-time strikeouts list with 737, equaling the mark set previously by Tim Cain. Kubiak (7-2) suffered the loss, surrendering six runs on seven hits and six walks over four and one-third innings with five strikeouts. Four Ducks relievers combined to pitch four scoreless innings, yielding two hits and a walk while striking out four.
Valdespin led the Flock offensively with three hits, two RBIs and two runs. Ard added two hits, three RBIs and two runs, while Ford chipped in with two hits and two RBIs.
The Ducks and Patriots continue their three-game set on Tuesday night. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders). Following the game, all fans in attendance will be treated to a Fireworks Spectacular, presented by BMHMC Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center. It’s also a Two-Fer Tuesday at the ballpark! Fans purchasing tickets to the game online at LIDucks.com or via the Ducks mobile app can receive a special buy one, get one free offer by entering the promo code “BOGO” at checkout (max. four total tickets per transaction). Left-hander Jake Fisher (4-5, 4.20) takes the mound for the Ducks against Patriots righty Vince Molesky (3-1, 3.41).
Tickets to the game, and all Ducks home games, are available by visiting the Bethpage Ballpark box office, calling (631) 940-TIXX, CLICKING HERE or downloading the Ducks mobile app. Those unable to make the game 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.
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: 07/30/2018 Somerset Patriots 5 AT Long Island Ducks 11 YTD YTD Somerset AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG Massey, C 2B 5 0 2 0 .357 Valdespin, J 2B 5 2 3 2 .361 Flores, R LF 5 1 1 0 .275 Bonifacio, E SS 5 2 2 1 .346 Rodriguez, A SS 3 2 2 1 .312 Snider, T RF 2 3 1 0 .283 Coronado, N 3B 4 1 2 1 .292 Ford, L DH 5 0 2 2 .295 Chavez, E DH 4 0 1 1 .261 Ard, T 3B 4 2 2 3 .302 Oberste, M 1B 3 1 1 0 .209 Washington, D 1B 4 0 1 1 .237 Gonzalez, Y C 4 0 0 1 .256 Cabrera, R C 2 0 0 1 .256 Fransoso, M CF 4 0 0 0 .300 Fields, D CF 4 1 1 0 .236 Pacchioli, J RF 4 0 1 1 .252 Vega, A LF 3 1 0 0 .173 36 5 10 5 34 11 12 10 Somerset 1 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 - 5 10 0 L Island 3 2 0 0 1 4 0 1 x - 11 12 0 2B--Coronado, N 3B (6), Pacchioli, J RF (4), Ard, T 3B (12), Washington, D 1B (11). HR--Rodriguez, A SS (3), Valdespin, J 2B (5), Ard, T 3B (12). RBI--Rodriguez, A SS (42), Coronado, N 3B (20), Chavez, E DH (25), Gonzalez, Y C (23), Pacchioli, J RF (12), TOTALS 5 (0), Valdespin, J 2B 2 (37), Bonifacio, E SS (36), Ford, L DH 2 (62), Ard, T 3B 3 (40), Washington, D 1B (40), Cabrera, R C (13), TOTALS 10 (0). HP--Vega, A LF (2). CS--Massey, C 2B (5), Washington, D 1B (5). LOB--Somerset 6, L Island 7. DP--A. Rodriguez(SS) - C. Massey(2B) - M. Oberste(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Somerset Kubiak, D (L,7-2) 4.1 7 6 6 6 5 1 2.80 Huchingson, C 1.0 1 3 3 1 0 0 4.71 Antolin, D 0.2 2 1 1 0 0 0 2.67 Roe, N 2.0 2 1 1 0 2 1 3.38 8 12 11 11 7 7 2 L Island Brownell, J (W,7-8) 5.0 8 5 5 1 2 1 4.33 OGrady, D 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3.00 Tolliver, A 0.1 1 0 0 0 1 0 4.60 Ondrusek, L 1.2 0 0 0 1 4 0 2.45 Pimentel, C 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.96 9 10 5 5 2 8 1 WP--Kubiak, D (3), Brownell, J (10). PB--Gonzalez, Y. HB--Huchingson, C (5). SO--Flores, R, Coronado, N 2, Chavez, E, Oberste, M, Gonzalez, Y, Fransoso, M, Pacchioli, J, Valdespin, J, Ard, T, Washington, D 2, Vega, A 3. BB--Rodriguez, A, Oberste, M, Snider, T 3, Ard, T, Washington, D, Cabrera, R 2. BF--Kubiak, D 25 (285), Huchingson, C 5 (128), Antolin, D 4 (133), Roe, N 8 (163), Brownell, J 23 (420), OGrady, D 4 (150), Tolliver, A 2 (133), Ondrusek, L 6 (14), Pimentel, C 3 (163). P-S--Kubiak, D 113-64, Huchingson, C 16-7, Antolin, D 14-10, Roe, N 28-20, Brownell, J 90-55, OGrady, D 8-6, Tolliver, A 11-7, Ondrusek, L 27-17, Pimentel, C 8-6. T--3:06. A--4455 Plate Umpire - Jerry Martinez, Field Umpire #1 - Frank Iurilli, Field Umpire #2 - Fred DeJesus