Teams combine for five homers in 10-inning affair

(Photo courtesy of Mike Ashmore)

(Bridgewater, N.J., April 23, 2016) – The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Somerset Patriots 6-5 in 10 innings on Saturday night in the third game of a four-game series at TD Bank Ballpark.

GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the back-and-forth contest

Somerset took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Travyon Robinson’s solo home run to right and Matt Fields’ infield single off Ducks starter Bobby Blevins. Cody Puckett evened the score in the top of the second with a two-run homer to left off Patriots starter Darin Gorski. A solo blast to deep left by Lew Ford in the third put Long Island in front 3-2.

The Patriots took the lead back in the fourth on Carlos Guzman’s solo homer to center and Rob Kral’s run-scoring groundout. However, a two-run single by Mike Dowd in the sixth put the Ducks back on top 5-4.

David Vidal evened things back up in the bottom of the frame with a solo homer to left-center. It remained 5-5 until the bottom of the 10th when Rob Kral delivered a two-out walk-off single to left-center field.

Neither starter factored into the decision. Blevins lasted four innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits with three strikeouts, while Gorski pitched four and two-thirds innings, yielding three runs on four hits and three walks while striking out seven. Mike Thomas (1-0) collected the win with a scoreless 10th inning, and Nick Struck (0-2) took the loss after allowing a run on one hit and three walks (two intentional) in two-thirds of an inning.

Blake Tekotte led the Flock with three hits, all doubles, while Puckett added two hits, two RBI and two runs.

The Ducks and Patriots wrap up their four-game set on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. from TD Bank Ballpark. Fans can follow all of the action live on the Ducks’ official YouTube channel. Streaming audio will be available online by CLICKING HERE. Left-hander Jack Snodgrass makes his Ducks debut against Patriots righty Scott McGregor.

Following a week-long road trip, Long Island will return home on Thursday, April 28 for the 2016 home opener against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. 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). The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Bud Harrelson Garden Gnomes, courtesy of P.C. Richard and Son. Fans are also encouraged to arrive early for a special pre-game ceremony recognizing two Ducks players along with traditional Opening Night pomp and circumstance. 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.

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 34 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: 04/23/2016 Long Island Ducks 5 AT Somerset Patriots 6 (EXTRA INNINGS) YTD YTD L Island AB R H BI AVG Somerset AB R H BI AVG Lentini, F RF 4 0 1 0 .583 Robinson, T CF 5 1 2 1 .286 Cleary Jr., D DH 4 0 1 0 .273 Farris, E 2B 5 1 1 0 .250 Ford, L CF 3 1 1 1 .222 LaHair, B 1B 5 0 1 0 .182 Burroughs, S 1B 5 0 0 0 .250 Fields, M DH 3 0 1 1 .364 Lyons, D SS 5 0 0 0 .077 Perez, D PR 0 1 0 0 .000 Tekotte, B LF 5 2 3 0 .308 Guzman, C RF 4 1 1 1 .273 Puckett, C 3B 4 2 2 2 .167 Vidal, D 3B 4 2 2 1 .333 Dowd, M C 4 0 1 2 .250 Snyder, B LF 4 0 2 0 .500 Wessinger, M 2B 4 0 0 0 .000 Jones, M PR 0 0 0 0 .167 Kelly, S SS 4 0 0 0 .125 Kral, R C 4 0 1 2 .286 38 5 9 5 38 6 11 6 L Island 0 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 - 5 9 1 Somerset 2 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 - 6 11 0 2B--Tekotte, B LF 3 (4), Puckett, C 3B (1), LaHair, B 1B (1). HR--Ford, L CF (1), Puckett, C 3B (1), Robinson, T CF (2), Guzman, C RF (1), Vidal, D 3B (1). RBI--Ford, L CF (2), Puckett, C 3B 2 (2), Dowd, M C 2 (2), TOTALS 5 (0), Robinson, T CF (4), Fields, M DH (1), Guzman, C RF (2), Vidal, D 3B (2), Kral, R C 2 (2), TOTALS 6 (0). SH--Guzman, C RF (0), Kelly, S SS (0). SB--Lentini, F RF (1). E--Wessinger, M 2B (1). LOB--L Island 7, Somerset 10. DP--M. Wessinger(2B) - D. Lyons(SS) - S. Burroughs(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA L Island Blevins, B 4.0 7 4 3 0 3 2 6.75 Kern, B 1.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0.00 Casey, J 0.2 2 1 1 1 2 1 6.75 Blewett, D 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 Crider, P 1.0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0.00 Diaz, A 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 De La Rosa, E 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 36.00 Struck, N (L,0-2) 0.2 1 1 1 3 0 0 27.00 9.2 11 6 5 5 9 3 Somerset Gorski, D 4.2 4 3 3 3 7 2 5.79 Sikula, A 1.1 3 2 2 0 1 0 13.50 Sisk, B 1.0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0.00 Newby, K 1.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0.00 McBryde, J 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4.50 Thomas, M (W,1-0) 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 10 9 5 5 4 10 2 WP--Casey, J (1), Struck, N (1), Gorski, D (1). PB--Dowd, M. SO--Lentini, F, Cleary Jr., D, Burroughs, S, Lyons, D 2, Tekotte, B, Puckett, C, Dowd, M 2, Wessinger, M, Robinson, T, LaHair, B, Fields, M, Guzman, C, Vidal, D, Snyder, B, Kelly, S 2, Kral, R. BB--Lentini, F, Cleary Jr., D, Ford, L 2, Fields, M 2, Vidal, D, Snyder, B, Kral, R. BF--Blevins, B 19 (19), Kern, B 4 (4), Casey, J 5 (7), Blewett, D (5), Crider, P 4 (7), Diaz, A 3 (3), De La Rosa, E 3 (7), Struck, N 6 (13), Gorski, D 21 (21), Sikula, A 7 (7), Sisk, B 3 (3), Newby, K 4 (4), McBryde, J 4 (8), Thomas, M 3 (6). P-S--Blevins, B 73-44, Kern, B 16-10, Casey, J 23-14, Blewett, D 4-3, Crider, P 16-7, Diaz, A 14-8, De La Rosa, E 8-6, Struck, N 21-12, Gorski, D 86-52, Sikula, A 24-16, Sisk, B 12-6, Newby, K 14-10, McBryde, J 14-9, Thomas, M 11-7. T--3:25. A--4965 SOM, T5, PC mound visit; SOM, T6, PC mound visit; LI, B10, Mgr. mound/team visit Weather: High 60's; clear; wind dead cen Plate Umpire - Ian Kelley, Field Umpire #1 - Freddie DeJesus, Field Umpire #3 - Tim McCaffrey