Ducks rally from two-run deficit to even series with Patriots
(Central Islip, N.Y., July 29, 2015) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Somerset Patriots 4-2 on Wednesday night in the middle game of a three-game series at Bethpage Ballpark.
GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the come-from-behind victory
POSTGAME VIDEO: Kevin Baez, Ian Marshall and Fehlandt Lentini talk about the win
The Patriots took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a RBI double to left by Michael Burgess off of Ducks starter Ian Marshall. A RBI double in the third from Aharon Eggleston extended the lead to two.
The Ducks battled back to tie the game at two in the sixth on a two-out, two-run ground rule double to left-center by Blake Davis off of Patriots starter Lucas Irvine. Randy Ruiz put the Flock ahead in the seventh with a mammoth solo home run to left-center, and Jon Griffin scored on a wild pitch in the eighth to round out the scoring.
Neither starter factored into the decision. Marshall tossed six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out three. Irvine lasted five and two-thirds innings, yielding two runs on nine hits and two walks with six strikeouts. Donnie Veal (1-0) collected the win after pitching a scoreless seventh inning, striking out two. Anthony Collazo (3-1) suffered the loss, giving up a run on two hits in one inning of work. Ryan Kussmaul earned his 25th save by pitching a scoreless ninth inning.
Fehlandt Lentini and Bryan Sabatella led the Flock with three hits apiece.
The Ducks and Patriots wrap up their three-game set on Thursday 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). The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Ducks Black T-Shirts, courtesy of Interboro Insurance. It will also be a Thirsty Thursday at the Duck Pond! The Duck Club Restaurant/Bar, normally reserved for VIP/Season Ticket Holders only, will be open to all fans during the game! The bar will feature drink specials, including half price domestics, while the restaurant will include special menu selections. Southpaw Darin Downs toes the rubber for the Ducks against Patriots righty R.J. Seidel.
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 those unable to make the game 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 via the Ducks’ official YouTube channel by CLICKING HERE.
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Duck Tales: Randy Ruiz’s solo home run in the seventh inning was his seventh of the season. Four of his seven longballs have come against the Patriots, and five of them have been hit at Bethpage Ballpark. The Ducks have now hit 58 home runs as a team this year, which ranks third in the Atlantic League behind Lancaster (70) and York (60)…Bryan Sabatella and Fehlandt Lentini each collected three hits in the game. For Sabatella, it was his sixth three-hit game of the year, which is the second-highest total on the team. The Aquebogue resident now has a total of 29 multi-hit games this year. Lentini has picked up back-to-back multi-hit games after earning two hits on Tuesday. Last year, the California native totaled eight three-hit games and 49 multi-hit contests…Amalio Diaz worked another scoreless eighth inning. The right-hander has now gone six straight games without allowing a run, and he has given up just two runs over his last 23 appearances. In that span, the 28-year-old has posted a 0.72 ERA and has yielded just 13 hits and one walk over 25 innings while striking out 29 batters…Donnie Veal worked another scoreless inning in the seventh, striking out two batters. Since joining the Flock, the former big leaguer has collected 11 strikeouts in just seven innings of work. In addition, he has given up just one run on four hits and two walks.
Game Date: 07/29/2015 Somerset Patriots 2 AT Long Island Ducks 4 YTD YTD Somerset AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG O.Linton CF 3 1 1 0 .235 F.Lentini RF 5 0 3 0 .556 A.Eggleston LF 3 1 1 1 .322 D.Lyons SS 5 0 1 0 .299 D.Vidal 1B 4 0 1 0 .273 D.Cleary Jr. CF 3 0 0 0 .286 J.Garcia Re 3B,PR 0 0 0 0 .229 R.Ruiz DH 2 2 1 1 .331 M.Burgess RF 4 0 1 1 .241 C.Puckett 3B 4 1 2 0 .272 G.Hopkins 1B,3B 4 0 0 0 .261 B.Sabatella LF 4 0 3 0 .288 M.Gamel DH 3 0 3 0 .186 J.Griffin 1B 4 1 1 0 .235 R.Andino SS 4 0 0 0 .261 M.Blanke C 4 0 2 0 .297 N.Spears 2B 4 0 1 0 .272 B.Davis 2B 4 0 1 2 .227 J.Skelton C 3 0 0 0 .252 32 2 8 2 35 4 14 3 Somerset 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 2 8 0 L Island 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 x - 4 14 1 2B--A.Eggleston (18), M.Burgess (13), F.Lentini (1), J.Griffin (16), B.Davis (4). HR--R.Ruiz (7). RBI--A.Eggleston (28), M.Burgess (27), R.Ruiz (32), B.Davis 2 (8). SH--D.Cleary Jr. (0). CS--O.Linton (2). E--I.Marshall (3). LOB--Somerset 7, L Island 10. DP--N. Spears(2B) - R. Andino(SS) - D. Vidal(1B), B. Davis(2B) - C. Puckett(3B) - J. Griffin(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Somerset L.Irvine 5.2 9 2 2 2 6 0 2.61 A.Collazo (L,3-1) 1.0 2 1 1 0 1 1 1.35 P.Smyth 1.1 3 1 1 0 1 0 2.63 8 14 4 4 2 8 1 L Island I.Marshall 6.0 6 2 1 3 3 0 3.39 D.Veal (W,1-0) 1.0 0 0 0 1 2 0 1.29 A.Diaz 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1.29 R.Kussmaul (S,25) 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2.90 9 8 2 1 4 6 0 WP--P.Smyth (3). SO--O.Linton, G.Hopkins, R.Andino 2, N.Spears, J.Skelton, F.Lentini, D.Lyons, D.Cleary Jr., B.Sabatella, J.Griffin 2, M.Blanke, B.Davis. BB--O.Linton, A.Eggleston, M.Gamel, J.Skelton, R.Ruiz 2. BF--L.Irvine 27 (409), A.Collazo 5 (105), P.Smyth 6 (115), I.Marshall 25 (431), D.Veal 4 (26), A.Diaz 3 (155), R.Kussmaul 4 (174). P-S--L.Irvine 100-72, A.Collazo 14-12, P.Smyth 28-16, I.Marshall 82-49, D.Veal 23-13, A.Diaz 18-12, R.Kussmaul 15-12. T--2:55. A--5226 Plate Umpire - John Grasso, Field Umpire #1 - Frank Iurilli, Field Umpire #2 - Dave Speranza