Grand slam, walk-off single lead Long Island
(Central Islip, N.Y., July 4, 2015) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Somerset Patriots 6-5 in waddle-off fashion on Saturday night in the middle game of a three-game series at Bethpage Ballpark.
GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the waddle-off win
POSTGAME VIDEO: Kevin Baez and Randy Ruiz talk about the victory
The Patriots took a 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and second inning against Ducks starter Bobby Blevins. A RBI double by David Vidal and a RBI single by Jose Garcia Reyes did the damage. The Ducks answered back with five runs in the third off of Patriots starter Randy Boone to take a 5-2 advantage. A grand slam to left-center field by Randy Ruiz and a RBI single by Mike Blanke highlighted the inning.
Somerset closed to within one in the fourth on a two-run single to right-center by Thomas Neal. It stayed that way until the top of the eighth when the Pats pulled even on a one-out solo homer to left by Robert Andino. However, the Ducks rallied to win it in the bottom of the ninth. Singles by Bryan Sabatella and Delta Cleary, Jr. set the stage for Ruiz, whose RBI single through the left side plated the game-winning run.
Neither starter factored into the decision. Blevins lasted four innings, giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Boone pitched six innings, yielding five runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out four. Amalio Diaz (1-1) collected the win, tossing two innings of relief and allowing a run on two hits and a walk while striking out two. R.J. Seidel (2-3) suffered the loss, yielding a run on five hits and a walk in two and one-third innings.
Ruiz led the Flock at the plate with three hits and five RBI.
The Ducks and Patriots wrap up their three-game series and the season’s first half on Sunday evening. Game time is slated for 5:05 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 4:05 (3:50 for season ticket holders). The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Yellow and Navy Baseballs, courtesy of Yellow Dog Lawn Care. It’s also a Sunday Family Funday at the ballpark! Prior to the game, fans will be invited onto the field for an autograph session with the Ducks. After the game, kids and kids at heart can take part in Kids Run the Bases, presented by Bethpage Federal Credit Union. Right-hander Bruce Kern toes the rubber for the Ducks against Patriots southpaw Sean Bierman.
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. Those unable to make the game can follow all of the action live on the Ducks’ official YouTube channel. Streaming video and audio will be available online by CLICKING HERE.
###
Duck Tales: Saturday’s waddle-off win was the Ducks’ seventh of the season. In addition, it was their third of the homestand. Long Island also picked up walk-off victories on Tuesday and Thursday against the Lancaster Barnstormers. Ruiz won the game on Tuesday night with a two-run single to center field. The Ducks have totaled 21 come-from-behind victories as a team this season…Ruiz became the first Duck to collect five RBI in a single game this season. The previous high was four, done by Lew Ford (two), Jon Griffin, Mike Blanke and Jose Morales. Ruiz had one five-RBI game in 2015 as well as one seven-RBI contest. His grand slam in the third inning was the Ducks’ first grand slam of the season. Long Island hit eight grand slams in 2014, two of which came off the bat of Ruiz…Lew Ford extended his on-base streak to 27 consecutive games with a single. During the streak, the outfielder/bench coach is batting .411 (44-for-107) with 12 doubles, one homer, 19 RBI and 20 runs. The former big leaguer has hit safely in five consecutive games and in 12 of his last 13 contests…Saturday’s crowd of 7,443 was the largest of the season at Bethpage Ballpark and second-largest in franchise history. The only bigger crowd was on July 4, 2009 when 7,582 fans came through the turnstiles. It also marked the first time in the Ducks’ 16-year history that the team welcomed three consecutive crowds of 7,000 or more. Long Island has now hosted five sold out crowds this season and 644 all-time, which is an Atlantic League record. Since the inaugural 2000 season, the Ducks have welcomed a league record 6,452,761 fans through the gates of Bethpage Ballpark.
Game Date: 07/04/2015 Somerset Patriots 5 AT Long Island Ducks 6 YTD YTD Somerset AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG T.Neal DH 4 1 3 2 .290 B.Sabatella RF 4 2 2 0 .304 A.Eggleston LF 5 0 1 0 .311 D.Cleary Jr. CF 5 1 2 0 .333 D.Vidal C 4 0 1 1 .284 L.Ford DH 5 0 1 0 .351 S.Cousins CF 4 0 0 0 .264 R.Ruiz 1B 5 1 3 5 .333 G.Hopkins 3B 4 0 0 0 .265 C.Puckett 3B 3 1 1 0 .271 M.Burgess RF 4 0 0 0 .247 P.Redman LF 3 0 1 0 .230 R.Andino SS 4 3 2 1 .231 M.Blanke C 3 0 2 1 .309 M.Gamel 1B 3 1 0 0 .146 B.Davis 2B 4 1 1 0 .195 J.Reyes 2B 3 0 1 1 .333 D.Lyons SS 3 0 0 0 .322 35 5 8 5 35 6 13 6 Somerset 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 - 5 8 0 L Island 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 - 6 13 2 2B--D.Vidal (16), R.Andino (13). HR--R.Andino (2), R.Ruiz (3). RBI--T.Neal 2 (38), D.Vidal (23), R.Andino (27), J.Reyes (1), R.Ruiz 5 (24), M.Blanke (16). HP--C.Puckett (4), D.Lyons (7). SH--J.Reyes (0), P.Redman (0). SB--B.Sabatella (20), D.Cleary Jr. (15), B.Davis (2). CS--M.Blanke (2). E--R.Ruiz (1), B.Davis (4). LOB--Somerset 8, L Island 9. DP--J. Reyes(2B) - R. Andino(SS) - M. Gamel(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Somerset R.Boone 6.0 8 5 5 1 4 1 2.65 R.Seidel (L,2-3) 2.1 5 1 1 1 1 0 2.51 8.1 13 6 6 2 5 1 L Island B.Blevins 4.0 6 4 3 2 2 0 4.50 P.Crider 2.0 0 0 0 1 1 0 3.00 N.Struck 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2.95 A.Diaz (W,1-1) 2.0 2 1 1 1 2 1 1.32 9 8 5 4 4 6 1 WP--B.Blevins (1). PB--D.Vidal. HB--R.Boone (5), R.Seidel (4). SO--T.Neal, A.Eggleston, D.Vidal, S.Cousins, M.Burgess, R.Andino, D.Cleary Jr., L.Ford 2, M.Blanke, D.Lyons. BB--T.Neal, D.Vidal, S.Cousins, M.Gamel, B.Sabatella, M.Blanke. BF--R.Boone 27 (323), R.Seidel 13 (140), B.Blevins 22 (30), P.Crider 7 (121), N.Struck 3 (96), A.Diaz 8 (127). P-S--R.Boone 95-59, R.Seidel 45-27, B.Blevins 91-50, P.Crider 23-14, N.Struck 12-8, A.Diaz 43-29. T--3:15. A--7443 Plate Umpire - Matt Criss, Field Umpire #1 - Derek Moccia, Field Umpire #2 - Richard Katz