Long Island plates two in ninth but comes up a run short

(Central Islip, N.Y., July 29, 2016) – The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Sugar Land Skeeters 4-3 on Friday night in the second game of a four-game series at Bethpage Ballpark.

GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the ballgame

POSTGAME VIDEO: Kevin Baez and Dan Lyons talk about the game

Ricky Hague put the Skeeters on top in the first inning with a three-run home run to left field off Ducks starter Dustin Richardson. A bloop single to right by Jeremy Barfield in the fifth extended the lead to 4-0.

Dan Lyons launched a solo homer to left in the bottom of the fifth off Skeeters starter Jake Hale to close the gap to three. Long Island rallied for two runs in the ninth on Anthony Vega’s solo homer to left-center and an RBI single to right by Cody Puckett. However, they could not plate the tying run.

Hale (3-2) earned the win, tossing eight innings, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out four. Richardson (1-2) took the loss, yielding four runs on eight hits and a walk with six strikeouts in five innings. Derrick Loop collected his 21st save by recording the final two outs of the game.

The Ducks and Skeeters continue their four-game set on Saturday 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). It’s Military Appreciation Night at the ballpark, presented by Northrop Grumman. Following the game, all fans in attendance will be treated to a Grucci Fireworks Extravaganza. In addition, Ducks staff members will be handing out coupons for $10 off a purchase of $50 or more at Dick’s Sporting Goods to fans as they exit the ballpark following the fireworks show. Southpaw Eury De La Rosa toes the rubber for the Ducks against Skeeters righty Sean Gallagher.

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 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.

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 35 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: 07/29/2016 Sugar Land Skeeters 4 AT Long Island Ducks 3 YTD YTD Sugar Land AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG Prince, J 2B 4 1 0 0 .259 Vega, A LF 4 1 1 1 .263 Tosoni, R CF 4 1 1 0 .305 Lentini, F RF 3 1 1 0 .317 Young, D DH 4 0 0 0 .271 Cleary Jr., D CF 4 0 0 0 .329 Hague, R 3B 4 2 2 3 .307 Puckett, C 3B 4 0 1 1 .288 Barfield, J RF 4 0 2 1 .305 Lyons, D SS 4 1 1 1 .297 Scott, T 1B 4 0 0 0 .248 Minicozzi, M 1B 0 0 0 0 .352 Rodriguez, W C 4 0 2 0 .254 Blanke, M 1B 3 0 0 0 .259 Weems, B SS 4 0 3 0 .247 Burroughs, S DH 3 0 1 0 .283 Limonta, J LF 4 0 0 0 .255 Gotay, R 2B 3 0 1 0 .293 Dowd, M C 3 0 1 0 .308 36 4 10 4 31 3 7 3 Sugar Land 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 - 4 10 0 L Island 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 - 3 7 0 2B--Weems, B SS (12), Dowd, M C (7). HR--Hague, R 3B (12), Vega, A LF (6), Lyons, D SS (7). RBI--Hague, R 3B 3 (47), Barfield, J RF (57), TOTALS 4 (0), Vega, A LF (36), Puckett, C 3B (50), Lyons, D SS (35), TOTALS 3 (0). HP--Lentini, F RF (6). LOB--Sugar Land 7, L Island 2. DP--R. Gotay(2B) - D. Lyons(SS) - M. Blanke(1B), J. Prince(2B) - R. Hague(3B) - T. Scott(1B), J. Prince(2B) - B. Weems(SS) - T. Scott(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Sugar Land Hale, J (W,3-2) 8.0 6 3 3 0 4 2 3.20 Loop, D (S,21) 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1.34 9 7 3 3 0 4 2 L Island Richardson, D (L,1-2) 5.0 8 4 4 1 6 1 3.05 Vance, K 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 5.40 Crider, P 1.0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0.69 Diaz, A 2.0 1 0 0 0 4 0 2.27 9 10 4 4 2 10 1 PB--Rodriguez, W. HB--Hale, J (3). SO--Prince, J, Tosoni, R, Young, D, Hague, R, Barfield, J, Scott, T, Rodriguez, W, Weems, B, Limonta, J 2, Vega, A, Lyons, D, Blanke, M, Gotay, R. BB--Prince, J, Tosoni, R. BF--Hale, J 29 (299), Loop, D 3 (170), Richardson, D 24 (85), Vance, K 4 (126), Crider, P 3 (101), Diaz, A 7 (135). P-S--Hale, J 91-62, Loop, D 11-8, Richardson, D 94-68, Vance, K 14-11, Crider, P 13-8, Diaz, A 28-21. T--2:39. A--4966 Mike Blanke replaced Mark Minicozzi during warmup pitches after the Ducks took the field Plate Umpire - Kris Engstrand, Field Umpire #1 - Silvio Martinez Jr., Field Umpire #2 - Fred DeJesus