Sugar Land uses five-run 10th inning to salvage series finale
(Central Islip, N.Y., May 3, 2015) – The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Sugar Land Skeeters 8-4 in 10 innings on Sunday afternoon in the finale of a three-game series at Bethpage Ballpark.
GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the series finale
POSTGAME VIDEO: Kevin Baez, Eric Niesen and Prentice Redman talk about the game
Prentice Redman got the scoring started for the Ducks with a solo home run to left field in the first inning off of Skeeters starter Sean Gallagher. It stayed 1-0 all the way until the sixth when Jon Weber tied the game on a two-out RBI single to center off of Ducks starter Eric Niesen.
Sugar Land took the lead with single runs in the seventh and eighth against the Ducks’ bullpen. A RBI double by Delwyn Young and a RBI single by Amadeo Zazueta, both with two outs, did the damage. However, a two-out two-run single by Redman in the bottom of the eighth tied the score at three.
It remained knotted until the top of the 10th when Sugar Land plated five runs, all with two outs, to take the lead for good. A RBI single by Dustin Martin, a three-run homer by Beamer Weems and a solo homer from Young put the Skeeters ahead 8-5. Cody Puckett’s RBI single in the 10th closed the gap to four, but the Ducks could not get closer.
Neither starter factored into the decision. Niesen allowed a run on seven hits in six innings while striking out eight, and Gallagher yielded a run on four hits in seven innings with six strikeouts. John Lujan (2-0) got the win with one and one-third innings of scoreless relief, and Patrick Crider (0-1) suffered the loss, giving up five runs on four hits and a walk.
Lew Ford led the Flock with three hits, while Redman and Puckett each added two.
Following a day off on Monday, the Ducks will return to action on Tuesday when they hit the road to face the cross-sound rival Bridgeport Bluefish in the opener of a three-game series. Game time is slated for 7:05 p.m. at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard. Right-hander Mickey Jannis gets the start for the Ducks. Fans can follow all the action live online, with streaming audio available on the Ducks official YouTube channel by CLICKING HERE.
The Ducks will return home on Friday, May 8 to begin a four-game series against the Lancaster Barnstormers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for season ticket holders). The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a Ducks Pin Pennant, as part one of the 2015 Collector’s Series. 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.
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Duck Tales: Prentice Redman’s solo home run in the first inning was his first longball as a Duck. The outfielder hit 16 homers a year ago with the Bridgeport Bluefish and now has 56 career homers in the Atlantic League. As a team, the Ducks have hit eight home runs this season, which is good for second in the Atlantic League behind Lancaster (11)…Eric Niesen tossed his first quality start as a Duck with six innings of one-run ball. His eight strikeouts were a season high by a Ducks pitcher, topping the previous mark of six set by Sergio Perez on April 27 in Southern Maryland. Ducks pitchers struck out 14 batters in the game, which was also a season high. It broke the previous mark of 10, which was also accomplished in the April 27 win. The 14 K’s also equaled Long Island’s season high from 2014, which was done on May 10 at Lancaster…Lew Ford earned his first three-hit game of the year with two singles and a double. Last year, he led the Ducks with 17 three-hit games during the season. Ford has now hit safely in four consecutive games and is batting .500 (8-for-16) in that span with three doubles, three RBI, two runs and a walk. He has raised his batting average from .167 to .300 in the process…Cody Puckett picked up two hits and has now reached base safely in nine of 10 games this season. Dating back to last year, Puckett has now reached safely in 18 of his last 19 games. The second-year Duck leads the team with four home runs, none runs scored and 12 hits (tied with Ford).
Game Date: 05/03/2015 Sugar Land Skeeters 8 AT Long Island Ducks 4 (EXTRA INNINGS) YTD YTD Sugar Land AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG D.Martin RF 6 1 1 1 .245 B.Sabatella RF 4 0 0 0 .244 B.Weems SS 6 1 4 3 .410 P.Redman CF 5 1 2 3 .267 D.Young DH 6 2 3 2 .381 L.Ford DH 4 1 3 0 .300 C.Wallace C 6 0 0 0 .318 C.Puckett 3B 5 0 2 1 .316 D.Almonte CF 5 0 0 0 .182 J.Griffin 1B 5 0 1 0 .152 J.Weber LF 5 0 2 1 .182 B.Davis SS 4 0 0 0 .188 T.Scott 1B 4 2 1 0 .211 M.Blanke C 4 1 1 0 .188 P.Palmeiro 3B 5 1 3 0 .270 R.Corona 2B 3 1 1 0 .292 A.Zazueta 2B 4 1 3 1 .217 A.Vega LF 4 0 0 0 .250 47 8 17 8 38 4 10 4 Sugar Land 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 5 - 8 17 0 L Island 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 - 4 10 0 2B--D.Young 2 (2), T.Scott (3), P.Palmeiro (3), L.Ford (3), M.Blanke (1). HR--B.Weems (2), D.Young (1), P.Redman (1). RBI--D.Martin (5), B.Weems 3 (4), D.Young 2 (2), J.Weber (2), A.Zazueta (2), P.Redman 3 (3), C.Puckett (7). SH--A.Zazueta (0). SB--D.Young (1). LOB--Sugar Land 11, L Island 8. DP--A. Zazueta(2B) - B. Weems(SS) - T. Scott(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Sugar Land S.Gallagher 7.0 4 1 1 0 6 1 0.53 J.Parr 0.2 2 2 2 2 1 0 3.86 J.Lujan (W,2-0) 1.1 1 0 0 2 2 0 3.60 A.Johnston 1.0 3 1 1 0 1 0 4.50 10 10 4 4 4 10 1 L Island E.Niesen 6.0 7 1 1 0 8 0 2.46 A.Diaz 1.0 3 1 1 0 1 0 3.00 H.Ambriz 1.0 3 1 1 0 2 0 1.80 R.Kussmaul 1.0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0.00 P.Crider (L,0-1) 0.2 4 5 5 1 0 2 9.64 F.DeJiulio Jr. 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.00 10 17 8 8 1 14 2 PB--M.Blanke. SO--D.Martin 2, D.Young 2, C.Wallace 4, D.Almonte 2, J.Weber 2, T.Scott, P.Palmeiro, J.Griffin 3, B.Davis 2, M.Blanke 2, A.Vega 3. BB--T.Scott, B.Sabatella, L.Ford, B.Davis, R.Corona. BF--S.Gallagher 23 (58), J.Parr 6 (20), J.Lujan 7 (25), A.Johnston 6 (27), E.Niesen 25 (49), A.Diaz 6 (24), H.Ambriz 6 (21), R.Kussmaul 4 (17), P.Crider 7 (22), F.DeJiulio Jr. (15). P-S--S.Gallagher 88-58, J.Parr 27-13, J.Lujan 26-15, A.Johnston 18-14, E.Niesen 91-61, A.Diaz 14-13, H.Ambriz 19-13, R.Kussmaul 18-12, P.Crider 34-20, F.DeJiulio Jr. 2-2. T--3:14. A--4812 Plate Umpire - John Grasso, Field Umpire #1 - Derek Moccia, Field Umpire #2 - Nate Caldwell