(Central Islip, N.Y., Sept. 5, 2012) – The Long Island Ducks split a doubleheader with the Somerset Patriots on Wednesday night at Bethpage Ballpark, winning game one 6-5 in waddle-off fashion before dropping game two 5-1.
POSTGAME VIDEO: Kevin Baez, Joash Brodin and Bobby Blevins talk about the doubleheader split
Both teams exchanged zeroes in game one until the third when the Patriots scored twice off Ducks starter Bobby Blevins. Two-out RBI doubles by Jesse Hoorelbeke and Corey Smith did the damage. Another run in the seventh on Colin Curtis’ RBI double extended the lead to 3-0.
However, the Ducks rallied back to tie it at seven with three runs in the bottom of the seventh on a RBI double by Lee Cruz and a pinch hit two-run single from Joash Brodin. Somerset took the lead in the eighth on a two-out two-run homer by Johnny Drennen, but Long Island would rally once again in the bottom of the frame to win it. Brodin’s waddle-off three-run blast down the left field line gave the Flock the victory.
Neither starter factored into the decision. Blevins went six and one-thrid innings, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out six, and Roy Merritt pitched six scoreless innings, yielding just three hits with six strikeouts. Jeremy Hill (5-6) got the win despite allowing two runs in one inning of relief, and Andrew Dobies (2-4) suffered the loss after serving up the waddle-off homer to Brodin.
In game two, Somerset jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first against Ducks starter Jino Gonzalez on a sac fly to left by Hoorelbeke and a two-run homer to left by Smith. Single runs in the third and sixth on a solo homer by Hoorelbeke and a sac fly to center by Jeff Nettles extended the lead to five.
Long Island rallied for a run in the seventh on a RBI single by Brodin off Patriots starter Derell McCall, but could not pull even.
McCall (9-5) got the win, tossing all seven innings, allowing one runs on three hits with two strikeouts. Gonzalez (0-2) suffered the loss, surrendering five runs on seven hits in six innings.
The Ducks hit the road for a four-game series in Texas against the Sugar Land Skeeters beginning on Friday night. Game time is slated for 8:05 p.m. EDT from Constellation Field. Left-hander Randy Keisler will re-join the Ducks and be activated to start Friday’s game against seven-time Cy Young Award winner and Skeeters righty Roger Clemens.
Fans can follow all the action live on the radio at MyCountry 96.1 FM and online at LIDucks.com by clicking the Listen Live icon. Coverage of the entire game will also be available on ESPN3, and SportsCenter on ESPNEWS will be cutting in live for every inning Clemens pitches.
Long Island returns home on Tuesday, September 11 to open a seven-game homestand with a three-game series against the Lancaster Barnstormers. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 5:35. It’s 9/11 Responders Night at the ballpark, and the first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Baseball Caps, courtesy of the WTC Health Program. Tickets for the game and all Ducks home games are available by visiting the Bethpage Ballpark box office, calling 631-940-TIXX or visiting www.liducks.com.
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Duck Tales: The waddle-off win in game one was the Ducks’ eighth walk-off win of the season. It was their first since July 20 when Long Island defeated Sugar Land 2-1. The Ducks now have 27 come-from-behind wins this year, including two waddle-off home runs…The home run by Joash Brodin to win game one was his third longball of the year, with all three coming at Bethpage Ballpark. He became the third Duck with five or more RBI in a single game this year, joining Ray Navarrete, Bryant Nelson and James McOwen…With the doubleheader split, the Ducks are now 6-6 in twinbills this season and improved their record in 2012 against the Patriots to 11-6. Long Island went 6-4 at Bethpage Ballpark against the Pats and has outscored them 91-79 in the season series.
GAME DATE: 09/05/2012 (GAME ONE) Somerset Patriots 5 AT Long Island Ducks 6 YTD YTD Somerset AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG J.Holden CF 3 1 1 0 .280 D.Lyons SS 4 0 0 0 .258 C.Curtis RF 4 0 2 1 .284 B.Nelson 3B 3 0 1 0 .261 Y.Sanchez SS 4 1 1 0 .290 R.Navarrete 2B 2 0 0 0 .304 J.Hoorelbeke DH 4 1 1 1 .290 B.Sing 1B 4 0 1 0 .292 C.Smith 1B 2 0 1 1 .270 T.Perez LF 3 0 1 0 .311 Y.Carter 1B 1 0 0 0 .204 B.Pinckney DH,PR 0 1 0 0 .263 J.Nettles 3B 4 1 1 0 .250 S.Williams PH 0 1 0 0 .276 J.Drennen LF 4 1 1 2 .254 M.Esquivel RF 2 2 1 0 .312 A.Donachie C 4 0 0 0 .264 L.Cruz DH 3 0 1 1 .143 F.Bynum 2B 3 0 1 0 .277 M.Canham C,PR 1 1 0 0 .254 J.Johnson C 2 0 0 0 .208 J.Brodin LF,PH 2 1 2 5 .280 K.Binick CF 2 0 0 0 .255 33 5 9 5 28 6 7 6 Somerset 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 2 - 5 9 0 L Island 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 - 6 7 0 2B--J.Holden (11), C.Curtis (6), J.Hoorelbeke (14), C.Smith (8), T.Perez (5), L.Cruz (1). 3B--F.Bynum (6). HR--J.Drennen (7), J.Brodin (3). RBI--C.Curtis (12), J.Hoorelbeke (49), C.Smith (19), J.Drennen 2 (22), L.Cruz (6), J.Brodin 5 (19). HP--R.Navarrete (12). SH--K.Binick (0). SB--J.Holden (22). LOB--Somerset 6, L Island 7. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Somerset R.Merritt 6.0 3 0 0 1 6 0 3.33 B.Braboy 0.0 3 3 3 1 0 0 2.49 A.Sisco 1.0 0 2 2 3 0 0 4.56 A.Dobies (L,2-4) 0.1 1 1 1 0 1 1 3.06 7.1 7 6 6 5 7 1 L Island B.Blevins 6.1 6 2 2 1 6 0 3.18 E.Niesen 0.2 1 1 1 1 0 0 3.94 J.Hill (W,5-6) 1.0 2 2 2 0 2 1 3.41 8 9 5 5 2 8 1 WP--R.Merritt (8), A.Sisco (1). HB--A.Sisco (3). SO--J.Hoorelbeke 2, C.Smith, J.Nettles, J.Drennen, A.Donachie 3, D.Lyons, B.Nelson, L.Cruz, M.Canham, J.Johnson, K.Binick 2. BB--J.Holden, C.Smith, B.Nelson, R.Navarrete, S.Williams, M.Esquivel 2. BF--R.Merritt 22 (591), B.Braboy 4 (84), A.Sisco 7 (99), A.Dobies 2 (143), B.Blevins 26 (49), E.Niesen 4 (262), J.Hill 5 (263). P-S--R.Merritt 92-64, B.Braboy 11-7, A.Sisco 30-11, A.Dobies 8-6, B.Blevins 98-68, E.Niesen 15-7, J.Hill 24-14. T--3:01. Corey Smith ejected in the top of the sixth by home plate umpire Matt Beaver for arguing balls and strikes Umpires: Plate Ump - Matt Beaver, Field Ump #1 - Frank Leparik, Field Ump #2 - Eric Diaz
GAME DATE: 09/05/2012 (GAME TWO) Somerset Patriots 5 AT Long Island Ducks 1 YTD YTD Somerset AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG J.Tucker CF 4 1 1 0 .245 D.Lyons SS 3 0 0 0 .256 D.DeGeorge 2B 3 0 0 0 .243 T.Perez LF 3 0 0 0 .304 Y.Sanchez SS 3 1 1 0 .291 R.Navarrete DH 3 0 0 0 .302 J.Hoorelbeke 1B 2 2 2 2 .295 B.Sing 1B 3 1 1 0 .293 C.Smith DH 3 1 1 2 .271 M.Esquivel CF 3 0 1 0 .313 J.Nettles 3B 2 0 1 1 .251 J.Brodin RF 2 0 1 1 .283 C.Curtis RF 3 0 1 0 .286 S.Williams 2B 3 0 0 0 .273 Y.Carter C 3 0 0 0 .202 M.Canham C 2 0 0 0 .250 R.Kiniry LF 2 0 0 0 .228 B.Pinckney 3B 2 0 0 0 .238 25 5 7 5 24 1 3 1 Somerset 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 - 5 7 1 L Island 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 - 1 3 0 2B--Y.Sanchez (14), J.Hoorelbeke (15), C.Curtis (7). HR--J.Hoorelbeke (20), C.Smith (6). RBI--J.Hoorelbeke 2 (51), C.Smith 2 (21), J.Nettles (70), J.Brodin (20). SF--J.Hoorelbeke (2), J.Nettles (7). SB--C.Curtis (2), R.Kiniry (8). E--J.Nettles (23). LOB--Somerset 2, L Island 3. DP--D. Lyons(SS) - S. Williams(2B) - B. Sing(1B), D. DeGeorge(2B) - Y. Sanchez(SS) - J. Hoorelbeke(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Somerset D.McCall (W,9-5) 7.0 3 1 1 1 2 0 4.43 7 3 1 1 1 2 0 L Island J.Gonzalez (L,0-2) 6.0 7 5 5 1 3 2 7.54 J.Lansford 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 4.68 7 7 5 5 1 5 2 SO--D.DeGeorge, Y.Sanchez, Y.Carter, R.Kiniry 2, B.Sing, M.Canham. BB--R.Kiniry, J.Brodin. BF--D.McCall 25 (490), J.Gonzalez 25 (64), J.Lansford 3 (153). P-S--D.McCall 82-48, J.Gonzalez 89-59, J.Lansford 18-9. T--2:00. A--5684 Umpires: Plate Ump - Frank Leparik, Field Ump #1 - Eric Diaz, Field Ump #2 - Marty Bauer