Ducks rally from three runs down to take 2-0 series lead

(Central Islip, N.Y., Sept. 19, 2013) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 6-5 in 10 innings on Thursday night at Bethpage Ballpark in Game Two of the Liberty Division Championship Series. The Ducks now lead the best-of-five series two games to none.

GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the come-from-behind victory

POSTGAME VIDEO: Kevin Baez, Shaun Garceau and Kraig Binick talk about the Game Two win

CLICK HERE to view a game recap article from Newsday

The Blue Crabs opened the scoring in the third inning on a RBI single to center by Renny Osuna off Ducks starter Shaun Garceau. The Ducks answered right back in the bottom of the frame with sac flies to center by Josh Barfield and Bryant Nelson off Southern Maryland starter Ian Marshall.

It stayed that way until the sixth when a two-run home run to right by Jake Opitz put the Blue Crabs on top 3-2. A run-scoring fielder’s choice by Donnie Webb and a RBI bloop double by Opitz in the seventh extended the lead to three. However, a run in the seventh on a throwing error by Opitz and two in the eighth on a RBI double by Kraig Binick and a throwing error by Osuna tied the game at five.

Both sides remained even until the bottom of the 10th when Ryan Strieby opened the inning with a single. P.J. Phillips then pinch ran, stole second, moved to third on a throwing error by Alvin Colina and scored on a wild pitch by Kyle Mertins to win the game.

Neither starter factored into the decision. Garceau allowed five runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts in six and two-thirds innings, and Marshall gave up three runs (one earned) on seven hits in six innings. Jared Lansford (1-0) earned the win after throwing a scoreless 10th inning, and Nick Sarianides (0-1) suffered the loss, letting up the go ahead run and one hit in the 10th.

Binick and Lew Ford led the Flock with three hits apiece.

The Ducks and Blue Crabs will continue the Liberty Division Championship Series on Friday night in Southern Maryland with Game Three. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. from Regency Furniture Stadium. Right-hander Bob Zimmermann toes the rubber for the Ducks against Blue Crabs southpaw Logan Williamson. Fans can follow all the action live on the radio home of the Ducks, 103.9-FM WRCN. The game can also be heard online by CLICKING HERE. Michael Polak will call the play-by-play.

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Duck Tales: With three hits in the game, Lew Ford earned has now hit safely in 18 of his 19 games since returning to the Ducks during the regular season on August 28. It was the third time in 2013 that the former big league had three hits in a game, with the other two coming on September 3 at Southern Maryland and September 6 against Sugar Land. Including the 2011 postseason, Ford now has seven hits in seven playoff games…Bryant Nelson picked up two hits for a second consecutive night and now has four hits this postseason. The switch-hitter added a run batted in as well and now has 11 RBI and nine runs scored in his 16 postseason games with Long Island. Dating back to the regular season, the third baseman has hit safely in 13 consecutive games, including eight multi-hit games, and has driven in a run in four consecutive games…Kraig Binick has now collected three hits in a playoff game three times since joining the Ducks in 2011. The Hicksville native also had three hits in Games Three and Five of the 2012 Atlantic League Championship Series against Lancaster. Binick is now batting .400 (28-for-70) with nine RBI and 11 runs in 20 playoff games as a Duck.

 

 GAME DATE: 09/19/2013 Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 5 AT Long Island Ducks 6 (EXTRA INNINGS) YTD YTD S Maryland AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG R.Osuna 3B,SS 5 0 3 1 .500 L.Ford CF 5 0 3 0 .400 D.Webb LF 5 1 2 1 .444 J.Barfield 2B 4 0 0 1 .000 N.Schwaner 3B 3 1 1 0 .286 B.Nelson 3B 4 0 2 1 .500 W.Sutil SS 1 0 1 0 1.000 B.Hall DH 4 0 1 0 .286 J.Opitz 2B 5 1 2 3 .500 A.Bailey RF 5 0 1 0 .333 I.Gac DH 5 0 1 0 .111 R.Castro C 4 0 0 0 .000 J.Julio-Ruiz 1B 4 0 0 0 .000 R.Henriquez C,PH 1 0 0 0 .000 A.Colina C 1 0 0 0 .000 R.Strieby 1B 5 1 2 0 .667 J.Salas 1B,C 5 0 2 0 .222 P.Phillips PR 0 1 0 0 .000 B.Barton RF 3 2 2 0 .667 K.Binick LF 4 2 3 1 .500 S.Smith RF 2 0 0 0 .000 D.Lyons SS 2 2 0 0 .167 J.Owens CF 3 0 0 0 .167 42 5 14 5 38 6 12 3 S Maryland 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 - 5 14 4 L Island 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 - 6 12 1 2B--D.Webb (2), J.Opitz (1), B.Barton (1), R.Strieby (2), K.Binick (1). HR--J.Opitz (1). RBI--R.Osuna (1), D.Webb (1), J.Opitz 3 (3), J.Barfield (1), B.Nelson (2), K.Binick (1). HP--K.Binick (1). SF--J.Barfield (1), B.Nelson (1). SH--J.Owens (0), D.Lyons (0). SB--P.Phillips (1). E--R.Osuna (1), J.Opitz (1), A.Colina (1), I.Marshall (1), S.Garceau (1). LOB--S Maryland 9, L Island 11. DP--D. Lyons(SS) - J. Barfield(2B) - R. Strieby(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA S Maryland I.Marshall 6.0 7 3 2 1 1 0 3.00 E.Morlan 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 C.Manning 0.2 2 2 1 0 1 0 13.49 K.Mertins 1.1 1 0 0 1 2 0 0.00 N.Sarianides (L,0-1) 0.0 1 1 0 0 0 0 99.99 9 12 6 3 2 5 0 L Island S.Garceau 6.2 10 5 5 1 5 1 6.75 D.Herrera 0.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 99.99 J.Lansford 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 E.Threets 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 L.Rosales 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 J.Lansford (W,1-0) 1.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0.00 10 14 5 5 1 7 1 WP--N.Sarianides (1). HB--N.Sarianides (1). SO--D.Webb, N.Schwaner 2, J.Opitz, I.Gac 2, S.Smith, L.Ford, B.Hall, R.Castro 2, R.Henriquez. BB--N.Schwaner, B.Hall, D.Lyons. BF--I.Marshall 27 (27), E.Morlan 4 (4), C.Manning 5 (5), K.Mertins 6 (10), N.Sarianides 2 (2), S.Garceau 30 (30), D.Herrera (1), J.Lansford (1), E.Threets 4 (4), L.Rosales 4 (4), J.Lansford 4 (4). P-S--I.Marshall 88-58, E.Morlan 16-10, C.Manning 19-10, K.Mertins 16-11, N.Sarianides 14-7, S.Garceau 97-72, D.Herrera 3-1, J.Lansford 1-1, E.Threets 14-11, L.Rosales 16-12, J.Lansford 13-10. T--3:27. A--3031 Umpires: Plate Ump - Dan Kiley, Field Ump #1 - Andrew Steinberg, Field Ump #2 - Matt Beaver, Field Ump #3 - Marty Bauer