Game 71: Ducks at Skeeters

Long Island looks to rebound after series-opening defeat

GAME TIME/LOCATION:

6:05 p.m. CDT at Constellation Field (Sugar Land, Texas)

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP:

The Long Island Ducks take on the Sugar Land Skeeters in game two of their six-game series. Both teams opened the second half on Friday night in Texas. Long Island maintains the lead in the all-time series at 76-72, but Sugar Land now has a 43-30 advantage at Constellation Field. The Ducks are also leading this year’s season series 7-4, with the teams having split four meetings thus far in the Lone Star State.

YESTERDAY’S RECAP: 

A three-run first inning proved to be too much to overcome, as the Ducks fell to the Skeeters 5-0 in the second half opener.

Sugar Land got to Ducks starter Seth Simmons, who was making his debut in the orange and black, early on. Zach Borenstein hit a one-out, two-run home run to right-center field that put the Skeeters ahead. Then, after two walks and a single loaded the bases, Ryan Jackson lifted a sacrifice fly to center field that plated Denis Phipps.

Long Island was kept off the scoreboard for the first five innings by Sugar Land starter Joe Lienhard, who was making the first start of his pro career. T.J. Rivera collected two singles off him, and both Ramon Cabrera and Vladimir Frias picked up singles in the fifth, but a lineout by Ezequiel Carrera ended the threat.

The Skeeters extended their lead to four in the bottom of the fifth when Simmons allowed a walk and an infield single. With two outs, Cabrera tried to throw behind Phipps at first and threw it down the right field line, allowing Anthony Giansanti to score on the throwing error. After the Ducks stranded a pair on base in the seventh and eighth innings, Jason Martinson capped the scoring for the night with a leadoff solo homer to left in the eighth off Vin Mazzaro.

Lienhard (1-0) earned his first pro win after giving up just four singles over five innings while striking out three. Simmons (5-5) took the loss, surrendering four runs (three earned) on four hits and four walks over five innings while striking out five batters.

ON THE MOUND:

Game two of the series will see Darin Downs get the ball for the Flock. The southpaw is 1-2 on the year with a 3.08 ERA and 62 strikeouts to just 15 walks over 49.2 innings. He pitched five innings of one-run ball his last time out, July 4th against the Skeeters, giving up five hits and four walks while striking out seven batters. He stranded eight men on base during those five innings. Downs picked up his first win of the year in a 3-1 Ducks victory. Overall, the former big leaguer has made two starts this season against Sugar Land, going 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA and 16 strikeouts over 12 innings. In four career starts vs. the Skeeters, Downs is 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 25 innings.

Opposing Downs will be Dallas Beeler for Sugar Land. The right-hander has been one of Sugar Land’s top starters this year, posting a 6-3 record with a 3.24 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 13 starts. He last pitched on July 5th at New Britain and picked up the win, tossing six innings of one-run ball, allowing seven hits and four walks while striking out two. This year, he has faced the Ducks just once. That came on May 11th at home when he took a no-decision, surrendering three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks over five and two-thirds innings while striking out four. Last year, Beeler went 2-1 with a 1.65 ERA in four games (three starts) against the Flock.

FOLLOW ALONG: 

Fans can follow all the action for today’s game, and every Ducks game in 2019, on the Long Island Ducks Broadcast Network. Live streaming HD video and audio via BoxCast will be available on the team’s official Facebook page through Facebook Live, on the Ducks’ official YouTube channel and at LIDucks.com in the Ducks Video Center on the homepage. In addition to updates in this post, fans can follow a live account of today’s game via the Atlantic League website by CLICKING HERE.

DUCKS GAME NOTES: 

For tonight’s full Ducks game notes, please CLICK HERE.

STARTING LINEUP:

Long Island Ducks
#22 Ezequiel Carrera – LF
#15 Rey Fuentes – CF
#14 T.J. Rivera – DH
#21 Deibinson Romero – 3B
#37 Hector Sanchez – C
#30 David Washington – 1B
#11 L.J. Mazzilli – 2B
#49 D’Arby Myers – RF
#1   Vladimir Frias – SS

#28 Darin Downs – LHP

Sugar Land Skeeters
#11 Rico Noel – CF
#21 Anthony Giansanti – DH
#17 Zach Borenstein – RF
#29 Denis Phipps – 1B
#25 Jason Martinson – 3B
#3   Albert Cordero – C
#4   Ryan Jackson – SS
#7   Blair Beck – LF
#6   Javier Betancourt – 2B

#32 Dallas Beeler – RHP

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LIVE GAME UPDATES:

TOP 1: T.J. Rivera just keeps on hitting! He picks up an RBI single, his sixth hit in nine at-bats, to give the Ducks an early 1-0 lead!

TOP 2: L.J. Mazzilli sends one to the H-E-B Picnic Plaza in left field! His sixth home run of the season increases the Ducks lead to two!

TOP 3: Make it three runs in three innings for the Flock, as Ezequiel Carrera draws a walk and scores from third on a passed ball!

BOT 3: Sugar Land closes to within a run at 3-2 on a run-scoring groundout from Zach Borenstein and an RBI bloop double to center from Jason Martinson.

BOT 5: Skeeters tie the game on another run-scoring groundout from Zach Borenstein. 3-3 ballgame after five.

TOP 7: Rey Fuentes has put the Ducks back in front with a sac fly to left field, scoring D’Arby Myers! 4-3 Long Island!

TOP 7: Deibinson Romero adds a two-out RBI single to left-center field to increase the Ducks lead to 5-3!

BOT 7: Skeeters close back to within a run at 5-4 on a two-out RBI single to center from Denis Phipps.

END 8: Michael Tonkin works a scoreless eighth inning, striking out two! Onto the ninth we go, with the Ducks on top 5-4!

TOP 9: Ducks tack on an insurance run, as Rey Fuentes steals second and Ezequiel Carrera scores on a throwing error! Long Island now leads 6-4!

FINAL: Enrique Burgos collects his 11th save of the season, and the Ducks hang on to defeat the Skeeters 6-4, evening the series at a game apiece!