The Long Island Ducks (18-16) dropped a heartbreaking 6-5 loss to the Somerset Patriots (23-13) in Atlantic League of Professional Baseball action on Sunday.
It was a battle between the first and second place team in the Liberty Division, and both teams battled things out till the end. The Patriots may have claimed the final two games of the series, but it wasn’t without a fight from the Ducks.
Somerset jumped to a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, highlighted by an RBI hit from Damaso Espino. Long Island would strike back in the seventh inning as a solo shot by Infielder Randy Ruiz started to get the bats going.
Catcher Keith Castillo and Dan Lyons kept the frame alive via a single and a walk respectively to set the stage for Fehlandt Lentini, who ripped an RBI single to left field to cut the Patriots lead. Second Baseman Cody Puckett tied the game at four with a two-run single to right field.
The Patriots regained the lead in the top of the eighth inning, before the Ducks tied things up for the second time as Sergio Miranda worked a bases-loaded walk to even the score at 5 runs for each team. Both Long Island and Somerset would stay deadlocked at that score until the Top of the 12th Inning when Somerset regained the lead and proceeded to hold the Ducks scoreless to earn the rubber match.
Puckett paced the Ducks with three hits extending his on-base streak to 24 games with his three hit performance, while Ruiz and Lentini each chipped in with two hits.
For Ruiz his solo shot in the seventh inning was his third with the team, as the infielder has now hit safely in nine of the 12 games he has played. Fehland has now been able to hit safely in nine of the past 10 games, scoring 13 runs, while also stealing seven bases.
Long Island welcomes in the Lancaster Barnstormers for a four-game set beginning Monday. First pitch at Bethpage Ballpark is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with gates opening at 5:35 p.m. The probable pitching match-up for Monday night may feature righty John Brownell (3-3, 4.81 ERA) taking on lefty Clayton Tanner (2-2, 6.41 ERA) and fans are encouraged to stay for the Pyrotechnico Fireworks Extravaganza afterward.
1495 Sports is proud to bring this postgame interview for Ducks fans to check out:
Randy Ruiz:
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