L.I. Ducks: Sugar Land Skeeters Keep On Winning; Lead Series 3-0

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Bullpen Blows Game...Twice.


Look what the Skeeters did to the Ducks...again.  Unfortunately, Long Island lost a heartbreaker last night in Game Three, this time by a 6-5 final in eleven innings.

Starting pitcher Matt Way did well.  He tossed six innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits, walked one and struck out four before departing the game on the winning side of a 4-2 game.

Third baseman Bryant Nelson drove in the Ducks' run in the opening frame.  In the fourth inning, Ralph Henriquez drove in Long Island's second run.  Sugar Land came back to tie the score at two in the bottom of the fourth off Way.  However, the Ducks answered right back in the top of the sixth with another pair of runs on RBI's by Adam Bailey, and Ralph Henriquez' second of the game.

The Ducks took their 4-2 lead into the ninth inning and entrusted reliever Jared Lansford to hold, and save it.  But he could not.  After retiring the lead-off batter, Sugar Land stroked three consecutive hits and scored twice to tie the game again at four.

After a scoreless tenth inning, the Ducks seemingly caught a big break in the top of the eleventh.  Two lead-off hits and two errors by Sugar Land allowed first baseman Ryan Strieby to score the go-ahead run.  Long Island reliever Daniel Harrera was then given the ball in the bottom of the frame.  But once again, the bullpen failed.  Three consecutive hits to start the inning, and a fourth hit spelled the end of Long Island's night.  Two runs crossed the plate as the Sugar Land Skeeters completed their third straight victory over the Ducks.

There are still three more games to play.  In Game Four tonight, Bill Murphy will climb the hill for Long Island, opposed by Sugar Land's Clint Everts.



Mike.BTB