L.I. Ducks: Flock Whitewash Skeeters For 5th In A Row

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: John Brownell Shows Old Form.

FLOCK TAKES OPENING GAME IN SUGAR LAND

That's the reigning championship series MVP we remember.  John Brownell turned in a vintage performance Friday night in Sugar Land, Texas - shutting out the Skeeters in 7 full innings of work, while allowing 8 scattered hits, walking two, and fanning 7 batters.

Brownell earned his second victory, and lowered his ERA from 6.00, down to a 4.86 mark.  He also took over the league lead in strikeouts with 32 in 37 innings pitched.

The Long Island Ducks scored a pair in the 4th, and two more insurance runs in the 7th en route to a 4-0 whitewash of the Sugar Land Skeeters.

Kieth Castillo's double in the top of the 4th, plated Randy Ruiz and Adam Bailey with the game's first two runs.  Later, Dan Lyons reached on a one out single in the 7th, and came all the way around to score on Fehlandt Lentini's single, and an error by the pitcher.  Another passed ball spelled the end of Sugar Land's starting pitcher, Matt Wright.  Ramon Delgado entered in relief, and promptly unleashed a wild pitch allowing Lentini to score.

The bullpen handled the rest.  Eric Niesen took care of the 8th in relief of Brownell, tossing a scoreless frame and fanning two.  Leo Rosales closed out the Skeeters in a non save situation.

The Ducks are now winners of 5 in a row, and improved their season record to a 15-11 mark.  The Somerset Patriots were defeated by the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, allowing the Ducks to pull within 1.5 games of 1st place.




Mike.BTB