By Michael Heilman
The Long Island Ducks took Game One of the Atlantic League Championship Finals defeating the Sugar Land Skeeters 7-5 Tuesday night from Bethpage Park.
The Skeeters had a scoreless first inning; however the Ducks started right out of the gate in the bottom of the first inning with singles by both center fielders Rey Fuentes and second baseman Steve Lombardozzi. The next batter up was Designated hitter Lew Ford, who hit a single out to left field to bring Fuentes home to put the Ducks up 1-0. After Skeeters pitcher Mike Hauschild walked Hector Sanchez, third baseman Deibinson Romero hit a three-run home run out to left-center field to extend the Ducks lead 4-0. The next batter, first baseman David Washington would also hit a solo home run out to center field to put the Ducks up 5-0.
The Skeeters began to chip away at the Ducks lead in the top of the third inning starting with shortstop Jason Martinson getting hit on a pitch to send him to first base. Martinson would advance to third base on a pick-off error by Ducks catcher Hector Sanchez. Ducks pitcher Vin Mazzaro would then throw a wild pitch scoring Martinson to cut the Ducks lead 5-1. After an Anthony Giansanti single and stealing second base, Skeeters right fielder Zach Borenstein hit a single to right field to score Giansanti to make it a 5-2 Ducks lead.
Skeeters first baseman Alberto Cordero hit a double out to center field to start the top of the fourth inning. Third baseman Juan Silverio would then hit a sacrifice bunt to move Cordero to third base, and this led to Skeeters catcher Cody Stanley to ground out to Ducks first baseman David Washington to score Cordero to pull within two at 5-3.
However, the Ducks would once again increase their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning starting with a solo home run by Ducks first baseman David Washington to make it a 6-3 Ducks lead. The next batter for the Ducks, shortstop Vladimir Frias doubled out to right field followed by a walk to right fielder Daniel Fields. Ducks center fielder Rey Fuentes would hit a sacrifice bunt moving Frias to third and Fields to second. Second baseman Steve Lombardozzi hit a sacrifice fly out to center field scoring Frias to further the Ducks lead at 7-3.
The Skeeters would once again chip the Ducks lead in the top of the eighth inning when left fielder Wynton Bernard started the inning hitting a double to left field. He then stole third and scored on a throwing error by Ducks catcher Hector Sanchez to cut the Ducks lead to 7-4. Skeeters Designated hitter Denis Phipps would then hit a solo home run out to left field to pull the Skeeters within two at 7-5.
The Ducks sent in pitcher Cody Mincey to finish the game. He got Juan Silverio to strikeout to start the top of the ninth inning followed by a Cody Stanley fly out and a Jason Martinson strikeout to end the game. Ducks pitcher Vin Mazzaro (6 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO) was the winning pitcher while Cody Mincey (1 IP, 2 SO) got the save.
The Ducks now have a 1-0 series lead with game two Wednesday night at 6:35 pm from Bethpage Park.
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