Five-year MLB veteran Henderson Alvarez takes the mound for Long Island in the rubber game of a three-game series with Lancaster.
The Long Island Ducks (25-17; 61-51) play the rubber game of a their three-game series the Lancaster Barnstormers (24-18; 62-50) tonight at The Duck Pond. The Ducks have won 14 of their last 16 games and have catapulted themselves into first place in the Liberty Division Second Half Standings, enjoying a 4.5 game lead over the Somerset Patriots. Lancaster has dropped 10 of their last 14 games, and find themselves tied with the York Revolution for first place in the Freedom Division.
The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Lancaster Barnstormers 9-8 on Saturday night in the middle game of a three-game series at Bethpage Ballpark.
Lancaster put together a three-run third inning against Ducks starter Alfredo Simon to take the first lead of the game. RBI singles by Beau Amaral and Trayvon Robinson along with a sacrifice fly from Sean Halton accounted for the scoring.
Long Island responded with an eight-run fourth inning against Barnstormers starter Luis Gonzalez and reliever John Kuchno to take an 8-3 lead. RBI singles by Delta Cleary Jr. and Elmer Reyes, a three-run double to left-center field by Marc Krauss and a three-run home run to center by Alex Burg, all with two outs, highlighted the frame.
The advantage remained five until the top of the eighth when Lancaster struck for three two-out runs of their own to close the gap to 8-6. Steve Clevenger's two-run homer to right-center and Nate Coronado's RBI single did the damage. Sean Halton then knocked a three-run home run off the foul pole in left during the top of the ninth to put the 'Stormers in front.
Neither starter factored into the decision. Simon pitched five innings, allowing three runs on eight hits while striking out four. Gonzalez lasted three and two-thirds innings, giving up six runs on eight hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Anthony Carter (4-2) picked up the win with a scoreless eighth inning, and Amalio Diaz (3-4) suffered the loss, surrendering three runs on two hits in the ninth inning with two strikeouts. Scott Shuman earned his first save of the year with a scoreless ninth, striking out two.
Cleary Jr. led the Flock with three hits, while Giovanny Alfonzo added two. Matt Marsh made his debut on the mound for the Ducks and pitched two scoreless innings of relief, giving up two hits and striking out one.
RHP Henderson Alvarez takes the slab for the Ducks in the Sunday rubber game. In six outings this year, Alvarez is 2-1 with a 2.88 ERA, and has allowed 26 hits, 12 strikeouts and 12 walks in 25.0 innings. The 2014 National League All-Star has been strong in his last two starts, combining for a 2-0 record with a 1.80 ERA, and has allowed seven hits and two runs while striking out five and walking five in 10 innings. Alvarez has not faced Lancaster this season.
Former major leaguer Brad Bergesen climbs the hill for the Barnstormers this evening. Bergesen is 9-7 with a 4.36 ERA in 19 starts this season, and has allowed 129 hits while striking out 69 and walking 20 in 109.1 innings. The right-hander has won five straight decisions, dating back to July 17, and has thrown three quality starts in that span. He sports a solid 12:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in that span, which encompasses 28.1 innings. Bergesen allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits in 5.1 innings at Bridgeport in his last start on August 9.
TOP 2: Lancaster gets on the board first with a Nate Coronado RBI single. 1-0 Barnstormers as the Ducks come up to bat.
TOP 3: Josh Bell drives home two runs with an opposite-field double and Lancaster takes a 3-0 lead.
TOP 5: A passed ball allows Sean Halton to score after a triple to extend Lancaster's lead to 4-0.
BOT 6: A Marc Krauss RBI double and a Ruben Gotay RBI single get the Ducks on the board, but the Barnstormers still lead 4-2.
TOP 8: Angelo Songco swats his 20th home run of the year, a two-run shot to tie the game at 4-4!
TOP 9: The Barnstormers strike back and take a 5-4 lead as Anderson De La Rosa picks up an RBI single.
FINAL: Dan Lyons delivers another waddle-off for the Ducks!
Posted on August 20, 2017, in Game Previews and tagged Alex Burg, Alfredo Simon, Amalio Diaz, Delta Cleary Jr., Elmer Reyes, giovanny alfonzo, Henderson Alvarez, Lancaster Barnstormers, Long Island Ducks, Marc Krauss, Matt Marsh. Bookmark the permalink.	Leave a comment.