Dotel Belts Sixth Home Run, Carson Tosses Five Scoreless Innings
August 1, 2015 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Bridgeport Bluefish News Release
(Central Islip, NY) - The Bridgeport Bluefish (15-7, 41-51) defeated the Long Island Ducks (8-14, 54-38) 3-2 in front of a sellout crowd at Bethpage Ballpark on Saturday night to take the first two games of the weekend wraparound series. The Bluefish kick off the month of August on a high note, and remain in first place in the Second Half Liberty Division Standings, one half game ahead of the First Half Champion Somerset Patriots. The 'Fish have now won the last five head-to-head meetings against their cross-sound rival.
Bridgeport Starting Pitcher Robert Carson (2-0) picked up the victory, pitching five scoreless innings, giving up six hits, walking one and striking out five. Long Island Starting Pitcher Bobby Blevins (1-3) suffered the loss despite a quality start, tossing seven innings, surrendering three runs on eight hits, walking one, striking out six, and allowing one home run. Patrick Mincey retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth inning, striking out one, registering his 20th save.
Bridgeport took the 1-0 lead off Blevins just three batters into the ballgame on a two-out, opposite field solo home run to right off the bat of Welington Dotel. The All-Star collected his sixth roundtripper of the season and his 41st run batted in. The 'Fish added to the lead in the fifth inning on a two-out, run scoring double by Brandon Jones, bringing in Sean Burroughs who walked and stole a base earlier in the frame, and the visitors had a 2-0 edge. The Bluefish would make it 3-0 in their favor in the top of the sixth inning with yet another two-out rally. John Alonso's RBI double plated Dotel, who also reached on a two-base hit of his own right before Alonso brought him in with what proved to be a giant sized insurance run. It was Alonso's 23rd two-bagger in 2015, first overall amongst active players in the Atlantic League, and his 46th run driven home, tops on the Bluefish squad.
Long Island cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning off reliever Steven Ames. Fehlandt Lentini reached with a leadoff walk, and Dan Lyons followed with his second double of the game, putting runners at second and third and nobody out. Lentini and Lyons would both come in to score on consecutive sacrifice flies by Delta Cleary, Jr. and Bryan Sabatella, and just like the lead was shaved down to just a single run. Cody Pickett then singled off Ames, and Bluefish manager Ricky Van Asselberg called upon All-Star right hander Erik Draxton to face the dangerous Mike Blanke, who was representing the go-ahead run. Draxton made the skipper's decision pay off, striking out the Ducks backstop to end the inning and secure the advantage for the 'Fish. The rest was left in the reliable right arm of closer Patrick Mincey, looking to shut the door for the second time in as many nights, and Mincey was well up to the task, mowing down all three batters he faced. The All-Star is now 12 for 12 in save opportunities in the second half of the regular season. Dotel and Jones led the way for Bridgeport with three hits each, with all of Dotel's going for extra bases (two doubles and a home run), giving him 117 hits and 171 total bases on the season, both tops overall in the Atlantic League.
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Atlantic League Stories from August 1, 2015
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