Bluefish Defeat Ducks In Extras To Open Up Series
June 24, 2016 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Bridgeport Bluefish News Release
(Bridgeport, CT) - The Bridgeport Bluefish (27-33) defeated the Long Island Ducks (32-28) in walk-off fashion on Thursday night by a score of 6-5 at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard. Bridgeport recorded their third straight victory, and picked up their second win against their Ferry Cup rival in 2016. The Ducks dropped their fourth game in a row, after being swept on the road by the York Revolution the previous three days. Bridgeport recorded more than ten hits in a ballgame for the twenty-fourth time in sixty contests in 2016, registering their third win in extra innings.
Bridgeport Starting Pitcher D.J Mitchell collected a no-decision in the contest, giving up three runs (two earned runs) on five hits in five innings pitched, walking two, striking out four, and allowing a home run. Long Island Starting Pitcher Darin Downs also did not factor in the game's final outcome, as the southpaw allowed four runs (three earned runs) on six hits striking out four and handing out two free passes. R.J. Hively (1-4) picked up the win for Bridgeport, allowing one hit and striking out a batter in an inning of relief. Long Island closer Todd Coffey (1-1) was tagged with the loss, allowing a run on two hits, walking and striking out one in two-thirds an inning of work.
The Ducks got on the scoreboard first, as Dan Lyons went over the left field wall for a solo shot to give Long Island a 1-0 lead. Bridgeport responded by tallying up three in the bottom of the inning. After putting runners on first and second to open the frame, Luis Nunez singled Jose Cuevas home with the tying run. A sacrifice fly by Rossmel Perez and an RBI double of the bat of Anthony Giansanti would send Nunez and Jonathan Galvez home, giving the 'Fish a 3-1 lead after two innings of play. Long Island got back to within a run in the top of the third, as Ruben Gotay's RBI groundout sent former Bluefish Matt Wessinger home to cut Bridgeport's lead to 3-2 heading into the bottom of the third. An insurance run once again gave the 'Fish a two run cushion in the bottom of the fourth, as Giansanti reached base on an error by Gotay as he dropped a popup, which allowed Josh Vitters to score from third and give Bridgeport a 4-2 lead. Long Island leadoff batter Fehlandt Lentini reached base on an error by Luis Hernandez to open up the top of the fifth inning, and would later come home to score on an RBI single by Delta Cleary Jr., bringing the visitors back to within one at 4-3.
With Bridgeport clinging to a 4-3 edge in the top half of the eighth inning, Long Island took their second lead of the night, sending seven batters to the plate and scoring two runs to go up 5-4. Wessinger drove home a pair with the bases loaded and two outs, allowing Cody Puckett Mike Dowd to cross the plate. The tying run was scored by Bridgeport in the bottom of the eighth, when a sacrifice fly by Vitters sent Welington Dotel home to knot the game at 5-5. Nunez would win it for the 'Fish in the bottom of the tenth, as he lined a clean single to left field which brought Cuevas home once more and gave the walk-off victory as Nunez was mobbed by his teammates between first and second base and the celebration was on in the Park City. Cuevas led the offensive efforts for Bridgeport with his fourth four-hit game on the 2016 season. Photo provided courtesy of Dave Csordas.
The Ferry Cup Series will continue at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard on Friday, June 24th, when the Bluefish continue their series with the Long Island Ducks. First pitch is scheduled for 7:12 P.M. The third baseball card set of the season will take place, and there will be a 50,000 Penny Pick Up Presented by SCAP Auto Group on the field after the game.
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