Skeeters Walk Off On Bluefish In Series Opener
May 11, 2016 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Bridgeport Bluefish News Release
(Sugar Land, TX) - The Bridgeport Bluefish (5-13) were defeated by the Sugar Land Skeeters (12-7) 2-1 in ten innings at Constellation Field on Tuesday night in the opener of a three game series and the first of six straight contests away from home for the 'Fish. Sugar Land has now won five consecutive games while handing Bridgeport their eighth straight loss, both season highs.
Bridgeport Starting Pitcher Jimmy Patterson registered a no decision but did pick up his first quality start of 2016, tossing six strong innings, allowing one run on six hits, walking one and striking out three. Sugar Land Starting Pitcher Ian Marshall also did not factor in the game's final outcome after registering five innings of work, surrendering one run on three hits, walking three, striking out two and throwing a wild pitch. Robbie Weinhardt (2-0) was victorious out of the bullpen for the home team picking up a scoreless inning of relief, striking out one. Brian Moran (0-1) was tagged with the loss for the 'Fish, giving up a run and a hit in two thirds of an inning, walking two and striking out one.
Bridgeport took the early 1-0 lead off Marshall in the top half of the second inning on a bases load RBI walk collected by Luis Hernandez, plating Jose Cuevas with the game's first run after he opened the frame with a single. The Bluefish were looking for an even bigger inning when Ruben Sosa Jr. laced a line drive right back up the middle that was snagged by Marshall, who helped his own cause by limiting the damage to a single run and leaving the bases loaded despite walking three batters in the inning. Sugar Land answered back in the home half of the fourth off Patterson on a game tying opposite field single to right by Jeff Dominguez, scoring Ricky Hague after he began the rally with a double to left, and just like that we started all over with the game even at one apiece.
As the contest moved to the later innings it became a battle of the bullpens, and each side was very productive in refusing to give up that all important go ahead run. After Taylor Thompson struck out pinch hitter Rene Tosoni in the bottom of the ninth, we had free baseball in the Lone Star State. Thompson was unstoppable for Bridgeport, recording each of his four outs via the strikeout in an inning and a third of relief (his longest outing of the season). Weinhardt pitched a clean top of the tenth, and Sugar Land had a chance to win it all in the bottom of the inning. Josh Prince led off with a walk issued by Moran, and Hague's second sacrifice bunt in as many at bats moved the winning run into scoring position. Dominguez was then intentionally walked (also for the second straight plate appearance) to put runners at first and second. With the double play now in order, Moran struck out Kent Matthes for out number two. The Bridgeport southpaw was never able to pick up the must needed third and final out as Jeremy Barfield laced a clean single to left, scoring Prince with the winning run who was running on contact with great speed, and the celebration was on in Sugar Land as Barfield was mobbed by his teammates between first and second base and the Skeeters were victorious in walk off fashion 2-1 in ten innings. Bridgeport drops to 1-2 in extra inning games and suffer their second loss in the opposing team's final turn at bat, while Sugar Land improves to 2-0 in matchups that required more than nine innings of play. Cuevas led the way for the Bluefish with two of their four overall base knocks in the ballgame. Photo provided courtesy of Jacob Schnitzer.
Bridgeport returns to the Ballpark at Harbor Yard on Tuesday, May 17th when they welcome in the reigning Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Champion Somerset Patriots for a four game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:12 P.M. It will be Two Dollar Tuesday, with hot dogs priced at just two dollars each, along with another two dollar special as well. CLICK HERE for tickets.
Atlantic League Stories from May 11, 2016
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