Three Run Fifth Inning Propels Skeeters To Series Win Over Bluefish
Published on July 20, 2015 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Bridgeport Bluefish News Release
(Bridgeport, CT - July 19, 2015) - The Bridgeport Bluefish (7-3, 33-47) were defeated by the Sugar Land Skeeters (5-6, 41-40) 4-2 at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard on Sunday night, taking the rubber game of the weekend set. The Bluefish close out their first homestand of the second half of the regular season with a record of 4-3.
Bridgeport Starting Pitcher D.J. Mitchell (4-7) suffered the loss, tossing five innings, surrendering three runs on four hits, walking four, striking out two, and hitting one batter. Sugar Land Starting Pitcher Tim Stauffer (1-0) in his second game as a member of the Skeeters picked up the victory, pitching five innings, giving up one run (zero earned runs) on three hits, walking two, and striking out five. Derrick Loop earned his seventh save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning of relief work.
Bridgeport took the 1-0 lead off Stauffer in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Welington Dotel led off with a single, and advanced to second base on an error by Sugar land left fielder Johan Limonta. That brought up John Alonso, who lifted a fly ball to right field. Dotel tagged up from second and slid in safely at third and then proceeded to bounce up out of his slide and score the game's first run on a throwing error by Skeeters right fielder Kevin Russo. Two outfield miscues coupled with the speed of Welington Dotel gave the Bluefish the early edge. Earlier in the game, Dotel stole his 27th base of the season, tops in the Atlantic League.
The lead was short lived as Sugar Land sent nine batters to the plate in the top of the fifth inning off Mitchell, scoring three runs on four hits to erase the one-run deficit and turn it into a two-run lead at 3-1. Three consecutive run-scoring hits by Amadeo Zazueta, Kevin Russo, and Johan Limonta proved to be the demise of Mitchell, who limited the damage by inducing Patrick Palmeiro to foul out with the bases loaded.
Trailing 4-1 in the eighth inning, Bridgeport got just a bit closer with a run of their own off Skeeters reliever Adrian Martin. Josh Prince singled off Martin with one out, his second base knock of the game and seventh hit in 13 at-bats in the series. That brought up Bryant Nelson, who laced an opposite field RBI double to score Prince, cutting the deficit to 4-2 in favor of the visitors. The switch-hitting infielder extended his hitting streak to eight consecutive games. With the tying-run at the plate, Martin was able to retire two very dangerous hitters in Dotel and Alonso to hang on to the lead. Wiislon Batista singled with one out in the ninth off Loop, but that was all Bridgeport had left in the tank as Sugar Land held on for the 4-2 victory and the series win. Prince, Nelson, and Dotel led the way for Bridgeport with two hits each.
The Bluefish now head to Waldorf, Maryland to take on the first half Freedom Division Champion Southern Maryland Blue Crabs at Regency Furniture Stadium for a four game series. Bridgeport returns to the Ballpark at Harbor Yard on Friday, July 24th when they welcome in their cross-sound rival Long Island Ducks for a three game weekend set as the 2015 Ferry Cup Series continues. First pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
The Bridgeport Bluefish are members of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and play their home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard. For further information, call 203-210-BLUE (2583) or visit BridgeportBluefish.com.
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