Sugar Land Skeeters extend winning streak to six with 9-5 win over Long Island

Photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2016 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2016 TexSport Publications

SUGAR LAND, TEXAS (August 19, 2016) The Sugar Land Skeeters erupted for 14 hits in the middle innings and as a result, downed the Long Island Ducks by the score of 9-5 at Constellation Field in the Houston suburb of Sugar Land, Texas on Friday, August 19, 2016. The win pushed the Skeeters’ record to 27-15 in the second half of Atlantic League play. The win was their sixth in a row and their ninth in the last eleven games.

The Ducks jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two innings; scoring three in the first and two in the second. The Skeeters finally got on the scoreboard in the third inning when catcher Wilfredo Rodriguez connected on a 3-2 pitch for his fifth home run of the season. Second baseman Josh Prince added a second run for Sugar Land when shortstop Ricky Hague singled to make the score 5-2 after three innings.

In the fourth inning, the Skeeters’ bat exploded; scoring four runs. Right fielder Jeremy Barfield added a run to Sugar Land’s total on a Prince single. Center fielder Rene Tosoni added three RBI to his season total when he doubled; scoring Prince, third baseman Lance Zawadzki and Rodriguez. At that point, the Ducks pulled starter Daniel Herrera in favor of Eriberto Garcia. Herrera left the game; competing 3.2 innings while giving up six earned runs off eight hits.

Sugar Land added three additional runs to the total in the fifth inning when Zawadzki hit his second home run of the season and added three RBI to his total when designated hitter Travis Scott and first baseman Delwyn Young scored. Left handed starter Roy Merritt received the win, his eighth of the season.  He completed six innings and gave up five runs off six hits; taking his ERA to 2.99. Herrera received the loss.

The Skeeters and the Ducks will continue their three-game series on Saturday, August 20 with a 6:05 p.m. CDT first pitch. RHP Brett Marshall (3-5, 4.70 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for Sugar Land. The Duck will counter with RHP Nick Struck (1-3, 4.38 ERA).