Patriots facing early exit after 11-1 drubbing by Long Island in Game 2

Somerset Patriots manager Brett Jodie’s blueprint for winning Game 2 of the Liberty Division Championship against the Long Island Ducks at Bethpage Ballpark on Thursday night was plain and simple. The skipper felt grinding out at bats, playing good defense, and needing to take advantage of situations was a key for Somerset.

Once again those opportunities presented themselves early as the Patriots had runners on first and second with two outs in the second and third innings, but Somerset failed to score as Ducks starter Jake Fisher wiggled out of the jams.

Long Island did not waste any time breaking the deadlock in the bottom half of the third rattling off four consecutive singles against Somerset starting pitcher Stephen Perakslis leading to a RBI single from Jordany Valdespin and Daniel Fields ripping a two-run single into right field.

Fisher stymied the Patriots offense retiring seven in a row at one point. In the fifth inning, the Ducks broke the game widen open tallying five runs with the big blow coming off the bat of first baseman David Washington crushing a three-run opposite field home run over the left field wall. Perakslis night was done after 4 2/3 innings surrendering eight runs on 11 hits and striking out three.

In the seventh inning with runners on the corner and one out, Patriots third baseman Mike Fransoso spoiled Fisher’s shutout bid cranking a single into center field that brought Ramon Flores across home plate. However, Washington was not finished going yard on this night, slugging his second three-run blast of the night deep over the right center field wall in the bottom half of the inning. Meanwhile Fisher departed after seven innings allowing one run on four hits while walking two and whiffing three.

The series switches to TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, New Jersey for Game 3 on Friday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Somerset will start either right-handed pitcher David Kubiak (8-3, 3.40 ERA) or left-handed pitcher Rick Teasley (4-5, 3.60 ERA) against Ducks right-handed pitcher Brett Marshall (6-9, 4.56 ERA).

The Patriots will attempt to avert a sweep and third consecutive season Long Island has eliminated them in the Liberty Division Championship Series.