By Michael Heilman

Facing elimination, The Long Island Ducks pulled out a win Saturday night defeating the Sugar Land Skeeters 3-2 in ten innings in front of 4,106 fans at Constellation Field.

The Skeeters bats struck first in the bottom of the first inning as center fielder Rico Noel started the inning off hitting a line drive single out to left field. Noel would then steal second base. The next batter up for the Skeeters was left fielder Wynton Bernard. Bernard would hit a single on a ground ball to Ducks shortstop Vladimir Frias moving Noel to third base. Bernard would also steal second base. The Skeeters would score two runs when designated hitter Denis Phipps hit a triple out to left field to score both Noel and Bernard to put the Skeeters up 2-0.

The Ducks started the top of the second inning with catcher Hector Sanchez striking out followed by third baseman Deibinson Romero’s single on a line drive out to center field. First baseman David Washington was up next, but he ended up striking out for out number two. Ducks shortstop Vladimir Frias was able to move Romero to second base, hitting a single to right field. The next batter up for the Ducks was right fielder D’Arby Myers who would bring home Romero on a fly ball single to right field to cut the Skeeters lead to 2-1.

Left fielder L.J. Mazzilli started the top of the sixth inning for the Ducks hitting a double on a line drive out to right field. Skeeters pitcher Chase De Jong was able to get both Ducks catcher Hector Sanchez and third baseman Deibinson Romero to fly out for out numbers one and two then first baseman David Washington singled on a sharp line drive to right field to score Mazzilli to tie the game up at 2-2.

Neither team could break the tie from the seventh inning through the ninth inning, forcing the two teams to go into extra innings. The Skeeters changed pitchers at the top of the tenth inning bringing in Josh Martin for Felipe Paulino. Martin was able to get designated hitter Lew Ford to ground out for out number one. The next batter up after Ford was L.J Mazzilli. Mazzilli would single on a ground ball to left field. Mazzilli would then steal second base, forcing a mound visit. Ducks catcher Hector Sanchez would reach first base on a fielder’s choice while Mazzilli moved to third base. The Ducks would break the tie thanks to a Deibinson Romero sacrifice fly to center field to bring Mazzilli home to put the Ducks up 3-2.

The Ducks brought in closer Cody Mincey to finish the game. Mincey would get both Skeeters catcher Cody Stanley and third baseman Javier Betancourt to strikeout for out’s one and two. Ricky Noel was the last hope for the Skeeters to keep the inning alive, but Noel would pop out to first baseman David Washington to end the game. The Ducks hold on to take Game 4 of the Atlantic League Championship Final 3-2. Ducks pitcher Joe Iorio (3 IP, 1 BB, 3 SO) was the winning pitcher while Cody Mincey (1 IP, 2 SO) got the save.

The series is now all tied up at 2-2 with a winner take all Game 5 Sunday night from Constellation Field with first pitch set for 7:35 pm.