Game 3 vs. Somerset Patriots

The Skeeters took their 4 game losing streak into the 3rd game against the division leading Patriots Wednesday night. Pedro Liriano (0-0) took the mound for Sugar Land and Roy Merritt (0-0) took the mound for Somerset.

1st inning - The Skeeters could not get anything going with the top of the order (Bell, Locke, Botts) and went 3 up & 3 down. Liriano faced 3 batters and sat them down in order, recording 2 strike outs. The score was 0-0.

2nd inning - After a Pressley fly out, Van Ostrand slapped a double, extending his consecutive game hit streak to 8 games. Harrison then struck out, Martinez walked, giving the Skeeters 2 base runners. Cabral then singled but Martinez was thrown out at second base on the fielder's choice to end the Skeeters chances. Liriano faced 7 Patriots allowing 1 run on 2 walks & 2 singles. The score was 0-1.

3rd inning - Benitez struck out to start the inning. Bell singled but the next 2 batters (Locke & Botts) flew out to CF. Liriano came in and faced 6 batters, giving up 4 walks, allowing a run to score on a wild pitch, while getting 1 out. Duniesky Flores came in to relieve Liriano and faced 2 batters but allowed a single which plated 2 scores. The score was 0-4.

4th inning - For the second time this game, Pressley stepped up to bat first and flew out, this time to RF. Van Ostrand slapped another double, his 2nd of the game. Harrison singled to CF and advanced to 2nd on an error by the 1st baseman, Van Ostrand advanced to 3rd base. Martinez was hit by the pitch, taking 1st base and loading the bases for Cabral. He flew out to the 2nd baseman and Benitez grounded the ball back to the pitcher, resulting in Van Ostrand being thrown out at home on the force out to end the Skeeter's hopes of scoring. Flores faced 6 batters, allowing a walk, a single, & a double that resulted in 2 runs scored. The score was 0-6.

5th inning - For the 2nd time this game, the top of the order (Bell, Locke, Botts) went 3 up & 3 down. Flores came back out, walked the lead off batter, then sat the Patriots down in order to hold them scoreless. The score remained 0-6.

6th inning - Pressley doubled to lead off the inning. Van Ostrand flew out and Harrison walked. Martinez made it to 1st base on an error by the second baseman to load the bases for the 2nd time this game. Cabral then hit into a 6-3 rally ending double play. Flores again came out to the mound and held the Patriots scoreless, giving up a single. The score remained 0-6.

7th inning - After Benitez and Bell struck out and flew out, Locke singled bringing Jason "BIG MAN" Botts to the plate with a chance to extend his consecutive game hit streak. After battling for the hit, Botts drew the walk to give the Skeeters 2 runners. Pressley singled to CF scoring Locke and sending Botts to 3rd base. Van Ostrand stepped in and flew out to RF to end the mini-rally. Heath Phillips came in to pitch and faced 4 batters, allowing a double and recording 2 strike outs. The score was 1-6.

8th inning - With just 6 outs left in the game, the bottom of the line up stepped in. They did not, however, step up. After Harrison flew out to RF, Martinez single to LF. That hit gave Martinez a 3 consecutive game hit streak. Cabral came to the plate and proceeded to hit into the 4-6-3 double play. Phillips came in once again and faced 4 batters, giving up a 402 foot HR to CF. The score was 1-7.

9th inning - Benitez, Bell, & Locke were the batters to get the rally started, and one of them needed to get on base to give Jason "BIG MAN" Botts a final chance at extending his consecutive game hit streak. Benitez struck out for the 2nd consecutive time, and the 3rd time this game. Bell flew out to LF for the 2nd out. Locke grounded out to the 3rd baseman to end the game. The final score was 1-7.

Jason "BIG MAN" Botts ends his 12 game consecutive hit streak in the loss as the Skeeters fall to 4-9 on the season, now 4 games behind the Freedom Division leading Somerset Patriots, and 2 games behind the Lancaster Barnstormers. The loss tonight gives the Skeeters a season high 5 game losing streak with 1 game left in the series. 

The Skeeters have left 27 runners on base through the first 3 games of the series. Had they been able to plate half of those runners, we would be sitting in a much better position that we are right now.

Derrick Gordon (0-0) gets the start for the Skeeters tomorrow night. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:05 pm local time.