Ducks Win Game 1 Behind Everett

By Brian Bohl on August 19, 2008

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY — Clutch hitting, good pitch and stellar defense can sometimes be more effective than a 10-run inning. The Ducks adhered to that sentiment last night, as backup catcher Rob Sandora continued his hot hitting by delivering the game-winning single for a 3-2 victory in Game 1 of a twinight doubleheader against Somerset Monday night.

Carl Everett continued his torrid hitting, moving up all three Triple Crown categories by blasting a solo homer to start the sixth. Everett’s 23rd homer off Steve Keller tied the seven-inning contest at 2. Ray Navarrete followed with a double and advanced to third on Richard Hidalgo’s groundout.

Damian Rolls saw his 22-game hitting streak end in ignominious fashion, striking out to waste a quality chance. Rolls finished 0-3, though Sandora picked him up by lacing an opposite-field single to right to plate Navarrete and open a one-run lead.

By Atlantic League rules, twinight twin-bills consist of two seven-inning games. Ducks starter Abe Alvarez stayed in to close it out before nearly giving away the lead. Somerset’s Travis Anderson belted a double to start the seventh, advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt.

Alvarez, who is emerging as a key rotation member, induced the biggest out of the game by forcing Elliot Ayala to ground out. Edgardo Alfonzo actually needed to leave his feet at shortstop to field the bounce off Ayala’s bat, but gloved it and fired a strike to Rose at first for the second out. Sean Smith flied out to shallow right, allowing the Ducks to extend its winning streak to five.

“Abe coming back the way he did, that was a great game he pitched,” manager Dave LaPoint said. “They’re doing it at the right time. The pitchers are going late into the games and saving the bullpen.

“They’re all doing their jobs right now.”

Somerset pulled ahead of the pitchers’ duel in the sixth. Alvarez had retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced before Matt Hagen lifted a full-count offering into the Patriots bullpen in left. The two-out solo shot put the visitors up 2-1.

Alvarez’s only other mistake came in the third when Smith’s RBI single plated Vito Chiaravalloti to open the scoring. The southpaw still improved to 6-1 and lowered his ERA from the 3.58 mark with which he entered. Since coming to Long Island in trade with Camden for Jamal Strong, Alvarez has made the transition from reliever to starter. The former Red Sox pitcher notched his first complete game of the season, striking out five and walking three.

Everett started the evening just nine RBIs behind Pat Osborn for the league lead. The switch-hitting veteran also was fourth in average and moved just two homers behind Somerset’s Josh Pressley for the Atlantic League home run lead. The former major league All-Star still has an outside chance of the Atlantic League’s first Triple Crown with almost five weeks remaining in the regular season schedule.

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