Perez Homers Twice In 7-5 Win, Lujan Earns Save #19

SUGAR LAND, Texas – The Riversharks tied the series at two games each against the Skeeters with a win in game four by the final score of 7-5 at Constellation Field in front of 6249 Sunday evening.

Heath Phillips got the call for the Skeeters in the series finale in his 12th start of the season. The lefty carried a one-run lead into the top of the third thanks to Josh Pressley’s RBI single in the first that scored Dominic Ramos after a leadoff double, but struggled when he reached the third. 

Jake Eigsti led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a groundout in the following at-bat. Chris Walker brought him home with an RBI single to tie the game at one-a-piece. Lloyd Turner reached on a single of his own to put runners on first and second with one out in the inning, but the damage came when Eduardo Perez came to the plate.

The right fielder notched his fifth home run of the season with a long-ball to left giving the visitors a 4-1 lead.

Sugar Land battled back in the bottom of the fourth after keeping Camden off the board in the visitor-half of the inning off Keith Weiser (5-5). Matt Hagen led off with a double off the top of the wall in left-center field and was brought home in the next at-bat by Iggy Suarez. The second baseman popped a long shot off the signage of the picnic plaza down the left-field line for his fourth home run of the season to cut the deficit down to one, 4-3.

Pedro Liriano relieved Phillips in the fifth inning with the team down one, but the right hander gave up a one-out solo home run to former major leaguer Pedro Feliz that doubled the lead, 5-3. In the seventh, Liriano again gave up the long ball to the switch-hitting Perez. After cranking a homer off Phillips in the third from the right-side of the plate, Perez knocked a solo shot off Liriano from the left side to increase the lead up to three, 6-3.

The Skeeters scored one run in the bottom of the seventh after Pressley singled and scored on an Octavio Martinez RBI single,6-4, but Camden scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Walker came around on an RBI single from Feliz to re-up the lead to three, 7-4.

John Lujan came in to pitch a scoreless eighth, but in the ninth struggled to get through cleanly. Matt Hagen knocked the seventh home run of the series off Lujan and the second of the game for Sugar Land in the leadoff spot to cut the lead back down to two, 7-5, but Lujan managed to get Ramos to ground into an inning-ending six-unassisted to first double play to end the game.

In Which The 'Sharks Blow Another Lead, And The Writer Loses His Shit

 Iggy Suarez' two out single in the bottom of the 10th scored Aaron Bates, and the Sugarland Skeeters capped a remarkable five run comeback with a 6-5 victory over the Riversharks tonight at Constellation Field.

Camden led 5-1 in the 8th, andOH I CAN'T WRITE THIS RECAP,OK?? LOOK, JOSH WALTER AND ZACH HAMMES STINK. THERE"S NO GETTING AROUND THE FACT THAT SINCE BERGMANN WAS PICKED UP OUR BULLPEN HAS GONE TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET. EDDY CAMACHO AND LEO ROSALES COMBINED FOR SEVEN GREAT INNINGS, THEN WALTER AND HAMMES CAME IN AND SHIT ALL OVER THEIR EFFORTS. JESUS CHRIST, THE NEW GUY DELWYN YOUNG GOES THREE FOR THREE, EDDY PEREZ GOES THREE FOR FIVE WITH TWO RBI, MATERA AND EIGSTI BOTH HOMER, AND IT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH!!!!

LOOK AT THIS CLUSTERFUCK OF AN EIGHTH INNING:

Bottom of 8th	Sugar Land Skeeters
Pitching Substitution	38 Josh Walter subs for Leo Rosales.
#16 Octavio Martinez	Called Strike
Defensive Substitution	8 Danny Santiesteban subs for Steve Doetsch at Right Field.
#16 Octavio Martinez	16 Octavio Martinez advances to 1st (single)
#4 Dominic Ramos	Ball, 4 Dominic Ramos advances to 1st (hit by pitch), 16 Octavio Martinez advances to 2nd (4)
#11 Ofilio Castro	Foul, Called Strike, Foul, 11 Ofilio Castro advances to 1st (error by the second baseman), 4 Dominic Ramos advances to 2nd (11), 16 Octavio Martinez advances to 3rd (11)
#10 Bubba Bell	Called Strike, Swinging Strike, 10 Bubba Bell advances to 2nd (double), 11 Ofilio Castro advances to 3rd (10), 4 Dominic Ramos Scores Earned (10), 16 Octavio Martinez Scores Earned (10)
Pitching Substitution	28 Zach Hammes subs for Josh Walter.
#25 Jason Lane	Ball, Ball, Ball, 25 Jason Lane advances to 1st (walk)
#31 Josh Pressley	Ball, Foul, Ball, Ball, 31 Josh Pressley advances to 1st (walk), 25 Jason Lane advances to 2nd (31), 10 Bubba Bell advances to 3rd (31), 11 Ofilio CastroScores Unearned (31)
Offensive Substitution	23 Matt Hagen runs for Josh Pressley at 1st base.
#34 Aaron Bates	Ball, Swinging Strike, Ball, Ball, 34 Aaron Bates advances to 1st (walk), 23 Matt Hagen advances to 2nd (34), 25 Jason Lane advances to 3rd (34), 10 Bubba Bell Scores Earned (34)
#19 Steve Moss	Ball, Called Strike, Called Strike, 19 Steve Moss putout (strike out swinging) for out number 1
#2 Iggy Suarez	Called Strike, 23 Matt Hagen putout (5) for out number 2, 2 Iggy Suarez putout (5-3 DP) for out number 3
Runs: 4, Hits: 2, Errors: 1, LOB: 2

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?? THE FIRST THING HAMMES DOES IS WALK A GUY ON FOUR PITCHES!! HE THEN PROCEEDS TO WALK THE BASES LOADED. IT'S A MIRACLE THE SKEETERS DIDN'T SCORE 40 RUNS!!

SO THE GAMES TIED AND HEADED TO EXTRAS. IN THE TOP OF THE 10TH, THE SHARKS LOAD THE BASES WITH ONE OUT BUT CAN'T GET A SINGLE RUN OUT OF IT!!

THE SKEETERS, ON THE OTHER HAND, GET A TWO OUT TRIPLE FROM AARON BATES!! FUCKING SPENCER STEEDLEY!! I'M GOING TO MAKE A SIGN FOR THE BULLPEN THAT SAYS 'ABANDON ALL LEADS, YE WHO ENTER HERE' GAAAcjfa;lfa lvrilr98 lfdkhviv nI ALkhfl nhfiQH aslSHFAlFH lFHD aslFalf hfhlofHOIRHOIHoiHoidJW

[Ed. Note - Apparently, Jim knocked himself out banging his head on the keyboard. 'Til next time, True Believers.]

Walker, Texas, And Bullpen Game Changers

SUGAR LAND, Texas – Three long balls capped a four-run comeback for the Skeeters in game one against the Riversharks Thursday night in front of 6008 at Constellation Field. With the Lancaster Barnstormers postponed, Sugar Land moves into a tie for first in the Freedom Division.

Scott Kazmir made his fourth start of the season since joining the Skeeters before the All-Star Break. The lefty stumbled out of the gates in the first inning giving up a leadoff home run (8) to center fielder Chris Walker to put the opposing side on top 1-0 early. Kazmir struck out the final two batters in the first to retire the side before the Skeeters came to bat in the bottom of the first. 

Righty Kevin Reese (3-4) got the nod for his 11th start of the season and quickly gave up the lead when Dominic Ramos scored from third on Jason Lane’s groundout to first to even it up, 1-1. After the second baseman started the inning with a single into right, Ramos was pushed to the opposite corner when Bubba Bell knocked a single through the left side of the infield.

Kazmir managed to escape the second and the third innings without allowing a run, but once the fourth started, the former major leaguer lost the lead. Alvin Colina singled into left to start the inning and was quickly pushed to second by Jake Eigsti’s single into left center. Two batters later, Lloyd Turner walked to load the bases and with one out. The lineup went back to the top for Walker, and in his third at-bat of the evening, the Mississippi native launched his second home run (9) of the game, a grand slam (1), into the picnic plaza to break the deadlock, 5-1.

Pedro Liriano (5-3) entered the game for Kazmir and retired the first two batters he faced to end the inning before the Skeeters responded in the bottom half of the inning. Josh Pressley started the home-half with a walk on five pitches, and scored during the next at-bat when left fielder Aaron Bates punched his second ticket of the season over the left-field wall to bring the Skeeters back to within two with the two-run homer, 5-3.

Liriano retired the side 1-2-3 in the top of the fifth, and Sugar Land threatened again in the bottom of the inning. With one out and the bases empty, Ofilio Castro and Bell reached with back-to-back singles. Two batters later with runners on first and second and two outs gone, Pressley tied the game with his 13th double of the season. The big first baseman hammered a high fastball into deep right-center field scoring both Castro and Bell to knot it up for the second time, 5-5. Then, Bates gave the Skeeters their first lead of the game with his second extra-base-hit in as many at-bats, a double into left-center field. Pressley scored easily to put the Skeeters ahead after five, 6-5.

After a scoreless sixth inning, Sugar Land imposed its power in the sixth. Lefty reliever Spencer Steedley entered the game to pitch for Camden but faltered early after getting the first out. Lane and Pressley used back-to-back home runs to increase the lead by two, 8-3. It was Lane’s first home run (6) since July 8 and Pressley’s 10th of the season.

Jeff Farnsworth worked a scoreless seventh and Roberto Giron a scoreless eighth before Gary Majewski came into to shut down the ninth with his 13th save of the season.

Mike McGuire Can't Catch A Break, Pt. III

'Sharks Squash Skeeters In A Slugfest

With the bases loaded in the 8th inning, Marquez Smith took a 3-2 fastball from Skeeters reliever Kelvin Villa and crushed it over the left field wall for a grand slam. It was the coup de grâce for Sugarland, as they fell to the Camden Riversharks tonight by a score of 12-5.

The Skeeters struck first when Dominic Ramos led off the game with a triple, and scored when Bubba Bell singled him in to make it 1-0. An error by Alvin Colina later in the inning allowed Bell to score. 

But that was the only time Sugarland would enjoy a lead. The 'Sharks bats came alive tonight against Skeeters pitching. In the bottom of the first, Colina's sac fly to center scored Paddy Matera, and an Eduardo Perez double scored Smith and Brian Burgamy to make it 3-2 'Sharks. 

In the second, Ramos took Keith Weiser deep to left for his fourth home run of the season, tying the game a 3-3. Ramos came within one single of hitting for the cycle, going 3 for 5 on the night with 2 RBI.

Camden got three more in the bottom of the frame, a double from Smith scored Patty Matera, and Burgamy's two run blast, his 5th of 2012, made it 6-3 'Sharks. 

The Skeeters cut the lead to 6-5 in the 4th on RBI doubles from Ramos and Iggy Suarez.

A solo shot from Burgamy in the 5th added some insurance, and the huge, 5 run eighth inning sealed Sugarland's fate. Weiser gets the win, but the bullpen combo of Jeff Farnsworth, Spencer Steedley, Zach Hammes and John Lujan deserves credit for shutting down the Skeeters the rest of the night, allowing no runs and just two hits in four innings of relief.

McKellar, Six Others Picked Up By Sugarland In Expansion Draft

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Josh Banks Sugar Land, TEXAS – The Sugar Land Skeeters have obtained the Atlantic League negotiating rights of seven players in the Atlantic League Expansion Draft Friday. Most notable from the list are former major league pitchers Logan Kensing and Josh Banks. “We are excited about the results of the draft,” said Gary Gaetti, Manager of the Sugar Land Skeeters. “We wanted to focus on obtaining the best talent available. All of these guys have at least Triple A experience. ” Former major league pitcher Logan Kensing from San Antonio, Texas, has been selected from the Bridgeport Bluefish. Kensing played college ball at Texas A&M before being drafted by the Florida Marlins in the second round of the 2003 Amateur Draft. The Pittsburgh Pirates have invited Kensing to attend spring training. From the Long Island Ducks, the Skeeters have chosen former major league pitcher Josh Banks. Banks was drafted in the second round of the 2003 Amateur Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. His most recent appearance in MLB was with the Houston Astros in 2010. Austin native Ryan McKeller has been picked from the Camden Riversharks. Drafted in 2002, McKeller spent 7 seasons pitching in the Astros organization. He finished the 2009 season with his hometown Round Rock Express before joining the Riversharks in 2010. Shortstop Iggy Suarez was picked in the draft from the Lancaster Barnstormers. Suarez played college baseball at Texas State University before being drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 2003 draft. From the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, the Skeeters have drafted outfielder Ben Harrison. Harrison was drafted out of the University of Florida by the Texas Rangers in 2004. He spent seven seasons with the Rangers organization before joining the Blue Crabs in 2010. Right-handed pitcher Ryan Houston was selected from the five-time Atlantic League Champion Somerset Patriots. Drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1998, Houston has 13 years of professional experience. During 2008, Houston spent the season pitching for the Round Rock Express. Veteran of 13 seasons, catcher Octavio Martinez was selected by the Skeeters from the two-time defending Atlantic League Champion York Revolution. Martinez was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1999 Amateur Draft. About the Sugar Land Skeeters: The Sugar Land Skeeters minor league baseball team, led by Manager and former Major League All-Star Gary Gaetti, will play in the $35 million Constellation Field, which is being constructed by the City of Sugar Land and the Skeeters at the intersection of State Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 90A. The Sugar Land Skeeters will play 70 regular season home games annually, starting with the 2012 season, presented by ABC Home & Commercial Services, beginning on April 26. Constellation Field will play host to a multitude of other sporting events, including football, soccer, lacrosse, cheerleading and band competitions, as well as concerts, group outings and scout sleepovers. Fixed-seat stadium capacity is approximately 6,200 for baseball, plus additional lawn and standing-room-only tickets. Constellation Field has a capacity of 10,000-plus in concert configuration. The Sugar Land Skeeters offices are presently located at 16160 City Walk in Sugar Land Town Square, Sugar Land, TX 77479 where additional information, tickets and Inaugural Season merchandise are available. The Skeeters may be reached at www.SugarLandSkeeters.com or by calling 281.240.HITS (4487), and on Facebook (facebook.com/SugarLandSkeeters) and Twitter (@SL_Skeeters).

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Ben Harrison	Iggy Suarez
Logan Kensing	Octavio Martinez
Ryan Houston	Ryan McKeller

Riversharks Announce 2012 Schedule

POSTED: 10/6/2011 by Megan McLaughlin

Now that the 2011 season has concluded, the first key piece of the 2012 season has fallen into place as the Atlantic League has released the schedule for its 15th season.

The Camden Riversharks will play their first four series on the road before returning to Campbell’s Field for their home opener against the Lancaster Barnstormers, Wednesday, May 9 at 7:05. Plans for the ceremony to open the 12th season at Campbell’s Field are still in the formative stages. Further details about the Riversharks Opening Night celebration will follow. The team will end the season at home on September 23rd vs. the Long Island Ducks at 5:35pm.

The Atlantic League is excited to add the Sugar Land Skeeters to the Freedom Division for the 2012 lineup. Based in the City of Sugar Land, Texas, southwest of Houston, the Skeeters will take on the Riversharks for the first time on Thursday, June 14th at 7:05pm. The Sharks will travel outside of the Northeast, and fly on a plane to travel for the first time in team history on June 22. Each of the other seven teams will make two trips to Texas during the 2012 season. This demonstrates the next phase of Atlantic League baseball.

Through the 2012 season the Riversharks will host 70 home games, with fireworks shows after every Friday and Saturday home game. Riversharks highlights will include:
• The Baseball in Education Series: May 11, May 17, May 23, and June 1. All games will be played at 11:00 AM.
• Scout Overnights Return! Scouts and their parents will have the opportunity to sleep over at Campbell’s Field on June 15th, June 29th, July 20th, and August 3rd.
• Finley’s Birthday Celebration! Sunday July 22nd will have a special start time of 5:35pm and a firework spectacular to celebrate our mascot, Finley’s, birthday!

Other special celebrations throughout the 2012 season will include Memorial Day (May 28th 7:05pm), Father’s Day (June 17th 1:05pm), and Fan Appreciation Weekend (September 21-23). The full promotional calendar including theme nights, special ticketed events, and weekly promotions will be released at a later date.