(Central Islip, N.Y., Sept. 30, 2018) - The Skeeters won the Atlantic League Championship with a 4-1 win over the Long Island Ducks in Game 5 of the Atlantic League Championship Series on Sunday night at Bethpage Ballpark.
It’s the second Atlantic League Championship in the seven-year history of the Skeeters, with their other title coming in 2016, also against the Ducks.
Since the Skeeters joined the Atlantic League in 2012, the Ducks are the only other team to win at least two Atlantic League titles (2012, ‘13), along with the Skeeters.
Skeeters left-hander James Russell, who won the Atlantic League Championship Series Most Valuable Player, tossed a complete game on Sunday night, allowing one run on seven hits while striking out five without a walk.
Sugar Land jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second on a solo home run from Denis Phipps -- his first homer of the postseason.
Albert Cordero added to the lead with an RBI single in the third and Matt Chavez followed with an RBI single of his own in the fifth.
Dan Lyons tacked on the only run of the night for the Ducks with a home run in the fifth.
Barrett Barnes finished off the Skeeters’ scoring with an RBI single in the sixth inning. Long Island starter Jake Fisher, who allowed three runs on nine hits over five innings, took the loss.
Under the leadership of first-year manager Pete Incaviglia, the Skeeters finished the 2018 regular season with an 81-45 record, which were the second-most regular-season wins in franchise history. It was also the second-best winning percentage (.643) in franchise history and the Skeeters’ 52 home wins were the most in a single season in team history.
Twelve players from the Skeeters’ 2018 roster had their contracts purchased by Major League Baseball organizations, which is a franchise single-season record. Two additional players had their contracts purchased by Mexican League organizations, giving the Skeeters a franchise-best 14 contracts purchased by other professional baseball organizations. Since the Skeeters joined the Atlantic League in 2012, the most contracts purchased by Major League Baseball organizations in a single season was 13 from the Somerset Patriots in 2017.
The Skeeters will be holding a Championship Celebration at Sugar Land Town Square on Wednesday, Oct. 3, starting at 6 p.m.
Sugar Land Mayor Joe Zimmerman will be in attendance and will be making a proclamation in honor of the Skeeters’ championship.
Also in attendance will be Incaviglia and numerous players from the team, along with ownership and front-office staff. Constellation Field Public Address Announcer Shane Brown will be emceeing the event.
Order forms to purchase official Sugar Land Skeeters championship gear will be available at the festivities. Fans can also visit SugarLandSkeeters.com to purchase the championship gear. While championship gear will not be immediately available at the event, the Skeeters Kiosk will be open for fans to visit and purchase official Skeeters apparel.
About the Sugar Land Skeeters
The Skeeters play at Constellation Field, a state-of-the-art stadium located at the intersection of State Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 90A in Sugar Land. The Skeeters are a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) and play 126 regular season games. The Skeeters Baseball Foundation promotes youth education and healthy activities lifestyles by providing support to culturally, racially and economically diverse areas of the community. For more information please call 281-240-4487 or visit sugarlandskeeters.com.
About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)
The Atlantic League has been a leader in professional baseball and a gateway to Major League Baseball since 1998. Over 40 million fans have attended Atlantic League games and more than 900 players and 70 managers and coaches have joined MLB organizations directly from the ALPB. The Atlantic League emphasizes winning baseball games, showcasing the talent of top-caliber players and offering affordable family entertainment.
For more information, please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com.
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