Sierra Joins MLB Legends Game Roster

Former Yankee slugger Ruben Sierra will be a member of the MLB team
during the Legends Game on Saturday in Bridgeport.

BRIDGEPORT – Count former Yankee slugger Ruben Sierra in as a member of the MLB Legends

Team in the 20th Anniversary Legends Game to be played at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard this coming Saturday, Aug. 5. A special seven-inning exhibition game, the Legends Game will pit a team made up of former Bluefish players against former Red Sox, Mets and Yankees players.

Sierra, a 20-year MLB veteran, served two stints with the Yankees—from 1995-96, and from 2003-05. A  four-time All-Star, he led the AL in RBIs in 1989 while playing with the Texas Rangers, and was awarded the Silver Slugger Award that season. having earned the honor in 1989, 1991, 1992, and 1994, as well as a 1989 Silver Slugger Award winner and that year’s RBI leader. Inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame in 2009, Sierra hit .254 batting average with 45 home runs, 221 RBIs, and 145 runs scored in five seasons in the Bronx. Nicknamed “El Caballo” (The Horse) and “El Indio” (The Indian), Sierra was a key member of the 2005 Bombers—the first Yankee team to reach the postseason in 14 years, and the first year of the last modern dynasty. The following season, he was dealt to the Detroit Tigers for Cecil Fielder.

In addition to the Yankees, Rangers and Tigers, Sierra has also played for the Oakland A’s, Cincinnati Reds, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners and Minnesota Twins.

Indeed, Sierra also has experience at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard. The right fielder/DH was a member of the Atlantic City Surf in 1999 when the Surf were members of the Atlantic League. In his Atlantic League run, Sierra hit .294, blasted 28 homers, drove in 82 runs, and scored 76 runs. And in Sierra’s case, the Atlantic League acted just the way it was designed to: He signed with the Texas Rangers in 2000 and play an additional seven years in the big leagues following his Atlantic City stint.

The Bluefish team will consist of ‘Fish alumni, including Luis Lopez (‘08-‘14), Willie Upshaw (Manager, ‘98-‘00, ‘10-‘14), Mike Guilfoyle (‘98-‘03), Matt Iannazzo ('14-'16), Mike Porzio (‘05-‘08, ‘10), and Mike Moras (‘11-‘12), among others.

The MLB team will consist of other former Major Leaguers in addition to Sierra, including Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez (NYY, ‘98-‘02, ‘04; NYM, ‘06-‘07), Dwight “Doc” Gooden (NYM, ‘84-‘94; NYY, ‘96-‘97, ‘00), Bill “Spaceman” Lee (BOS, ‘69-‘78), Keith Foulke (BOS, ‘04-‘06),  and Tim Teuful (NYM, ’86-‘91).

“This event will be a very special for the Bluefish as well as the city of Bridgeport as we celebrate our 20^th Anniversary of baseball at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard,” said Bluefish General Manager Paul Herrmann. “It’s all about celebrating our local community as well as the rich history of the city of Bridgeport and the Bluefish franchise.”

For more information on the Bluefish and MLB Legends, click HERE.

In addition, there will be a pre-game Meet & Greet with all of the Bluefish and MLB legends in the Harbor Club (on the luxury suite level) beginning at 5:30 p.m. Tickets for the Meet & Greet include a seat for the game and can be purchased for $98 by clicking HERE, at the Bluefish box office, or by calling 203-210-BLUE.

Game time will be 7:00 p.m. General admission tickets will be sold for $15 in advance and $20 on the day of the game. Tickets can be purchased by clicking HERE, at the Bluefish box office, or by calling 203-210-BLUE.

’Fish Reel In Parra

The Bluefish welcome lefty Manny Parra to the Park City.

In an effort to further bolster their pitching staff for a second-half run, the Bluefish announced the signing of former big-league pitcher Manny Parra earlier today. This will be Parra’s first season in the Atlantic League—and his 19th overall in professional baseball.

Parra began his professional career in 2002 after being selected in the 26th round of the MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. He spent 11 seasons within the Brewers organization, followed by six with the Cincinnati Reds. He made his Major League debut with the Brewers in 2007, where he spent parts of his next five seasons. Manny appeared in 322 career MLB games in eight seasons with a cumulative ERA of 4.90 and 592 strikeouts in 628 innings.

He began the 2017 season with the Iowa Cubs of the Pacific Coast League—the Chicago Cubs’ AAA affiliate—where he appeared in 11 games. Prior to this season, the southpaw last played in 2015, splitting time between the Cincinnati Reds and AAA Louisville Bats of the International League. In 133 career minor league games, Parra earned 40 victories with a 3.21 ERA and 576 strikeouts in 597.2 innings.

“Manny joins us in a critical part of the season,” said Bluefish general manager Paul Herrmann. “We’re in the race to win the second half and think he will be a tremendous help in our quest for the playoffs, as he brings an immense amount of Major League experience to our ballclub.”

—Staff Reports

Bluefish Sign Three Key Players for Stretch Run

BRIDGEPORT – The Bridgeport Bluefish have announced that outfielder Welington Dotel and pitchers Wander Perez and Ross Seaton will return to the Park City for the second half of the 2017 season.

Dotel had been playing this season with Vaqueros Unión Laguna (the Laguna Union Cowboys) of the Mexican League where he hit .333 with nine home runs and 44 RBIs, scoring 64 runs scored and stealing 17 bases in 77 games. Making his Bluefish debut in 2015, Dotel made a quick and lasting impression on baseball fans in Southern Connecticut. That season, the Neiba, Dominican Republic, native was named the 2015 Atlantic League Player of the Year after batting .340 with eight home runs, 68 RBIs, 68 runs scored, and 45 stolen bases in 133 games. An Atlantic League All-Star, he also won the All-Star Home Run Derby. In 2016, Dotel returned to the ’Fish and batted .335 with six home runs, 49 RBIs, 58 runs scored and 19 stolen bases in 95 games for the ’Fish. Overall, the 6-1, 180-lb. outfielder owns a career .320 batting average with 57 home runs, 378 RBsI, 445 runs scored, and 192 stolen bases in 707 career minor league games.

Perez, a 6-3, 160-lb. southpaw, returns to the Bluefish after splitting the 2017 campaign between Lehigh Valley, the AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, the Cleburne, Tex., Railroaders of the independent American Association. In 11 combined games, Perez has struck out 13 batters in 22.1 innings. In 2015, he made his Atlantic League debut with the Bluefish, allowing no earned runs in 5.2 innings in six appearances. Overall, he has a career 4.01 ERA with 305 strikeouts in 318.1 spanning 186 minor league games.

Seaton also returns to the Park City for the second half of the 2017 season. Last year, the 6-4, 200-lb. right-hander made nine mound appearances for the ‘Fish, posting a 4.83 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 50.1 innings. In 185 career minor league games, the Tulsa, OK native owns a 4.83 ERA with 618 strikeouts in 978.0 innings pitched.

“It’s great to have these familiar faces back in the clubhouse as we make our second half push for a playoff spot,” says Bluefish general manager Paul Herrmann. “Dotel has been a staple of our lineup since 2015, and Wander and Ross will be great to have back on our pitching staff.”

—Staff Reports

Bluefish Bid Riordan ‘Sòng Bié’

Courtesy Bridgeport Bluefish

By Bob Phillips

BRIDGEPORT – Sometimes, life in the Atlantic League resembles an Edgar Allan Poe poem. Indeed, “The Raven Syndrome” has struck the Bridgeport Bluefish once more. Do what you may to construct the most competitive team as possible, your best players—particularly pitchers—seem to get plucked off by MLB organizations seeking depth to stockpile in the high minors, or  by foreign professional leagues (primarily Mexico and Asia) that can offer far more money than what is available in Independent League Baseball. And so it is that the ’Fish have had one of their top pitchers—starter Cory Riordan—scarfed up by the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taiwan.

Riordan, who started 14 games this year for Bridgeport, owned a 7-3 record with a 3.29 ERA, 88 strikeouts in 93 innings. The 6-4 right hander from Killingworth also had two complete games on his resume—tied for the Atlantic League lead in that category—at the time of his departure.

Named a member of the Liberty Division All Star Team earlier this month, Riordan made his Atlantic League debut in 2015 with the ‘Fish. That year he posed a 3.61 ERA with 82 strikeouts in 117.0 innings in 18 appearances (17 starts). Then, midway through that season, earned his first trip to Asia when his contract was purchased by the Lamigo Monkeys (Kaohsiung, Taiwan) of the CPBL. Later that season, he returned to Bridgeport and finished the 2015 campaign with the 'Fish. Atlantic League players signed to short-term contracts often return to their “home bases” late in the season.

During the 2015-16 offseason, Riordan was signed by the Detroit Tigers organization that following offseason, and split his time in 2016 between Detroit affiliates AAA Toledo of the International League and AA Erie of the Eastern League, the league in which the Hartford Yard Goats currently play. In 27 combined games, Riordan won six games, striking out 113 batters and posting a 4.86 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 153.2 innings.

“Cory has been great for us on the mound this year, as well as in 2015 during his Bluefish debut,” said Bluefish general manager Paul Herrmann. “We wish him the best of luck overseas.”

Riordan is the seventh Bridgeport player to have his contract purchased during the 2017 season. No word as yet regarding who will take his spot on the roster.

The Bluefish wrap up a three-game series in York, Pa., vs. the Revolution and return to the Park City tomorrow night where they will open a three-game weekend series with their cross-Sound arch rivals, the Long Island Ducks. First pitch on Friday night will be at 7:12 p.m. Friday will be “Bark in the Park” night. Fans are invited to bring their four-legged friends, and complementary Bluefish bandanas will be given to the first 500 fans through the turnstiles. Tickets are available at the Bluefish box office at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard, or by clicking HERE.

—with staff reports

 

 

 

Sun Soar, Squash Sky by 21

A big second half performance by Alyssa Thomas led
the Sun to a 93-72 win over the Chicago Sky on Sunday.

By Bob Phillips

UNCASVILLE – Alyssa Thomas scored 16 of her season-high tying 20 points in the second half, Connecticut Sun cruised to a 93-72 victory over the Chicago Sky before 5,631 fans at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Tuesday night. It was the 16th time this season that Alyssa Thomas scored in double digits. The former Maryland All-American also added nine rebounds and five assists to her stat line.

Connecticut held a 18-13 advantage at the first turn fueled by Jonquel Jones’ seven points and six rebounds, and took a 38-32 lead into the locker room at intermission.

“We were rusty,” said Alyssa Thomas. “We had a little break, so in the first half we were just shaking off the rust. We missed a lot of open shots.”

Chicago trailed by just three, 56-53, with 2:55 remaining in the third quarter. But the Sun a 13-4 run to end the third, and a 9-0 run to open the fourth, gave Connecticut a 78-57 lead with 7:04 remaining in regulation, effectively putting the game on ice.

“Once our defense got going, we were able to get out in transition for some easy buckets,” explained Alyssa Thomas.

Courtney Williams scored 17 points and dished out six helpers for Connecticut—her sixth double-digit scoring performance in the last seven games—while Jasmine Thomas had a 17-point, six-assist effort. It was the sixth time Williams scored in double digits in the last seven games, and the 17th time this season she scored 10 or more points. Alyssa Thomas was a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe. Jones finished 12 points and hauled down 10 boards—her 12th double-double of the season

Allie Quigley led Chicago with 20 points. Jessica Breland and Keisha Hampton each scored 12 points for the Sky, while former UConn star Stefanie Dolson scored eight points and led Chicago in rebounding with seven boards. Dolson was involved in the blockbuster offseason trade that sent Elena Delle Donne to the Washington Mystics during the offseason.

Connecticut recorded season highs in assists (27) and steals (13), while the Sun’s 10 offensive rebounds in the first half represented the most in a first half this season.

Jonquel Jones moves on former UConn star
Stefanie Dolson in the paint.

“It’s an important win for us,” said Sun head coach and general manager Curt Miller after the game. “Trying to keep momentum that we built before the All-Star Break. It was pretty ugly in stretches—both ways. [But I’m] proud of the intensity—the fight that we had. It was a team win; not always pretty but we played Sun basketball when we needed it.”

After losing their first two games at home this season, the Sun have now run off seven straight victories in the comfy confines of the Mohegan Sun Arena.

“They are real young, they are active, and they move a lot,” said Chicago’s Jessica Breland. “You can tell they have chemistry. They know each other—they can just throw passes and know they are going to be there. Overall, they run and they get up and down with Alyssa at the four and JJ [Jonquel Jones]… She is really athletic and that makes Connecticut difficult.”

“Connecticut plays with a lot of energy,” added Sky head coach Amber Socks. “They are able to keep their energy level high. They go on runs and they attack the ball screen action. Connecticut was able to draw fouls and get some key offensive rebounds and that hurt us in the end.”

With the win, the Sun improve to 13-9 and are tied atop of the Eastern Conference with Washington—third overall in the league. The Sun now head to DC where they will do battle with the Mystics for first place in the Conference on Friday night. Tip-off is at 7 p.m., and the game will be televised live on CSN New England and NBA TV.

—with staff reports