It was a rough week on the road last week for the Sugar Land Skeeters.
The team went 2-4 against Freedom Division rivals but still hold a 7.5-game lead in the division. They opened the road trip with a loss to the Lancaster Barnstormers (16-23), won the next game, but then lost the rubber match before heading to Southern Maryland to face the Blue Crabs (13-30). The team tied for the worst record in the Atlantic League took two of three games from the defending league champions, including a rain-shortened 10-0 thrashing on Sunday.
Despite the dismal performance, there were individual highlights from the past week. Right-hander Troy Scribner had 10 strikeouts in Friday’s win, which was a single-game high for the Skeeters this season. Scribner’s 10 strikeouts are also tied for third-most in a single-game from an Atlantic League pitcher in 2019. Felipe Paulino notched his 12th save of the year Friday and is second in the Atlantic League, trailing only Somerset’s Mike Antonini (15). Paulino leads Atlantic League relievers with 29 strikeouts and his 1.89 ERA is lowest of ALPB relievers with at least 18 innings pitched.
Juan Silverio is tied for fourth in the Atlantic League with 29 RBI and he has driven in 17 runs over his last 14 games. Silverio is also tied for the league lead with three triples and is tied for third in the league with 51 hits.
Over his last 12 games, Denis Phipps has gone 12-for-35 (.343) with four doubles, three home runs and 12 RBI. Phipps has collected at least one RBI in six of his last 12 games and 14 of his 28 hits this season have gone for extra bases. Phipps leads the Skeeters and is tied for fourth in the league with eight home runs this year.
The Skeeters lead the Atlantic League with 63 stolen bases as a team, with Long Island and Somerset the next closest at 37 stolen bases. Jared Mitchell leads the league with 17 thefts and Anthony Giansanti is tied for third with seven.

Transactions
The contract of right-hander Mitch Talbot has been purchased by the Cleveland Indians and the contract of right-hander Michael Mariot has been purchased by the Tijuana Toros of the Mexican League. The Skeeters have had 11 contracts purchased by outside professional baseball organizations so far, including 10 from Major League organizations. The Skeeters signed free-agent outfielder O’Koyea Dickson.

Upcoming
The Skeeters return to Constellation Field June 10 for an eight-game home stand, four against Lancaster and four against New Britain. The Skeeters hit the road on June 18 for three games against the York Revolution, followed by three games at the New Britain Bees.
Sundance Head will perform a post-game concert on June 15. There will be a beer mug giveaway on June 16, Father’s Day. The Skeeters will hold a Most Valuable Dad “Manager for a Day” giveaway package, including the chance for a father to spend three innings in the Skeeters dugout during their Father’s Day game on June 16 against the New Britain Bees. The Most Valuable Dad gameday experience will include a customized Skeeters jersey and the chance to deliver the lineup cards to the umpires and opposing manager prior to the June 16 game. It will also include three innings in the Skeeters dugout during the game with manager Pete Incaviglia and the rest of the Skeeters roster. One participant will be chosen at noon on Friday, June 14. Fans can also get more information on the Most Valuable Dad contest by visiting sugarlandskeeters.com and clicking on the “News” tab.

Skeeter of the Week
Jason Martinson drove in six runs on Wednesday night to tie the Skeeters all-time single-game record. The feat has been accomplished on three other occasions, with Jared Mitchell the last to do it (May 17 at Lancaster). Over his last five games, Martinson has gone 8-for-27 (.292) with five home runs and 13 RBI. Martinson’s 13 RBI are tied for the most in the month of June in the Atlantic League and his five June home runs trail only Long Island’s David Washington (7). Martinson is now second on the Skeeters and tied for seventh in the league with seven home runs on the year.
(Ryan Posner contributed to this report)


Atlantic League standings
Wins – Losses – Games back
Freedom Division
Sugar Land Skeeters 26-18-0
Lancaster Barnstormers 16-23-7.5
S. Maryland Blue Crabs 13-30-12.5
York Revolution 13-30-12.5
 
Liberty Division
Long Island Ducks 27-15-0
High Point Rockers 26-17-1.5
Somerset Patriots 26-17-1.5
New Britain Bees 22-19-4.5

Results
June 4
Barnstormers 8, Skeeters 7
June 5
Skeeters 9, Barnstormers 3
June 6
Barnstormers 13, Skeeters 3
June 7
Skeeters 3, Blue Crabs 2
June 8
Blue Crabs 3, Skeeters 2
June 9
Blue Crabs 10, Skeeters 0