By Advance/SILive.com Sports Desk
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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The summer season got off to a historic start last Wednesday as Rich Acosta, 35 of Mariners Harbor, delivered a performance for the record books.

Fresh off a strong fall season where he averaged 229, Acosta came out firing, rolling an 877 series, during the Rab’s Wednesday Summer Mixed League’s opening week.

His series of 877 ties the Rab’s Country Lanes house record, previously set by Ryan Friend in 2016, and falls just one pin shy of the Staten Island high series record of 878, held by Joey Weisenstein.

“My previous high was 818 during the Draft League at Rab’s so 877 is awesome and also very cool to share the house record,” said Acosta. “Honestly, I do my best not to think too much when I bowl and just try to have fun doing what I love. Funny enough in practice, I kept striking and told myself enough you’re wasting the strikes.”

Acosta started the night with a bang, 30 consecutive strikes, posting back-to-back 300 games.

With consistency and momentum on his side, the elusive 900 series in reach, all eyes were on Acosta as he continued his run well into Game 3.

“When I threw the first two 300s, I, of course. thought to myself how crazy would it be but really I was on the high of going back-to-back and more hoping to just throw a good third game and not have the Game 3 blues like a friend of mine likes to remind me.”

The run came to an end in the seventh frame when he left the 3-6-10, closing the final game with a 277.

“So that one frame, the ball just bit a touch. I knew a few frames before that, that I needed to make the move but I just could not push myself to do it,” explained Acosta. “I told myself, ‘you know what you’ve gone this far just live with it and if it’s meant to be it will be.’

“Not at all disappointed with my decision — 35 of 36 strikes is crazy to me along with tying the record which I didn’t even know what the number was.”