L.I. Ducks: Magic Number Is One With Two Games Left

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Spiraling Out Of Control Towards A Division Flag?  That's Baseball.


If the Long Island Ducks had any intentions of making this year's playoffs and defending their 2012 Atlantic League title, they certainly have been waiting for the last possible minute.  After snapping a six game losing streak with a victory over Lancaster on Wednesday evening, the Ducks have again proceeded to lose two in a row, and are now 2-8 in their last ten.  With two games to play in the regular season, the Ducks hold a one game lead over the Bridgeport Bluefish, who lost last evening to the Camden RiverSharks, and reduced Long Island's magic number to one.  Any single victory by the Ducks or loss by the Bluefish over the next two days, will clinch the Liberty Division flag for Long Island.

On Friday, the Somerset Patriots pounded out four home runs against Long Island pitching, en route to a 9-5 drubbing of the Ducks.  Starter Bill Murphy only lasted 2.1 innings, allowed four earned runs on just two hits, walked four and struck out one.  Bob Zimmermann followed with two innings of relief, and likewise got tagged for four earned runs on six hits, in two innings pitched.  He walked one and struck out one.  Five more Long Island relievers found their way in the game.  But the damage was already done.

Josh Barfield led the Ducks with two runs batted in, while Dan Lyons, Lew Ford and Bill Hall each drove in a run.

Today's game against the playoff bound Somerset Patriots is scheduled for 7:05pm.  Bridgeport versus Camden begins an hour earlier.  A loss by Long Island and a Bridgeport win today would deadlock the division with just a game left to play.



Mike.BTB