L.I. Ducks: Pitcher Andrew Barbosa Leads Flock to 10th Straight Victory

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Ducks lead season series 5-1

I - LID 5; SLS 0

II - LID 10; SLS 2

III - SLS 8; LID 4

IV - LID 4; SLS 1

V - LID 3; SLS 1

VI - LID 2; SLS 0

NEXT

Long Island Ducks

vs.

Sugar Land Skeeters

FROM

The Lone Star State

Long Island Ducks: The Flock and Patriots break out their brooms; no change in division race.

Long Island Ducks Post 2nd 10-Game Win Streak in Month of June.

The Ducks completed a four game sweep of the Bridgeport Bluefish Monday, which also extended their consecutive game winning steak to ten.  It's presently their 2nd such streak in the month of June.

Headlining Monday's 4-1 victory over the Fish was southpaw Andrew Barbosa, whom turned in yet another stellar performance.  He faced 25 Bluefish batters, and threw 105 pitches with 64 going for strikes.  In 7 innings pitched, Andrew allowed one earned run on just 2 hits and 2 walks, and fanned 7 batters before giving way to the bullpen.

Barbosa has been nothing short of a godsend for a rotation that struggled when it still depended on (since departed) reliever Eric Niesen for starts.  In 7 starts since joining the Ducks, Barbosa is now 4-0, with a 1.84 ERA.  In 39 innings he has surrendered just 26 hits, and fanned 45 batters.

With 2-outs in the home 1st, Lew Ford connected on his 6th home run of the season.  In the bottom of the 3rd, Jose Morales and Reegie Corona struck back-to-back RBI doubles giving the Ducks their eventual 4-1 margin of victory.

Bridgeport's lone run of the game came off Barbosa in the 6th, whom walked the first two batters he faced, then surrendered an RBI hit to second baseman Luis Rodriguez.

Closer Ryan Kussmaul recorded his league leading 17th save of the season.

Long Island improved to 39-17, however, Somerset also closed out a sweep of their own over the Sugar Land Skeeters, and thus maintained their slim 1.5 game lead over the Ducks.  The Patriots have now won 6 in a row.

The next challenge facing Long Island will be to stay focused through six long games against the Skeeters in Sugar Land.

The Skeeters have now lost 7 straight, but will no doubt be looking to turn things around with haste.   Their recent slide caused them to fall 5 games back of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in the Freedom Division race.  They'll be a highly motivated competitor with as much at stake as the 2nd place Ducks, which should make for an intensely contested series.


ICYMI:
Flock Rolls Another Nine
The Flock's Waddle is Strong



Mike