L.I. Ducks: The Long and Quiet Waddle Home

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

2017

ATLANTIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

YORK REVOLUTION

Revs Defeat Ducks 3-0

I - YRK 8; LID 7

II - YRK 5; LID 4

III - YRK 3; LID 2

Long Island Ducks: No Joy in Ducksville; Flock Swept Away By Revolution.

Revenge denied.

Long Island's rematch against the York Revolution ends in a three-game TKO.

The Revolution are Atlantic League champions for the third time in their eleven year history, and for a second time coming at the expense of the Long Island Ducks.

The York Revolution effectively slugged their way through the regular season, leading the Atlantic League in home runs; finishing second in runs scored/total bases/team slugging; and third in team average.

Their offensive rampage continued through the post-season.  York hit five home runs in four games against Southern Maryland during the Freedom Division playoffs, then took the wind from beneath the Ducks wings with three more dispiriting home runs during the championship series.

In Game One, a third inning three-run home run struck by York designated hitter Michael Burgess gave the Revolution a 4-0 lead, en route to a wild 8-7 victory at Bethpage Ballpark.

In Game Two, on only the fourth pitch of the game, York left fielder Alonzo Harris homered off Ducks starter Jake Fisher leading off the first inning, giving the Revolution an immediate 1-0 lead. 

Fisher would then surrender just one hit while facing the minimum 15 batters through the next five innings.  But tied at three after seven innings, Coach Baez elected to send Jake Fisher back out for the eighth, whom promptly surrendered a lead-off base hit to third baseman Chase Simpson.  Then with one out, right fielder Jared Mitchell's RBI single to right off Fisher put the Revs ahead.  After a pitching change, the final run charged to Fisher's ledger scored on a fielder's choice. 

The Ducks got a run back in the bottom of the eighth, but no more.  The Ducks would drop their final game of the season at Bethpage Ballpark by a 5-4 final score.

The series shifted to York for the remainder of the series.  The Revolution, however, offered no quarter.

Friday, in Game Three, Ducks starter John Brownell allowed just a run on five hits, and four walks, with five strikeouts, over 5.2 innings of work.  He exited on the winning side of what was then a 2-1 game in favor of the Ducks.

However, in the bottom of the eighth, Ducks reliever Dustin Richardson allowed a lead-off hit to Rev's second baseman Rubi Silva.  Coach Baez then handed the ball off to his third reliever of the game, Matt Marsh.  York first baseman and clean-up hitter Telvin Nash promptly greeted Marsh by depositing his third pitch over the center field wall, giving the Revolution a 3-2 lead, and final margin of victory.

Since winning the opening game of the 2011 championship series, the Ducks have now lost six straight games against the York Revolution in Atlantic League championship series play.

Long Island lost all three games by one run, and managed just one home run against York pitching.

Comparative damage caused by the Revolution:

• In seven post-season games, the York Revolution slashed .292/.336/.499, with eight home runs, 109 total bases, and 35 runs scored.
• In seven post-season games, the Long Island Ducks slashed .244/.333/.308, with only three home runs, 72 total bases, and 28 runs scored.

Make that six straight losses in back-to-back championship series as well. 

This marks Long Island's second straight year in which the Ducks have been swept out of the Atlantic League finals.  Last year they fell in similar fashion to the Sugar Land Skeeters, losing the first two games at Bethpage Ballpark, then losing Game Three on the road.

The Ducks have now lost three championship series, and won two, during their seven seasons under Coach Kevin Baez.