L.I. Ducks: Revolution Spoil Flock's Home Opener

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

OPENING DAY

20th ANNIVERSARY SEASON

YORK REVOLUTION

vs.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

Long Island Ducks: Flock Overcome Five Run Deficit But Fall in Extra Innings.

Following a triumphant (6-1) season opening road trip through York and Lancaster, the Flock arrived at an unseasonably dank Bethpage Ballpark where they opened their 20th anniversary season against the Revolution on Friday.

York initiated the scoring against Ducks starter Darin Downs with five runs through the first three innings of play.  Coach Backman watched 15 Revolution batters levy a 64-pitch tax upon Downs, and was forced into utilizing his bullpen by the fourth.

Long Island commenced their counter in the fourth when David Washington connected on a two run home run off Revs starter Daniel Minor.  That's the way things stayed until the eighth when York reliever Jeffrey Rosa plunked both Steve Lombardozzi and Lew Ford leading off the inning.  With David Washington at the plate, Rosa unleashed a wild pitch advancing the runners, then unleashed a second errant pitch allowing Lombardozzi to score from third.

With York's Josh Judy pitching in the ninth, Daniel Fields connected on a one out home run to bring the Ducks to within one.  With two outs, Rey Fuentes singled, then promptly scored the game tying run on Steve Lombardozzi's double to left.

Into extra innings they would go ... but not for long.

Under new age rules, York's Ryan Dent would start the top of the tenth as a base runner on second base.  With one out, center fielder J.P. Sportman singled to left; Dent advanced to third, then scored on second baseman Alexi Casilla's ground ball out to second.

The Ducks went down in order in the home tenth, as York reliever Julio Perez fanned the final two batters of the game.