L.I. Ducks: Monday Swim 6/17/2019

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LIBERTY DIVISION SHOWDOWN

TUESDAY

Long Island Ducks

vs.

Somerset Patriots

FROM

New Jersey

Despite two straight loses the Ducks have done well fending of their Liberty Division competitors.  Last week they took two of three from the Somerset Patriots at Bethpage Park, then split four games against the High Point Rockers at North Carolina.  But they're not out of the woods yet.  On Tuesday, Long Island opens another three game series against the second place Patriots at Somerset.

Trailing the Ducks by just one game in the standings, the Patriots enter the series winners of three in a row.  On Sunday they joined the Ducks as the second Atlantic League team to achieve thirty victories.  Long Island enters Tuesday's action with a league best 31-18 record.

Oddly, the Ducks and Patriots rank sixth and seventh respectively in runs scored.  But where as the Ducks are tied for second with 50 home runs, the Patriots rank last with 21 home runs through 49 games.  As a team the Patriots are slashing .270/.343/.368/.711, while the Ducks own a .255/.325/.411/.736 team slash.  Both teams are tied for second with 43 stolen bases each.

Somerset's 3.32 ERA tops the league, while Long Island's 3.78 rates a respectable third.  The Patriots also lead the league with 22 saves.  Long Island however leads the league with a 1.26 WHiP, but only barely as the Patriots boast a 1.27 WHiP.  Long Island pitchers also lead the league with 404 strikeouts.

Somerset first baseman Will Kengor leads the league with a .337 batting average.  David Washington of the Ducks still leads with 16 home runs and is second with 38 runs batted in.

Patriots starter David Kubiak is presently pitching at triple crown levels, leading the league with six victories, a 1.33 ERA, with 58 strikeouts.

• Atlantic League