Look What the Ducks Did to the Lancaster Barnstormers, Again

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Ducks Lead Series 3-0

I - LID 9; LAN 5

II - LID 2; LAN 1

III - LID 5; LAN 4

GAME FOUR

Lancaster Barnstormers

vs.

Long Island Ducks

FROM

THE POND

Showing no signs of letting up the Ducks close out their third straight victory over the Lancaster Barnstormers - and in doing so nudge the High Point Rockers from their brief stay atop the Liberty Division.  Now back in first, the Flock seeks to complete a sweep of Lancaster at Bethpage Ballpark on Sunday

Long Island wins game one of Friday's doubleheader by a slim 2-1 margin.  All scoring takes place in the fourth.  Facing Ducks starter Darin Downs, Lancaster manufactures a run on a double by Joey Terdoslavich who later comes around to score on a fielder's choice.  Recent Long Island newcomer T.J. Rivera leads off the bottom of the frame with a hit.  One out later, Rivera scores on Lew Ford's triple to right.  Lew Ford soon scores on third baseman Terdoslavich throwing error for a 2-1 lead and final margin of victory.  Downs yields just one run on four hits and no walks with six strikeouts through six innings pitched for his second victory of the season.  Michael Tonkin pitches a scoreless seventh for his first save as a member of the Ducks.

With game two tied at five entering the final frame, Long Island reliever Zack Weiss completes his second inning of scoreless work.  In the home seventh, Lancaster reliever Alejandro Chacin walks the bases loaded.  With two outs, in steps Daniel Fields who greets Chacin with a knock over the right/center field wall for a game ending walk-off grand slam home run.

*            *            *

On Saturday the Ducks win their third straight.  A three run home run from Hector Sanchez in the third, and RBI from Vladimir Frias and David Washington stake the Ducks to a 5-0 lead after four innings.  Starter Joe Iorio allows no runs on just three hits and three walks with two strikeouts through six innings pitched.  Long Island almost unravels when Lancaster rallies for four runs in the eighth off reliever Cody Mincey.  Manager Wally Backman then calls upon relievers Rob Rogers and Michael Tonkin to douse the fire.  The Flock hold on for a 5-4 victory, and stand poised to sweep the Barnstormers with one more victory on Sunday.