L.I. Ducks: The Monday Swim 6/7/2021

From the desk: THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Long Island def. Southern Maryland; 2-1

I - SMD 7; LID 0

II - LID 19; SMD 3

III - LID 5; SMD 1

Sunday, 6/6/2021 - On the heels of Saturday's 19 run rampage, the Long Island Ducks are limited to just four scattered hits through the first six innings of Sunday's affair.  Southern Maryland takes a 1-0 lead in the fourth on catcher Jake Marshall's run-scoring base hit.  But Long Island hurlers would yield no more.  Facing Blue Crabs reliever Patrick Baker in the seventh, Johnni Turbo is hit by a pitch, and two walks loaded the bases.  Catcher Hector Sanchez then clears the bases with a double to left field.  With two outs in the top of the ninth, pinch-hitter Ben Farias drives home two more runs giving the Ducks a 5-1 victory and two games to one series win.  Starter Clint Freeman surrenders one run on five hits and three walks with two strikeouts through five innings.  He exits on the losing side but is taken off the hook for the no-decision.  Jose Cuas earns the win in relief of Freeman, with three scoreless innings pitched and five strikeouts.  Michael Tonkin closes out the victory with a scoreless ninth.  Long Island gets back above .500 with a 5-4 record and trails the first-place Lancaster Barnstormers by just one-half game in the North standings.

⚾

With the departure of the Somerset Patriots, Sugar Land Skeeters, and New Britain Bees, so went the respective Liberty and Freedom division format.  Somerset was the last remaining charter member of the Atlantic League.  Their departure now makes the Long Island Ducks the senior-most member club.  The defending 2019 champions now share the North Division with the Lancaster Barnstormers, York Revolution, and Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.  In the South Division, the High Point Rockers were established in 2019, while the Lexington Legends, West Virginia Power, and Gastonia Honey Hunters are all first-year members. 

The Ducks open a short three-game homestand against the High Point Rockers on Tuesday before heading back out on the road to York, Pennsylvania.