L.I. Ducks: Look Who's Number One

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Free Baseball + Long Ball = First Place

Long Island Ducks: Complete Second Straight Sweep of Rival Somerset Patriots; Take Over Liberty Division Lead.

Make that six straight wins for the Long Island Ducks, and a three game sweep over the Somerset Patriots.  In fact, the Flock complete their second straight sweep of the Patriots within the last ten days.  Even better, Long Island moves into sole possession of first place, one game ahead of always problematic Somerset.

The Ducks take a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth of Wednesday's series finale at Somerset, but a passed ball charged to catcher Dioner Navarro allows the tying run to score.  And into extra innings they go.

As they've done all series, the Flock propel themselves to another victory via the long ball.  With two outs in the top of the eleventh, right fielder Anthony Vega hits only his second home run of the season off Somerset's Dustin Antolin to put Long Island ahead.  Ducks reliever Ashur Tolliver pitches himself into a jam in the bottom of the frame, but fans the final two batters of the game to secure Long Island's 4-3 victory. 

Tolliver is credited with his very first save of the season.  Dennis O'Grady gets credit for his fifth victory in relief this season for pitching a scoreless tenth inning.  In a no-decision effort, starter Matt Larkins surrenders just one earned run on five hits and two walks through five innings pitched.

Taylor Ard raises his average to .308 with a 4 for 5 day the plate with an RBI.  Despite going just 1 for 5 this day, Jordany Valdespin is second in the circuit and leads the Ducks with a .350 average.  With two more RBI, Lew Ford ranks fourth in the league with 66 RBI.

Long Island is second in the league behind Sugar Land with 83 home runs, while Somerset ranks last with just 44 home runs.  Otherwise the Ducks are number one in hits, and total bases, and rank second behind Sugar Land in runs, team batting, slugging, and OPS.

What rival Somerset lacks in hitting, they make up for on the mound.  They allow less earned runs and less hits than Long Island.  They lead the league in WHiP, strikeouts, and fewest walks allowed, and rank second in ERA and average against.

The Long Island Ducks and Somerset Patriots do not face each other for the rest of the regular season.  They both will make their own way towards capturing the division crown from here on out.
If they are to meet again for a fourth straight Liberty Division playoff, the Ducks have no choice but to win the second half division title.  The Patriots already did their part by winning the first half title. 

These teams faced off nine times in May with the Patriots winning six.  Mid July brings more of the same with Somerset sweeping a three game set for a 9-3 season series advantage.  But as July turns to August, Long Island reciprocates with a three game sweep of their own, then follow up with this latest conquest over the Patriots.  The regular season series ends locked at nine games apiece.

Did you expect anything less?

L.I. Ducks: Late Misplay Proves Costly Against Somerset Patriots

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Stopped at the Gates

Liberty Division Showdown

Long Island Ducks: Patriots Outlast Jake Fisher Gem; Take Series Opener.

In the spirit of baseball, fans attending TD Bank Ballpark's feature between the visiting Flock and host Patriots were treated to an old fashioned pitching duel. 

Under such circumstances tradition suggests the first mistake - no matter how slight - usually proves most costly.  If nothing else, Friday's series opener against rival Somerset adds credence to this school of thought.

Patriots starter Kyle Davies was removed from the game after just three innings of work, but not before retiring all nine batters faced.  Assuming pitching duties in the fourth, Vince Molesky allowed just two hits and a walk through 2.1 innings of work.  He was relieved by Mike Antonini who continued whitewashing Long Island through the seventh.  Logan Kensing then took over for Antonini in the top of the eighth.  And despite hitting Ducks shortstop Dan Lyons with a pitch, he still managed to face the minimum.  For the ninth inning, the Patriots summoned their fifth pitcher of the evening, Ryan Kelly, whom followed suit by retiring Long Island in order.

Jake Fisher: Second straight gem ends with second straight no-decision.

Seeking his third victory of the season, Jake Fisher climbed the bump for Long Island.  And for a second consecutive start, Fisher held the opposition scoreless through eight full innings pitched.  On this night he faced 26 batters, allowed just four hits and no walks, and fanned four.  After yielding a lead-off base hit in the home third, Fisher retired his final 18 batters faced in consecutive order.

In handing the game over to the bullpen, Coach Baez called upon Ashur Tolliver to pitch the ninth inning, whom promptly walked the first two batters before recording an out.  The Ducks then elected to intentionally load the bases.  But as fate would have it, Somerset's Aaron Dudley lifted a flare to shallow left which was misplayed by Danny Fields.

Thus Somerset wins Friday's series opener by a 1-0 final on an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth ... and the home crowd goes home happy.

The Ducks, not so much ...

Long Island is now 1-3 in four games this season at TD Bank Ballpark, and with Friday's loss fall two games behind the first place Patriots.  Weather permitting, they'll get the remainder of this weekend's series in.  Otherwise, they've been outscored by the Patriots through four games by a mere 17-18 margin.  After defeating them 6-4 in their very first match of the new season, the Ducks have lost three straight at Somerset by one run margins.

The Ducks/Patriots play each other six times over these next ten days.  Somerset makes their first appearance of the season at Bethpage Ballpark next weekend.