L.I. Ducks: Game Three Turns Into The Cory Aldridge Show

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

 

Ducks Lead Series 2-1

I - Ducks 4; Patriots 3

II - Ducks 3; Patriots 2

III - Patriots 5; Ducks 4*

IV - Saturday @ Somerset

 * extra innings

 

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Series On!  The Somerset Patriots Launched A Major Offensive Against Long Island Invaders; Fire Off Over 1,750 Feet Worth Of Baseballs Over TD Bank Ballpark Walls.

What Reggie Jackson did in the 1977 World Series stands alone.  I watched on TV as a ten year old.  Most recently Kung-Fu Panda accomplished the feat for the San Francisco Giants.

In Atlantic League history, I was there when Jose Herrera did it for the Newark Bears during the 2007 Atlantic League championship clinching game, albeit his didn't come on the first pitch of each at-bat.  All these guys need to mover over one seat now and make room at the table of folklore for Somerset Patriots right fielder Corey Aldridge.

In fact, the Somerset Patriots hit five solo home runs against Long Island pitching to stay alive in the 2013Atlantic League championship series.  Three blasts came off the bat of Cory Aldridge, with none bigger than his tenth inning clout to stave off elimination and force a Game Four in the best of five series.

The Ducks took a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth when Ramon Castro's sac-fly scored Bill Hall.  Back in the second inning, consecutive doubles by Bill Hall and Adam Bailey, and a follow-up single by Ramon Castro plated the Ducks first two runs.

With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Cory Aldridge hit his first home run of the night.  With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Cory Aldridge hit his second.  The Ducks got a run back in the top of the seventh on Josh Barfield's RBI single, to make it a 4-2 game.  But in the bottom of the frame, number nine hitter, catcher Adam Donachie homered to make it a 4-3 game.  In the bottom of the eighth, Somerset number eight hitter, shortstop Yunesky Sanchez homered to tie the game at four.  That set up Friday night's tenth inning heroics.  With two outs, Cory Aldrdge clubbed his third solo home run of the game to win it for the Patriots.

Bob Zimmermann started for the Ducks, and lasted 5.1 innings before being lifted in favor of Josh Lansford.  Zimmermann allowed two earned runs on four hits, walked two and struck out four, but was taken deep twice by Aldridge.  Lansford was victimized by Donachie's long ball in the seventh, while Jared Lansford gave up Sanchez' blast in the eighth.  Reliever Erik Threets surrendered Cory Aldridge's game winner in the tenth.

I guess Coach Baez didn't learn his lesson regarding Threets, who struggled mightily in clutch situations coming down the Liberty Division stretch drive.  While suffering through a seven game losing streak down the stretch and then three more losses before finally clinching the division flag, Threets factored in four straight defeats and personally lost three straight games before Coach Baez ceased to summon him in big spots.  In all fairness, Leo Rosales appeared unavailable, as he appeared in two straight games back in Long Island and earned saves in each.

The Ducks twice escaped big trouble, as they were bailed out with huge inning ending double-plays in the sixth and eighth innings.  The bullpen meanwhile, failed to keep the bottom of Somerset's line-up quiet, as the eighth and ninth hitters delivered crippling blows.  At least Cory Aldridge's performance is explainable.  He now has six playoff home runs and ten RBI in six games, after a regular season in which he hit twelve home runs in 331 trips to the plate.

SATURDAY

 

GAME FOUR

 

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

vs.

Somerset Patriots

From

TD Bank Ballpark

New Jersey

 

 

A packed house of almost 7,000 Patriots fans no doubt went home happy, and relish an opportunity to see their team even the series tomorrow at two.  Game Four is scheduled for Saturday at 7:05pm, from Somerset's TD Bank Ballpark.  Bobby Blevins will start for Long Island, and will be opposed by lefty Graham Taylor.

Ducks GM Michael Pfaff reacquired Bobby Blevins from the CanAm League Rockland Boulders.  He managed just two starts for Long Island before the regular season ended, going 1-1 with a 4.85 ERA.  In twenty starts for Rockland, he posted a 9-10 record with a 4.24 ERA.  Graham Taylor was the Marlins tenth round pick of the 2006 draft, and spent six years in their organization.  He made twenty-seven starts for the Patriots this season and posted a 10-6 record with a 3.40 ERA.




Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks: More Solid Pitching And The Long Ball Seal Game Two

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

 

Ducks Lead Series 2-0

I - Ducks 4; Patriots 3

II - Ducks 3; Patriots 2

III - Friday @ Somerset

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: What Regular Season Struggles?  The Flock Is One Game Away From Repeating As Atlantic League Champions.  They Now Have Three Chances To Win One Game At Somerset.

Strong starting pitching with length, effective bullpen work, and clutch late-inning hitting featuring the long ball is no doubt a winning formula at any level of play.  For a second consecutive night, the Long Island Ducks employed that exact mix to outlast their opponent, achieve victory, and gain a 2-0 advantage in the Atlantic League Finals.

Game Two Final:

Patriots   2

DUCKS  3

 

Series Preview

Game One

Somerset's Roy Merritt retired the first nine Ducks batters he faced before allowing a harmless lead-off single to Lew Ford in the bottom of the fourth.  Merritt then proceeded to retire another seven straight batters.  Meanwhile, Patriots batters held a 2-0 lead over Long Island starter Shaun Garceau, scoring single runs in the second and fourth innings.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Roy Merritt hit Dan Lyons with a pitch.  Renaissance man, Lew Ford then stepped in and stroked his, and the Ducks' second hit off Merritt, only this time he connected on a two run home run to tie the game at two.  A subsequent double by Josh Barfield and RBI single by Bryant Nelson gave Long Island a 3-2 lead.  After such an impressive start, Merritt's effort short circuited just like - that.  His night was over after six.

Meanwhile, Shaun Garceau pressed on.  He departed the game on the winning side after pitching seven full innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on eight hits, walking no batters and striking out six.  Jared Lansford was first out of Long Island's bullpen, pitched a scoreless eighth, and struck out two.  Leo Rosales then entered the game in the ninth and made things interesting yet again, but closed out the Patriots while stranding the tying run on third.  Rosales earned his second save in as many nights, and his third of the post-season.

Both Long Island starting pitchers John Brownell and Game Two's Shaun Garceau have pitched brilliantly to outduel their Patriots mound opponents, while timely hitting again propelled the Ducks to victory.  Year long struggles and finishing the regular season below .500 seem like ancient history now.  In a most efficient manner, Long Island has now won five straight playoff games, and head into Patriots territory with three chances to win one game, and repeat as Atlantic League champions.

Bob Zimmermann will climb the hill for Long Island Friday night in Game Three.  He won his only post-season start over the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, pitching six effective innings of four hit, five strikeout baseball.  For the season, he posted a 4-4 record with a 4.46 ERA in eleven starts and 94.2 innings pitched.  He's been a full time veteran of the Ducks latest three championship runs.  He will be opposed by right-hander Erik Arnesen, 29, who was drafted in the seventeenth round of the 2006 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals.  He is coming off a somewhat rough first round start over Sugar Land, in which he tossed seven innings, allowed four earned runs on nine hits, walked two and struck out six, but still managed the victory.  His regular season was rock solid however.  Erik Arnesen posted a 13-4 record with a 3.18 ERA in twenty-two starts and 149.2 innings pitched.  He ranked fourth in the league in victories, and placed fifth in ERA.  He is charged with the Patriots first  attempt at staving off elimination on their home field.

Somerset is now three long victories away from an unprecedented sixth A.L. title.




Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks: Atlantic League Championship Series Preview

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

 

ATLANTIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

 

GAME ONE

 

Somerset Patriots

vs.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

From

Bethpage Park

Long Island, New York

 

 

 

ATLANTIC LEAGUE

SOMERSET PATRIOTS

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

 

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Here They Go Again;

The Quack Quest For Title Number Three.

Defense of Long Island's 2012 Atlantic League title begins tonight.  The Flock will either come away with back-to-back trophies, or resign themselves to their second finals loss in the last three years.  Two years ago, the 2011 Long Island Ducks were the top scoring team in the regular season, but suffered a crippling offensive short circuit in the finals against the York Revolution.  Last season, the Ducks rebounded to capture their second flag in franchise history.  This year, they will face-off against the Somerset Patriots, who are looking to add to their league record five championships, but will be attempting to win their first in the post-Sparky Lyle era.

For the third consecutive Finals, the Ducks will open the series at Bethpage Park.  Games Three, Four and Five if necessary, will be played at Somerset's TD Bank Park.  Ducks ace John Brownell will climb the hill in Game One for Long Island, and will be opposed by the Patriots' Josh Lowey.  Brownell is fresh off a twelve strikeout performance against Southern Maryland in the Liberty Division series, and placed second in the league this season with 133 strikeouts.  He finished the regular season with a 9-10 record and 3.89 ERA.  Josh Lowey led the Atlantic League with a 2.89 ERA, placed third behind Brownell in strikeouts, and placed third overall with fourteen victories.

Game Two will tentatively feature key acquisition Shaun Garceau for the Ducks, opposing Somerset's Roy Merritt, and in Game Three, Bob Zimmermann is slated to face the Patriots Erik Arnesen.

There is a reason Somerset won ninety games this past season under first year manager Brett Jodie.  In fact, Somerset's was the second best season ever recorded in A.L. history.  Indeed, Sugar Land took the regular season crown with an A.L. record ninety-five victories.  Ultimately however, it was the Freedom Division Wild Card Patriots who swept the Skeeters during the opening round of playoffs in three straight.  The Patriots are most certainly an organization that knows their way around championships, and are favored in this year's series.

The Patriots held a distinct regular season advantage in pitching.  They finished second in the league with a team 1.28 WHiP, and second with a 3.61 team ERA as well.  Long Island was sixth with a 1.44 WHiP, and seventh in the circuit with a 4.51 team ERA.

Reliever Jon Hunton, who helped Long Island win a title last year, closed games for the Patriots this season.  In fact, he led the Atlantic League with thirty-seven saves.  Leo Rosales saved eighteen games for the Ducks and sported a 2.35 ERA in 38.1 innings pitched, and fanned forty-five batters.

Offensively, the Patriots excelled as well, leading the circuit with a team .277 batting average.  The Ducks ranked fifth with a .261 mark.  Somerset also out-slugged the rest of the league with a .415 team mark, while the Ducks slugged at a rate of .392, or sixth place.  Somerset boasted the top team OBP with a .356 mark, and the Ducks finished last.  Over the course of the season, Somerset scored 139 more runs than Long Island, but only hit seven more home runs than the Ducks.

Jake Fox led the Patriots this past season with a .310 batting average, while Josh Brodin's .307 average paced the Ducks.  Fox also finished second in the circuit with twenty-five home runs, and third with eighty-two runs batted in.  His team mate Corey Smith finished sixth in the circuit with twenty home runs, and second with eighty-four RBI.  For Long Island, Bill Hall topped the Ducks with sixteen home runs and Adam Bailey followed with fifteen.  Bryant Nelson led the team with seventy-one RBI, while Bill Hall contributed sixty-three.

Until affecting a three game sweep of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in the Liberty Division finals, the Long Island Ducks struggled every step of the way this season.  But GM Michael Pfaff made strong moves to bolster the team's pitching late in the season.  Outfielder Lew Ford missed last year's finals while spending time with the Orioles organization, but is sure to add much needed punch and experience this time around.  Dan Lyons, who was so instrumental in last year's title run, returns for an opportunity to win a second straight trophy.  Joining him from last season are, Bryant Nelson, Kraig Binick, Game One pitcher John Brownell, Bob Zimmermann, Jared Lansford, Josh Lansford and Leo Rosales.  And of course, this will be long time Ducks great, Ray Navarrete's last hurrah.  Earlier this season, Long Island's all-time leader in most offensive categories announced he would be retiring at season's end.  For him to raise another trophy on the way out.....

Let the games begin!




Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks: Flock Rock! Sweep Blue Crabs; Will Face Somerset In Finals

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

 

Ducks Sweep Liberty Division Series 3-0

I - Ducks 6; Blue Crabs 2

II - Ducks 6; Blue Crabs 5*

III - Ducks 4; Blue Crabs 1

*extra-innings

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Veni, Vidi, Quack! - The Flock Sweeps Southern Maryland In Three Games For Chance To Defend Title Against The Somerset Patriots.

Over 5,100 fans showed up in Southern Maryland Friday night to witness the completion of a first round sweep.  After hosting, and winning the first two games in Long Island, the Ducks clinched their third straight Liberty Division crown on the road with haste.

In Game Three, third year Ducks pitcher, old reliable, thirty-one year old Bob Zimmermann hurled his Long Island team mates into the Atlantic League championship finals.  In six innings pitched, he limited the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs to just one earned run on four hits, walked two and struck out five before departing the game on the winning side of a 2-1 game.

The Ducks gave Zimmermann a 2-0 lead in the first inning and played superlative defense behind him, to include turning a huge inning ending 6-4-3 double-play in the sixth, with what was at the time, the tying run on third.  Josh Barfield then gave the Ducks a 3-1 lead in the top of the seventh when he deposited the first pitch he saw over the left/center field wall.  It was his eighth home run of the season and first of the playoffs.  Ryan Strieby drove in Long Island's two runs in the first and Adam Bailey had Long Island's fourth RBI.

Leo Rosales closed out the Blue Crabs season with a scoreless ninth inning.  The Ducks win the Liberty Division series three games to none.

They will now take on the winner of the Freedom Division finals.  As such, I told you! not to let the Somerset Patriots hear that talk of Sugar Land dominating the 2013 Atlantic League regular season.  The Skeeters have been swatted from the post-season.  While it is true, the Sugar Land Skeeters finished the regular season with a A.L. all-time best 95-45 record, the Patriots only finished 4.5 games behind then, in an equally record setting season for victories.  They too won up to ninety games this season, and on Friday night, likewise completed a three game sweep of the Skeeters to advance into the Atlantic League championship series.

The Ducks have now defeated Southern Maryland in each of the last three post-seasons to capture Liberty Division titles.  As such, this will be Long Island's third straight trip to the finals.  After the Long Island Ducks championship effort short circuited in the 2011 finals, they rebounded the very next season to capture the 2012 Atlantic League crown.  For the first time since winning the title in 2004, they will now have the opportunity to defend it.

The Somerset Patriots will attempt to improve upon their league record five Atlantic League championships.  They previously won titles after the 2001, 2003, and 2005 seasons, and back-to-back titles during the 2008-2009 seasons.



Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks: Sugar Land Completes Romp Through The Pond

 From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

 

MAGIC NUMBER

4

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Losing Streak Reaches Five Games; Swept By Sugar Land Skeeters, But Magic Number Is Now Down To Four.

Losers of four in a row and their three previous games against the Skeeters, the Long Island Ducks entered tonight's series finale against Sugar Land with a magic number of five to clinch the second half Liberty Division flag.

In tonight's game, Long Island starting pitcher Bob Zimmermann kept the Sugar Land Skeeters hitless through the first four innings.  The Skeeters finally recorded their first hit in the fifth.  To that point, Zimmermann had issued one walk and struck out seven.  Michael Nix climbed the hill for the visiting Skeeters, and retired thirteen straight Ducks at one point.  Through five, Nix surrendered two hits, walked none and struck out four.

Sugar Land finally struck in the sixth.  With two outs, third baseman Brian Burgamy drove in the game's first run off Zimmermann with a single.  In the bottom of the frame, the Ducks were helped out by an E5, which factored in an unearned run, and a tie game.

Through seven full innings, Bob Zimmermann held Sugar Land to a run on three hits, walked two, and struck out a new season high - eight batters.

Long Island rallied in the bottom of the seventh.  With runners on first and second and one out,  Ray Navarrete was induced into a weak fly to right for the second out.  With Kraig Binick at-bat, a wild pitch by Nix put the go ahead run on third base.  Binick then singled to drive first baseman Ryan Strieby home to give the Ducks a 2-1 lead.

Bob Zimmermann stayed in to pitch the eighth.  But an error by shortstop Dan Lyons opened the door and welcomed in a disaster.  With the lead-off batter aboard safely at first, a 1/4 sacrifice moved the tying run to second base.  Ducks manager Kevin Baez then emerged from the dugout once the next batter due up, Ryan Langerhans was announced.  Into the game entered Erick Threets in relief of Zimmermann, and promptly walked Langerhans.  Second baseman Jeff Dominguez singled sharply to center field, knotting the game again at two.  Dan Lyons recorded the second out with a catch on Brian Burgamy's line drive to short.  But with two outs, Josh Pressley launched a two run scoring double to make it a 4-2 game in Sugar Land's favor.

Michael Nix was through after seven.  He allowed two runs on six hits, walked none and struck out five.  Roberto Giron took over pitching duties for Sugar Land in the eighth.  The Ducks then faced Gary Majewski in relief of Giron in the ninth.  A lead-off hit by right fielder Adam Bailey was negated when Ralph Henriquez bounced into a double-play.  Ray Navarrete then ended the game with a fly to left.

The Sugar Land Skeeters completed their four game sweep of the Ducks, and have taken seventeen of the twenty games they've played against Long Island this season.  Sugar Land also continues to add to their Atlantic League record, with their ninety-third victory of the season.

Long Island's current losing streak now stands at five games.  Their second half record fell to 30-34, and have dropped seven of their last ten games.  But the Ducks ended the evening still leading the Liberty Division by two games over the Bluefish.  In what can only be viewed as a consolation for Ducks fans, the Bridgeport Bluefish were defeated by the York Revolution, which lowered Long Island's magic number down to four, with six games left in the regular season.

The Ducks will now host the Lancaster Barnstormers, then hit the road to end the season in Somerset.





Mike.BTB

Long Island Ducks: Webbed Nine Facing Elimination

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Bethpage Ballpark, Long Island

 

 

 

2012

ATLANTIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

 

Lancaster leads Series 2-1

I - Lancaster 5; Long Island 1

II - Long Island 9; Lancaster 4

III - Lancaster 12; Long Island 5

IV - TONIGHT

V - if necessary*

 

 

Finals Preview

Game One

Game Two

 

 

 

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Barnstormers Lay Siege To The Pond; Take 2-1 Series Lead.  Ducks Must Win To Extend Series.


In the first Finals game played at The Pond, the Barnstormers took a 2-1 series lead with a 12-5 thumping of the Ducks.  Game Three started out well enough.   But from the fourth inning on, Lancaster kept the home team under duress.


After the first two innings, all seemed well for Long Island.  To Lancaster's dismay, the Ducks led 2-0 after Barnstormer starter, J.D. Durbin, issued three walks in the first, forcing Long Island's first run home.  Lee Cruz bounced into a fielder's choice which delivered the Ducks second run.  In the second inning, the Ducks upped their lead to three when Dan Lyons scored on Joash Brodin's fielder's choice.


Ducks starter, Bob Zimmermann, cruised through the first three innings.  He struck out the side to open the game.  A walk, a 6-4-3 double play, and his fourth strikeout retired the Barnstormers in the second.  In the third, he hit a batter.  Otherwise, his first time through the line-up went very well.  After Zimm struck out his sixth batter to open the fourth, the bottom fell out from underneath the Ducks starter.  Six consecutive hits, starting with a double and ending with a triple, transformed Long Island's 3-0 lead into a 5-3 deficit.  Chris Hayes was summoned to stop the bleeding.  Before he could, Hayes allowed Lancaster's sixth run of the inning.


In the fifth inning, Lancaster continued to increase their lead against Chris Hayes.  Four hits and three runs later, the Barnstormers were up by a 9-3 margin.  The Ducks chipped back with one run on Ray Navarrete's sac-fly in the bottom of the frame.


The teams traded runs again in the seventh inning.  Lancaster scored their tenth run, this time against Connor Graham.  In the bottom of the frame, Kraig Binick tripled, and Joash Brodin drove him home with a single.


Nick DeBarr was the seventh Ducks pitcher of the game.  Picked up in September, he surrendered Lancaster's eleventh and twelfth runs of the evening.  And so, Game Three of the Atlantic League Championship series ends disappointingly for Long Island in a 12-5 final.


Very simply, the Ducks must win Game Four in order to extend the series.  Should Lancaster defeat Long Island this evening, the Barnstormers would win their second ever Atlantic League championship.  If the Ducks win tonight, the decisive Game Five will be played at The Pond on Sunday.

 

Tonight

 

GAME FOUR

 

Lancaster Barnstormers

vs.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

From

THE POND

Long Island, N.Y.

Mike.BTB

Long Island Ducks: Atlantic League Championship Series

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

2012

ATLANTIC LEAGUE

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

 

 

 

 

GAME ONE

 

 

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

vs.

Lancaster Barnstormers

 

FROM

Clipper Magazine Stadium

Pennsylvania

 

 

 

 

 

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Team Looking To Reverse Last Season's Championship Series Results.


The strategy Coach Baez employed last year will be the course he takes this season.  The Long Island Ducks decided to open the Division and Championship Series on the road last season.  While it worked out for them in Round One, the Ducks wound up losing the Atlantic League Championship to the York Revolution.

This season, the Ducks decided to open the first round of playoffs in Maryland against the Blue Crabs.  Lancaster had the superior record this past regular season.  But it works out the same.  The Ducks will open the series in Lancaster.  Games Three through Five (if necessary) will be hosted by Long Island.

The Ducks resurgent starting pitching will face the Atlantic League's top three hitters.  Barnstormers outfielder Blake Gailen won the circuit batting title with a .338 mark.  Adam Godwin finished second with a .327 batting average.  Fehldandt Lentini finished third behind his team mates and fellow outfielders, posting a .319 season average.  Long Island's Ray Navarrete finished tied for fourth place with a .309 mark.

Lancaster's Ryan Harvey led the Barnstormers with twenty seven home runs.  Brandon Sing led the Ducks with twenty six.  Fehldant Lentini led his team with ninety two RBI.  Ray Navarrete led the Ducks with ninety.

Along with the League's top hitters, Lancaster sports four of the five top winning starting pitchers.  Alan Johnson, Dwayne Pollock, and J.D. Durbin all tied for the Atlantic League lead with fourteen wins each.  Fellow staff member John Halama punched in with another thirteen victories.  Dwayne Pollock also won the League ERA title with a 2.30 earned run average.  Long Island's Bob Zimmermann leads all series pitchers with 126 strikeouts.  While reliever Jason Monti led the Ducks in wins this past season, Bob Zimmermann leads all Ducks starters with six victories.

The Lancaster Barnstormers won both half Freedom Division titles.  They finished with the overall best record in the league, posting eighty eight wins against fifty two losses.  Lancaster swept the two-time reigning champions; York Revolution.

The Ducks were the first half Liberty Division champs, and defeated the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs to become the season's overall division champ in round one.  After a 39-30 first half record, the Ducks struggled mightily in the second half, and ended the season with an overall 63-74 mark.

The Lancaster Barnstormers won their first and only Atlantic League title back in the 2006 season.  Two season's before that, the Long Island Ducks won their only Atlantic League championship.

 

 

Mike.BTB

Long Island Ducks: Blue Crabs Invade Pond - Win Game Three

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

 

 

2012

Divisional Semi Final Series

 

Ducks Lead Series 2-1

I - Ducks 4; Blue Crabs 3

II - Ducks 3; Blue Crabs 1

III - Blue Crabs 7; Ducks 5

IV - TONIGHT

 

 

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: It's A Series Now.

Southern Maryland Claws Back For Game Three Win.

The Ducks seemed on to something.  The benefit to clinching a first half division title is having the option whether to start the opening round of the playoffs on the road or at home.  Long Island chose to play the first two games of their series against the Blue Crabs in Waldorf, Maryland.  Wednesday evening, that started to pay off.  Long Island took Game One behind a strong pitching effort by Randy Kiesler.  In Game Two, Long Island topped Southern Maryland again, this time behind a brilliant effort by Ducks starter Matt May, who pitched eight innings and struck out ten Blue Crabs.


Having swept the two games in Southern Maryland, the Ducks returned to The Pond Friday evening  for the first of three chances to clinch the series at home.  One more victory in this best three of five series punches Long Island's ticket back to their second consecutive championship round appearance.


On the mound Friday evening for the Ducks was the reliable Bob Zimmermann.  Opposing him was Southern Maryland's Gabriel Hernandez.


In Game Three, the home team struck first.  Making his first appearance of the series, Ducks left fielder Matt Esquivel connected on an absolute bomb to left, giving the Ducks a 1-0 lead.  The score remained 1-0 through four innings.  Both pitchers allowed only two hits apiece to that point.  Both hurlers struggled with control however, issuing four base on balls each.


In the top of the fifth inning, the Blue Crabs had Bob Zimmermann in major trouble.  Two walks and a single loaded the bases with no outs.  Very thick and moist air left over from earlier rain storms  which rolled through the area, perhaps prevented Jesse Gutierrez blast from sailing over the wall for a grand slam.  Instead, the Blue Crabs first baseman settled for a game tying sac-fly.  Bob Zimmermann reached back and struck out the following batter.  Then a stellar scoop by Brandon Sin at first base finished of the Blue Crabs rally, and kept damage limited to a single run.


In the home fifth, Long Island went ahead again on Ray Navarrete's rbi double.  When Brandon Sing followed with a single, Ray Navarrete was nailed at the plate trying to score.  Southern Maryland likewise limited Long Island's threat to just a single run scored.  But the Ducks were up a again in a 2-1 game after five.


After five laborious innings, a not so sharp Bob Zimmermann gave way to the bullpen.  Chris Hayes pitched a scoreless sixth inning.  But in the top of the seventh inning, the Blue Crabs had their way with Eric Niesen and Jared Lansford.  Five hits, two hit batters, a walk, and four runs later, Southern Maryland held a 5-2 lead.  A series of Brandon Sing errors helped the Blue Crabs along as well.


In the eighth inning, the Blue Claws piled on with another pair of runs to make it a 7-2 game.  But in the bottom half of the frame, the Ducks decided not to go quietly.  Timo Perez singled, driving in two runs, making the game a 7-4 affair.


Into the ninth they went.  Coach Baez called upon his seventh pitcher of the evening; Connor Graham; who retired the side in order.  In the Ducks last licks, they managed to score one run on a wild pitch, but nothing more.  The Ducks fell by a 7-5 score in Game Three.  And so..., the Ducks first opportunity to clinch this series at home is lost.  They have two more opportunities to win one game.


The last time the Long Island Ducks clinched a playoff series at home came back in 2004; their Atlantic League championship winning season.  They lost in last season's Finals to the York Revolution who went on to win their second consecutive title.  The Lancaster Barnstormers currently own a 2-0 lead over York in the Freedom Division semi final series.





Mike.BTB

Long Island Ducks: A Trying Second Half Will End On The Road

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  Trying To Gain Some Momentum Before Playoffs Begin.


While Lew Ford is participating in a pennant race with the Baltimore Orioles, and Mike Loree is off pitching in the Far East, conditions at Bethpage Park have taken a drastic change for the worse.  Unless fortunes change over the final six games of the regular season for their former team mates and some newer Ducks acquisitions, The Pond figuratively risks being declared an ecological disaster area.


After falling in last season's Atlantic League finals to the York Revolution, the Ducks ensured at least an opportunity to redeem themselves in this year's playoffs.  Long Island secured a post-season spot earlier this summer by clinching the first half Liberty Division flag with a 39-30 record.  But in the sixty three games since the Ducks clinched their first half title, wins have come too infrequently Long Island's way.  Sucked dry of its resources, their habitat has been transformed from a thriving baseball oasis on the fringes of Gotham, into a barren cracking surface baked under an otherwise splendid summer sun.


What a precipitous fall in the standings it has been.  Last season, Long Island stormed to record the finest overall season in the league.   Heading into Tuesday's series opener against the Somerset Patriots, the Ducks now own the Atlantic League's worst overall record.  Since the start of the second half, the team has firmly entrenched itself in last place with a 21-42 second half mark; 12.5 games behind the first place Southern Maryland Blue Claws, and 5.5 games behind third place Camden.  Overall, the Ducks have fallen to 60-72 this season.  With six games left, the likelihood Long Island escapes the Liberty Division cellar between now and September 24th are zero to none.


Before the regular season comes to an end on September 23rd, the Long Islanders will try and find a winning formula in their last two scheduled series.  Lest, their optimism for returning to the Atlantic League championship round continue waning.


So what happened?


Offensively speaking, the Ducks aren't the offensive juggernaut they were last season.  Reid Gorecki, Ryan Garko, and Lew Ford have long departed the line-up.  Ray Navarret is the club's only .300 hitter.  Where as last season, Kraig Binick was winning a batting title.  Slugger Brandon Sing has pulled his weight filling the power role.  But Bryant Nelson, Shaun Williams, Matt Esquivel, Dan Lyons, and now Timo Perez have not contributed the kind out output the Ducks achieved last season when they led the league in runs.  More modest and pedestrian performances have quieted this season down considerably.


On the hill, the Ducks have suffered a season long dearth of quality starting pitching.  The loss of Mike Loree only exacerbated the situation.  Forced into starting duties this season, Bob Zimmermann is the Ducks best starter.  He sports a 6-10 record this season, complimented by a 4.39 ERA.  After Zimm, Randy Keisler sports a more eye catching 2.72 ERA in twelve starts.  Next in is Bobby Blevins who was acquired in a trade via the CanAm League.  He's off to a promising start with Long Island.  So far he sports a 2.84 after three starts.  Chris Hayes has eight starts under his belt since being acquired from Bridgeport.  He is 3-0 so far.  In 52.2 innings pitched, he struck out twenty three batters while only walking five.


Sunday, the Ducks played their last home game of the regular season.  They may have received a boost in confidence just in time for their road trip towards the playoffs.  Fortune may have come in a pitcher named Matt Way.  In his first ever appearance for the Ducks on Sunday, he shut out the River Sharks over eight full innings.  He allowed them a mere two hits and issued two walks.  In the process of blanking Camden, he also struck out thirteen batters.


Whether all this winds up capable of potentially defeating South Maryland in the playoffs remains to be seen.  Until then, Monday was an off day for the team.  Today, the Ducks begin a three game series against the Somerset Patriots.  They will then conclude their schedule in Camden.


The Ducks will be returning to Bethpage Park for at least one game playoff game.  What comes after that is any body's guess.






Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks: Mike Loree Purchased By Taiwan League

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Adrift in Stagnant Waters.

Mike Loree Off to Taiwan.

Leaves Behind Club Languishing in Last.

ON THIS DAY LAST SEASON:

KRAIG BINICK WAS HITTING 100 POINTS BETTER THAN THIS SEASON.

What happened?  What happened to the first half Liberty Division champs?  The Long Island Ducks currently sport the worst second half record in the Atlantic League.

Perhaps we can sum it up this way.  The Ducks haven't been able to beat the South Maryland Blue Crabs.  Currently seven games out of first place, and firmly anchored to last place in the division, the Ducks were fresh off getting swept by the Crabs before engaging in this current series against Lancaster.  Over the second half, the Ducks have lost nine of ten games to the Blue Crabs.  There's your difference in the standings.

The Ducks sport a second half worst 12-22 record.  South Maryland leads the Liberty Division with a 20-15 second half record.  But what precipitated the difference in the Ducks from one half to the next?  It's hard to put a finger on one thing.  But if pressed, I'd say their starting pitching is the culprit.  They are very thin in the rotation, and it has caught up to them.  What's more, their rotation just suffered a major blow.  Of all the darnedest things, on August 16th, Mike Loree's contract was purchased by the Lamigo Monkeys of the Chinese Professional Baseball League of Taiwan.

Mike wasn't having nearly the season he had last year when he won the pitching triple crown.  This season, he proved to be a lot more hittable.  His 5-7 record is testament to that.  In 104.1 innings pitched, he surrendered 117 hits.  And his season ERA was almost at five.   But this is a tremendous loss none the less.  This leaves Bob Zimmermann as the only remaining Ducks starter to make over ten starts this season.  Zimm leads the staff with twenty-one starts.  Mike Loree came in second with eighteen.

Between now and the playoffs, Coach Baez will have to restructure a new three-man core.  In Mike Loree's absence, the Ducks will be going with Chris Hayes, Eric Niesen, Adam Rowe, anchored by Bob Zimmermann.  Who emerges as the fifth starter remains to be seen.  For the moment however, the Ducks are having to dip too deeply, and way too often into their bullpen.  They haven't been getting any kind of consistent length from the pitchers mentioned.

Offensively speaking, the Ducks are doing just fine.  They lead their division in runs scored.  The Ducks are tops with 530 runs scored this season.  The next closest divisional opponent is Bridgeport, with 478 runs scored.

However, Kraig Binick is not enjoying the type of season he had last year at the plate.  He is batting at a .254 rate.  That is exactly one-hundred points lower than his batting average at this time last season.  On August 18, 2011, Kraig Binick was rolling along with a .354 batting average.

Brandon Sing was brought in to hit home runs.  And he has done just that.  He has twenty home runs on the season in 328 at-bats.  He is only two homers off the League lead.  Thirty-seven games into Matt Esquivel's return, he has his batting average up at a .319 clip.  And Bryant Nelson has complimented Brandon Sing well with sixty-three RBI.

The team leader, and League leader, in RBI is Ray Navarrete.  He has seventy-four on the season, giving the Ducks three players with over sixty rbi.  And recently, Ray Navarrete applied his name to yet another club benchmark.  With forty-two doubles this season, Ray set a new Ducks and Atlantic League record.

Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks ~ Limp Into Break After Clinching Title

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:

First Half Liberty Division Champs Stumble Into The Break

LOSING STREAK UP TO SIX

Six Long Island Ducks Headed to All-Star Game

We've reached the half way point folks.  Having already clinched the first half Liberty Division title handily over the second place RiverSharks, it's now time for Wednesday's Atlantic League All-Star Game, being played this season in beautiful Campbell's Field in Camden, New Jersey, right underneath the Ben Franklin Bridge.  If you've never seen a game there, do so.  The park sits right    across the river from Philadelphia with the bridge and the downtown skyline serving as a backdrop.


Long Island's manager Kevin Baez, will lead the Liberty Division All-Stars in this year's game.  Joining him will be six Ducks players.  Starter Jason Monti, and reliever Jeremy Hill are the hurlers.  Ray Navarrete, Kraig Binick, Dan Lyons, and Shawn Williams, will join them in Camden.


After stumbling through a six game losing streak to end the first half, the Ducks finished 39-30, ever so coincidentally after they clinched the division title.  Thirty-nine wins was still tied for second best in the circuit.  The Freedom Division first half champ Lancaster Barnstormers romped to forty-five wins, to include a closing four game sweep of the Ducks in Lancaster.


Not necessarily an All-Star omission, the Independent League's premiere power hitter over the last few seasons, Brandon Sing, missed twelve games in the first half due to an injury.  He is in his first season in the Atlantic League since coming over from the American Association.  So perhaps he's still adjusting.  His thirteen home runs are just slightly off the league lead.  But maybe with more games played, his thirty-six RBI could be up among the leaders.  Ray Navarrete by the way, is tied for second in the A.L. with forty-eight RBI so far.  Ramon Castro of York, leads with fifty.


Then there is the curious case of starting pitcher, Mike Loree.  He is clearly not the same triple crown pitcher who dominated the league just a season ago.  In fact, he has struggled in thirteen starts with a 5.80 ERA, which is three full points higher than last year's mark.  Last season's league leader in wins, is currently sporting a 4-4 record.  He has been far more hittable this season than over last.  In 71.1 innings pitched, he has surrendered eighty-five hits.  Mike has issued seventeen walks and struck out fifty-four.  Last year's strikeout king, is currently ranked thirteenth in the circuit.


This season at least, Bob Zimmermann and Jason Monti have emerged to lead Long Island's starting rotation to somewhat offset Mike Loree's slide.  But the Ducks aren't nearly as deep as they were last season either.  If you remember, last season in the first half, the Ducks bulldozed their way to a title behind a formidable offense, but also rode the strong pitching of Mike Loree, and Mike Parisi before his contract was purchased.  This season, Mike Loree, Bob Zimmermann, and Jason Monti, have combined to win thirteen games.  That's only a third of all Ducks' victories.


It is also worth noting, after a string of terrible starts, Gustavo Chacin was finally jettisoned from the rotation and the team.  Reliever Jason Monti was then needed to be taken out of the bullpen to start games, and has gone on to win five of six decisions.  Monti's insertion into the rotation became possible when reliever John Hunton returned to the Ducks' bullpen this season.  He was signed late last season and pitched in the playoffs, and was resigned again in early June this season.


In other news, on July 6th, the Ducks signed former Met outfielder, Timo Perez.  He joins fellow former Met, Armando Benitez, on the activated list.




Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks ~ Barnstormers End Ducks' Home Win Streak

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  Lancaster Barnstormers Put An End To Nine Game Win Streak At The Pond.

Friday night's series opener against the Somerset Patriots required an eighth inning three run comeback.  Saturday's game turned into a 15-3 drubbing of the Patriots.  And Sunday's victory came in dramatic 9th inning walk-off fashion.  In sweeping the Somerset Patriots over the weekend, the Long Island Ducks extended their home winning streak beginning the season to nine consecutive games.

The series sweep upped the Ducks' record to 15-7, which gave them a 2.5 game lead over the Bridgeport Bluefish for first place in the Liberty Division.  On the other side of the ledger, in getting swept, the Patriots dropped out of their tie with Lancaster, and are now a full game behind the Freedom Division first place Barnstormers.

Slugger Brandon Sing finally returned to the line-up after being absent since May 12th due to a neck injury.  The Ducks also signed some bullpen help.  Jared Lansford, the son of Carney Lansford, is a twenty-five year old right-hander who comes to the Ducks after spending the 2011 season in the Oakland A's organization.

The Lancaster Barnstormers came to Bethpage Ballpark Monday night, and ruined everything.  Long Island's streak stops at nine.  After a scoreless first inning, the Barnstormers scored a run in each of the next six innings against the very reliable Bob Zimmermann, who seemed to be battle himself more than anything.  Lancaster peppered him for eleven hits over his 6.1 innings pitched.  Bob walked two and struck out three before giving way to Eric Niesen.

Wynn Pelzer was next out of the Ducks' bullpen, and allowed Lancaster two more runs in the top of the eighth.

The lone Ducks' run came in the home sixth, on an RBI single by Ray Navarrete, who by the way, just recently celebrated his 34th birthday over the weekend.  Ray was 3 for 4 in the game.  But an error by Navarrete at second base allowed a run to score off Bob Zimmermann.

The Bridgeport Bluefish were 8-4 losers to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.  The Ducks lose no ground in the standings.




Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks ~ Waddling Off to Sugar Land, Texas

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  No Revolution For You!  Ducks Win Measure of Revenge Versus York in Rematch of 2011 Finals.

Ducks Sweep Thursday Double-Header, and the Series.

Any early season concerns the Ducks might have trouble replicating last season's offensive output, are steadily being put to rest.  For the third time against their last two opponents, the Ducks topped double-digit scoring, and in doing so, secured their sixth consecutive win by sweeping their first two opponents at home.

York was just the latest.  There would be no revolution out of them this time, only heavy losses.  After getting rained out on Wednesday, the teams played a twin bill in Bethpage Ballpark on Thursday to conclude the three game rematch of last season's league finals.  The Ducks defeated the back-to-back champs in back-to-back games to compete a three game sweep and gain a measure of revenge against the Revs.


Game One Final:
Revs     2
Ducks  4


In Game One of the twin bill, starting pitcher Bob Zimmermann gained his second win in three starts.  He limited the Revs to single runs in the fourth inning and the sixth before being relieved.  Over six innings, Bob allowed five hits, only one earned run, walked two, and struck out five York batters.  Jon Meloan pitched a scoreless seventh inning to finish the shortened double-header style seven inning game.


The Ducks jumped on York's starting pitcher, Chris Cody, early.  In the bottom of the first, Ryan Garko continued to sizzle with a home run, plating Brandon Sing for a 2-0 lead.  Long Island added another run in the second on Dan Lyon's RBI single.  They added their fourth and final run of the game in the fourth when Lew Ford scored on a passed ball.


Game Two Final:
Revs 9
Ducks 16


Both club's pitching had troubles taming each other In Game Two.  For the Ducks, Jason Monti was asked to make a spot start.  In three and a third innings, he allowed five earned runs on six hits.  He gave way to four more Long Island hurlers, who combined to pitch another win over the Revolution.  In his second appearance this season, Wynn Pelzer faced four batters to pick up the victory.


Through the first three innings, the Ducks jumped out to 2-0, 5-0, then a 9-3 lead over York.  Ryan Garko and Lew Ford both drove in runs in the first.  With the bases loaded, an E-3 opened the door for three more Duck runs in the bottom of the second.  In the third, the renaissance man, Lew Ford, jacked a lead off home run.  An RBI double by Wilberto Ortiz, an RBI single by Dan Lyons, and a sac-fly RBI by Kraig Binick gave Long Island a 9-3 lead.


The major fireworks came in the fifth inning.  After RBI singles by Kraig Binick and Bryant Nelson, Brandon Sing crushed his league leading fifth home run of the season bringing the Ducks to thirteen runs.  And they would score three more unearned runs in the inning on singles by Wilberto Ortiz and Dan Lyons before they were through.


That's six in a row for the 9-4 Ducks, who find themselves a mere half-game behind the Bridgeport Bluefish for the Liberty Division lead.

And now, it's time to - Go West Young Men!  There's Skeeters to be played in Texas.  Soon after quieting the Revolution, the Ducks hit the road and will arrive in Sugar Land, where they will play the Sugar Land Skeeters; the Atlantic League's newest expansion team.  The Skeets have been a big hit with their fans so far, but on the field, and specifically on the road, the Skeeters have had more troubles than an armadillo crossing Interstate-Ten.  Sugar Land is 1-9 in their last ten games, and hope playing in front of their big home crowds gets them moseying in the right direction again.

Should be a good time in Texas.

TONIGHT

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

vs.

Sugar Land Skeeters

From

CONSTELLATION FIELD

in Big Texas

Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks ~ The Power Co. is Open for Business

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  Opening Day is a Big Hit!

Before the evening's game commenced, there was a tribute to Hall of Famer; Montreal Expos and Mets great; and former Long Island Ducks' manager; Gary Carter; who passed away earlier this year.  The club will be honoring Gary Carter all season.

Opening Day Final:

Camden River Sharks  2

Long Island Ducks      13

Well..., the fans at Bethpage Ballpark last night can't complain.  The weather held up; there were Opening Day festivities and new kid friendly fun features in the park; they got two games for the price of one, and came away with one really big win.  After a tough series against the Bluefish, the Ducks are now back at the .500 mark and apparently happy to be back home as well.


Figuratively speaking the "first" game was a pitcher's duel between Camden's Keith Weiser, and Long Island's Bob Zimmermann.  After the Ducks scored once in the bottom of the first, the game remained a tight 1-0 affair until Camden scored once off Zimmermann in the top of the sixth to tie.


Brandon Sing is coming to Long Island as advertised.  The over-all independent circuit's top slugger over the past few years hit his third home run this season.  It came in the first, and tied him for the early season league lead.


That's all the Ducks would score though, until the sixth inning.  Bob Zimmermann took care of that problem however, by pitching five superlative innings before surrendering the tying run in the top of the sixth on a solo home run by Felix Lie.  Through six, Zimmermann allowed only four hits and one earned run; walked none, and struck out seven.


In the bottom of the sixth inning, his team mates put him back on the winning side.  And that's when the second game started.  Or should I say the fireworks?  In the bottom of the sixth, the Ducks exploded for eleven runs.  It wasn't a new team record.  But it was a hell of a way to treat the home crowd and say hello again after a long winter.


The Ducks pounded out eight hits against three different pitchers in the inning.  But most of the damage came at the expense of Camden's Joey DAlessandro, who got tagged for seven of those runs.  Long Island's offensive outburst was highlighted by Bryan Nelson's inning topping grand slam home run.  Overall, Long Island's new third baseman was 3 for 5 on the night with 5 RBI.

TONIGHT

Camden River Sharks

SP - Humberto Sanchez

vs.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

SP - Randy Keisler

From

Bethpage Ballpark

LONG ISLAND, NY

Mike.BTB