Long Island Ducks: Ninth Inning Rally Wins Game Two

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

 

ATLANTIC LEAGUE - CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

 

Series Tied 1-1

I - Lancaster 5; Long Island 1

II - Long Island 9; Lancaster 4

 

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  The Webbed Nine Storm Back In Ninth Inning To Seize Game Two.  Series Shifts Back To The Pond For Game Three.

GAME TWO RECAP a/o OCTOBER 4, 2012:

 

With no pun intended, Game Two in Lancaster was a genuine barn buster.  The home team was  three outs away from taking a two games to none lead over Long Island.  But the Ducks transformed the ninth inning of Thursday night's game into a twister and blew the doors to Clipper Magazine Stadium wide open on their way back to The Pond for Friday night's Game Three.

 

 

Game Two's pitching match-up featured Matt May for the Ducks, against John Halama for Lancaster. Both pitchers struggled and battled, and battled and struggled.  That not bad grammar... that's how each starter mirrored the other.  Matt May pitched 5.2 innings.  He allowed seven hits and four earned runs.  While May struck out five batters, he helped Lancaster along by issuing five walks.  Two Barnstormers took him deep.  Matt May left the game on the losing side of a 4-3 affair.  John Halama was only one run better.  He lasted 5.1 innings.  Halama allowed six hits and three earned runs.  But he too struggled with control and also walked five batters before exiting on the positive side of the game.

 

 

It was actually the Ducks who jumped out to an early lead with an RBI single by Brandon Sing in the first.  But Lancaster roughed up Matt May in the fourth.  With two outs and one on, Ryan Harvey  connected on his third home run of the playoffs.  The next batter, Travis Denker, then connected on his third home run of the playoffs as well to give the Barnstormers a 3-1 lead.

 

 

Long Island got a run back in the fifth.  Matt Esquivel scored when Dan Lyons grounded into a fielder's choice.  In the top of the sixth, the Ducks tied the game at three.  Dan Lyons' RBI single sent Bryant Nelson home from third base for the Ducks third run.  But in the bottom of the frame, Lancaster went ahead again by a 4-3 score.

 

 

The battle of the bullpens began.  Through the eighth inning, Long Island employed three pitchers.  Chris Hayes and Eric Niesen helped Matt May complete the sixth inning.  Jared Lansford took care of the seventh and eighth innings, pitching scoreless ball.  He allowed no hits, no runs, issued no walks, and struck out two.  Lancaster called upon four relievers to get them through the eighth.

 

 

With no changes in the score, into the ninth inning they went.  Lancaster's fifth reliever of the evening, Tim Hamulack, was charged with facing the Ducks.  After consecutive singles to open the inning by Joash Brodin and Ray Navarrete, Brandon Sing delivered yet another clutch hit in these playoffs.  His RBI single tied the game at four.  The Ducks had the bases loaded when Dan Lyons stepped in.  He proceeded to collect his third hit of the game, a double, which cleared the bases, and gave the Ducks a 7-4 lead.  Mitch Canham and Kraig Binick each kicked in RBI singles for good  measure.

 

 

With a 9-4 lead, Leo Rosales was charged with pitching the bottom of the ninth in relief of Jared Lansford.  Leo ended the game with a strikeout, and just like that, the series was tied at a game apiece.  At the very least, Long Island accomplished the task of gaining at least a split on the road.

 

 

Dan Lyons had four runs batted in.  And as mentioned, Brandon Sing continues to deliver big hits.  he had two RBI in Game Two.

 

 

For his two innings of scoreless work, Jared Lansford gets credit for the win.

 

 

 

 

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: Game Five Winners; Going Back To The Finals

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

 

Ducks Win Series 3-2

I - Ducks 4; Blue Crabs 3

II - Ducks 3; Blue Crabs 1

III - Blue Crabs 7; Ducks 5

IV - Blue Crabs 4; Ducks 3

V - Ducks 5; Blue Crabs 4

 

 

Playoff Preview
GAME ONE FINAL

GAME TWO FINAL

GAME THREE FINAL

GAME FOUR FINAL

 

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:

Coach Baez Leads His Team Back To

The Atlantic League Finals.

 

Ducks Hold On For 5-4 Victory In Game Five.

Will Face Lancaster Barnstormers For League Title.

BRANDON SING CONNECTS ON THIRD HOME RUN OF SERIES;

SECOND IN LAST TWO GAMES.

Game Five; like this series; and just like this season; started out promising for the Ducks, only to take a perilous turn for the worse.  And in the ninth inning of the last Liberty Division semi final series  game against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, the day, the series, and the season, almost came to a disastrous end for the Long Islanders.


The Blue Crabs jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the fourth inning.  In the bottom half of the frame, Long Island came back with two runs.  After Ray Navarrete led of with a single, Brandon Sing connected on his third home run of the series, giving the Ducks a 2-1 lead.  Southern Maryland responded quickly however.  In their next at-bat, they constructed two more runs off a fielder's choice, and a sac-fly against Ducks starter Bobby Blevins.


Blevins retired the side in order in each of the first three innings.  He left the game on the losing side of a 3-2 score after six innings pitched.  Blevins hurt his own cause when he balked home the Blue Crabs first run of the game.  In all, he allowed three runs on five hits.  He issued no walks and struck out two.  Out of the bullpen, Eric Niesen, Chris Hayes, and Matt Mays, then combined to keep Southern Maryland quiet over the next two innings.


In the bottom of the eighth, the Ducks struck back.  Brandon Sing reached first base with a one out single.  Bryant Nelson then stepped up and connected on his first home run of the series.  Lee Cruz followed with a double and was removed for pinch runner, Matt Esquivel.  Shawn Williams sent him running home with a two out single, giving the Ducks a 5-3 lead heading into the ninth.


Coach Baez then put the ball, and the game, into the right hand of former Arizona Diamond Back, Leo Rosales.  He walked the first batter he faced, but then struck out the next hitter.  Next up, Jesse Gutierrez' grounder to third baseman Bryan Nelson seemed like a sure double play.  But Nelson over threw second base, and the ball was momentarily misplayed in the outfield as well.  The two base error resulted in a run scored, and put the tying run on second base.  A Rosales wild pitch moved the tying run to third.  Long Island then completed an intentional pass to Matt Padgett.  The Ducks recorded the second out on a fielder's choice when they caught the lead runner in a run down between home and third.  With two outs, Leo Rosales then walked the bases loaded.  Rosales left them all stranded however.  He struck out the last batter he faced to end the game.


Leo Rosales gets credit for an anxiety riddled save.  For Matt Way's one scoreless inning of work in the eighth in which he struck out the side, he gets credit for the win.


The road to redemption now leads through Lancaster.  The Long Island Ducks are heading back to the Atlantic League finals.  They will try and better their results from a year ago, when they lost the championship to the York Revolution.  The Ducks rumbled through a dominant 2011 regular season, only to see their potent offense short circuit against York pitching.


This season, the Long Island crowd was treated to their first home clinching celebration since the club's 2004 championship season.  The Ducks won the first half division flag with a 39-30 record.  But they stumbled mightily in the second half, finishing dead last in the division, and very nearly escaped recording the league's worst regular season record.


In the first round of the post-season, Long Island jumped out quickly and gained a choke hold on the semi final series by winning Games One and Two in Southern Maryland.  But with three opportunities to win one game at home, the Ducks failed in their first two attempts.  The Blue Crabs tied the series on the road setting up Game Five Sunday evening.


The rematch between the Ducks and the York Revolution will not take place.  The Lancaster Barnstormers swept the Freedom Division series against the Wild Card team from York.  Lancaster rolled to first and second half division titles this season, and recorded the circuit's best record.




Mike.BTB

Long Island Ducks: Flock Drops Second Straight; Game Five Today

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

 

LIBERTY DIVISION SEMI FINALS

 

Series Tied 2-2

I - Ducks 4; Blue Crabs 3

II - Ducks 3; Blue Crabs 1

III - Blue Crabs 7; Ducks 5

IV - Blue Crabs 4; Ducks 3

 

Playoff Preview
GAME ONE FINAL

GAME TWO FINAL

GAME THREE FINAL

 

GAME FIVE

 

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

vs.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

FROM

BETHPAGE PARK

Long Island, N.Y.

 

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  Club Lets Two Game Lead Waddle Away.  Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Win Games Three and Four At The Pond.  Deciding Game Five Scheduled For Late Sunday Afternoon.



In this series, so far the visiting team is holding court.  If the Ducks want another shot at the League title, that better change tonight.  Otherwise, Long Island will watch the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs possibly take on the Lancaster Barnstormers from home.


After winning the first two games of this series in Maryland, the Ducks have dropped Games Three and Four at Bethpage Park, setting up a series deciding Game Five tonight.


In Saturday night's game, each team exchanged first inning runs.  For the Ducks, Brandon Sing drove Dan Lyons home with a single.  Long Island took a 2-1 lead in the second.  With the bases loaded, only Matt Esquivel managed to trot home on a Dan Lyons sac-fly.  Otherwise it was an opportunity lost.  In the sixth inning, Long Island extended their lead to 3-1, when Brandon Sing connected on his second home run of the series.


Long Island's starter, John Brownell, pitched well through six innings.  He only allowed a run in the first inning, and three hits.  He walked two and struck out four batters.  In the seventh inning however, John surrendered three singles and allowed a run to make Game Four a 3-2 affair.  Jeremy Hill was summoned from the bullpen to finish the seventh.


The eighth inning was Leo Rosales' responsibility.  But he couldn't hold the line.  Southern Maryland first baseman Jesse Gutierrez connected on a two run home run off Long Island's reliever to give the Blue Crabs a 4-3 lead.


In the home ninth, Matt Esquivel grounded into a game ending double play, and thus committed both teams to a fifth and series deciding game on Sunday.


The Lancaster Barnstormers lead the Freedom Division series over the former repeat-defending champion York Revolution.




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: Returning To The Pond Up 2-0 In Series

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Playoff Preview

GAME ONE FINAL

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  Strong Pitching Leads Ducks In Southern Maryland Sweep.  Team Has Three Chances At Home To Win One Game and Clinch Trip To Championship Round.


Even better than a split on the road, the Ducks swept the first two games in Southern Maryland.  Long Island now owns a 2-0 advantage in the best of five series.  They are headed home back to The Pond where they'll have three chances to win one more game, and advance to their second consecutive championship round.  The opportunity to vindicate themselves after last season's disappointing end is now just a game away.


Long Island's starter, Matt May, turned in a brilliant performance, dominating the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs over eight full innings.  He limited the Blue Crabs to four hits, and issued no walks.  He allowed one run to score in the fifth inning, and nothing more.  Matt May struck out ten batters before giving way to Leo Rosales out of the bullpen.  Rosales pitched a scoreless ninth inning and struck out two batters to close out the Ducks second win in as many days.


The lone run Southern Maryland scored against May was the extent of all scoring through the first seven innings of the game.  Blue Crabs' starter, Matthew Vasquez, matched Matt May inning for inning, in what emerged into a classic pitcher's duel.  Vasquez kept the Ducks off the board.


An unfortunate sequence for the Blue Crabs allowed Long Island to score twice in the top of the eighth inning however.  Mitch Canham and Dan Lyons led off the inning with consecutive singles.  An E-3 allowed both runners to score.  Then in the top of the ninth inning, Brandon Sing launched his first home run of the playoffs, providing the Ducks with an insurance run in Long Island's eventual 3-1 final.


The Ducks have to be thrilled with their sweep in Southern Maryland but must be tempered enough to win one more game.


In Lancaster, the Barnstormers were leading 3-1 in the fourth inning before the rains came and washed out the night.  The Lancaster Barnstormers lead the Freedom Division series one game to none over the York Revolution.




Mike.BTB

Long Island Ducks: Defeat Blue Crabs; Take 1-0 Series Lead

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

ATLANTIC LEAGUE ~ DIVISION SERIES

 

 

 

Playoff Preview

 

Long Island Lead Series 1-0

I - Ducks 4; Blue Crabs 3

 

II - TONIGHT

 

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  Eighth Inning Rally Just Enough To Defeat Blue Crabs In Game One.

There's nothing like a little late inning drama to start the playoffs, huh?  In several respects however - mission accomplished.  The idea is to split games on the road, and win at home, right?  Down in the park at Waldorf last night, the Long Island Ducks took a 1-0 lead in their semi final series against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.


After just the first three batters of the game, the Ducks were in possession of a two run lead.  Kraig Binick led off the game with a double.  Batting second, Joash Brodin also doubled, scoring Binick.  Ray Navarrete then singled to drive in Brodin.


Ducks starter, Randy Keisler, kept the Blue Crabs scoreless through the first four innings.  He struck out out the side in the bottom of the first inning, with a walk interspersed.  An inning ending  double play got Randy out of the second.  In the third inning, Randy Keisler struck out the side in order.  He pitched himself into big trouble in the fourth, when with one out, he walked two batters and hit a third batter to load the bases.  But he managed to induce a foul pop-up, and a force out to escape the inning.


He wasn't as lucky in the fifth inning.  Southern Maryland struck for two runs on three hits to knot the game at two apiece.


Randy Keisler pitched six innings in all.  He allowed the two runs, and limited the Blue Crabs to four hits.  He had troubles with control as he walked four batters.  But he was also strong with nine strikeouts.


Coach Biaz went to his bullpen in the seventh.  Jared Lansford was first and struck out the side.


In the top of the eighth, Long Island broke the deadlock.  Three doubles led to two more runs.  Dan Lyons led off with the first double.  Joash Brodin followed with another to drive in Lyons.  The Brandon Sing delivered a clutch two out double to drive in Brodin for a 4-2 Ducks lead.


Coach Biaz turned to Eric Niesen for the eighth.  After retiring the lead off batter, Coach Biaz played match-ups and summoned Jeremy Hill.  But a solo home run by Jesse Gutierrez almost thwarted that strategy.  Jeremy Hill was able to complete the inning without further damage.


Leo Rosales pitched a scoreless ninth inning to preserve Long Island's victory, and earned himself the save.  Jared Lansford gets credit for the win.  A fine effort by Randy Keisler ended up in a no decision.


Brandon Sing drove in what wound up being the game winning RBI.

TONIGHT

 

GAME TWO

 

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

(SP - Matt Way)

vs.

South Maryland Blue Crabs

(SP - Matthew Vasquez)

 

FROM

The Baseball Grounds at Waldorf

 

 

 

 

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 ~ Salvage Game Versus Bridgeport; At The Game

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE
*Corrected on Tuesday

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  Another Fine Day in The Pond.

The Ducks salvaged a win versus the Bridgeport Bluefish Sunday afternoon in the second installment of this season's Ferry Cup Series.  The Bluefish now lead the benefit series four games to one.  Game Three will be Monday.

Play Ball!  First Pitch

Long Island's starter, Randy Keisler, labored through 102 pitches in six innings.  He was touched for six hits and three earned runs.  And struggled with control, walking four, and struck out three.


Bridgeport took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning on a two run home run by third baseman, Brock Peterson.  But Long Island struck back for three runs in their half of the inning.  Ray Navarrete led off the home half of the fourth with a walk.  Brandon Sing followed with a single.  Then Shawn Williams drove them both home with a one out triple.  Ried Gorecki lofted a fly ball to center for a sacrifice fly RBI, and a 3-1 Ducks lead.  Bridgeport tied the game however in their next at-bat off Randy Keisler.

By the sixth inning, Randy Keisler's day was through.  But not before the Ducks supplied him with four more runs in the bottom of the sixth, to put Keisler on the winning side of the game again.  This was Randy's third win of the season against just one loss.


After Shawn Williams led of with another extra-base hit; a double this time; Ried Gorecki drove him home with a single.  Josh Johnson followed with another single to score Gorecki who had previously advanced to second.  Yet another single by Bryant Nelson later delivered Josh Johnson.  A sac-fly by Brandon Sing drove home Kraig Binick, and the fourth Ducks' run of the frame.  An error led to one more Long Island run in the eighth, giving them an 8-3 lead, and eventual final.

Kraig Binick and Ray Navarrete

Brandon Sing

In the lead-off spot, Kraig Binick was 3 for 4 Sunday, with a walk, and two runs scored.  First baseman Shawn Williams, was 2 for 4, with a double, triple, and two RBI.  Ried Gorecki also had two RBI.


After Randy Keisler, Long Island's bullpen took care of the final three innings.  Jason Monti pitched two innings, allowed three hits and two walks, and struck out three.  Jeremy Hill closed out the ninth inning, surrendering a hit, and a walk


The Ducks begin a four set in Camden against the River Sharks Tuesday evening.

My Sixth Inning Foul Ball.

Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks ~ Next Up; The Bluefish in a Battle for First

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:   After Dropping Opening Game, Ducks Comeback to Take Series from Lancaster.  Next, the Bluefish Invade The Pond in a Clash For First Place.

The Ferry Cup Series Resumes.

What do you do when the Barnstormers ruin your home winning streak at nine?  You start a new streak by winning the next two.  And so, the Ducks came back to win the final two games in their series against Lancaster.


In Tuesday's game, Randy Keisler, Jeremy Hill, and Dan Meyer, all pitched brilliantly against former major leaguer, John Halama and company.  Randy Keisler tossed seven innings of seven hit, shut-out ball.  He walked one and struck out eight.  After 103 pitches, Randy gave way to Jeremy Hill staked to a 6-0 lead.


In the first inning, Kraig Binick led off the game with a double, and scored on Bryant Nelson's single, and an error by the third baseman.  Reid Gorecki later singled home Bryant Nelson for a 2-0 Ducks' lead.


It stayed that way until the bottom of the seventh inning.  For John Halama's part, he was snake bit by errors over 6.2 innings.  Of the six runs charged to him, only two were earned.  He did surrender nine hits however, and walked three.


After a good seventh inning stretch, the Ducks beefed up their lead with four more runs.  After an E-5, a wild pitch, a walk, and a single by Bryant Nelson to load the bases, John Halama was on the ropes.  After missing some time, Brandon Sing made his return to play in time for this series, and said hello to John Halama with a grand slam home run, for a 6-0 Ducks' lead.  It was Brandon's first home run since returning over the weekend, and his sixth of the season.


The Ducks tacked on one more run in the eighth on Wilberto Ortiz' second home run of the season.


Jeremy Hill pitched a scoreless eighth and struck out two.  And Dan Meyer pitched a scoreless ninth to finish off the win.




On Wednesday, the Ducks picked up where they left off.  Jason Monti hung in and pitched five innings of four hit ball.  He gave up one earned run and struck out three with no walks on the way to recording his third win of the season.  Jason trails Mike Loree by one strikeout (21/22) for the team lead.


By the fourth inning, the Ducks already posted their ten runs.  Brandon Sing seems to be getting his swing in order.  He was 3 for 5, with a double and a run scored.  Along with Sing.., Kraig Binick, Bryant Nelson, Ray Navarrete, and James McOwen, all had multiple hits.  Shawn Williams was the only Duck to homer Wednesday and had three RBI.  Bryant Nelson drove in his team leading 19th RBI.  And Ray Navarrete was 2 for 4 with four RBI and two runs scored.  In all, the Ducks had fifteen hits.


Once Jason Monti was out of the game, the bullpen had some trouble closing out.  Connor Graham, and Eric Niesen, combined to pitch four innings (two each), and surrendered four runs on six hits, and walked four.


So a flaky bullpen and two errors get covered up by ten runs for a day...  Winning can do that.


The Ducks are now 17-8, and remain the only team with single digit losses.  They maintain a 3.5 game lead over the Bridgeport Bluefish in the Liberty Division, who conveniently swim into The Pond Thursday night for a four game series in what is now a battle for first place.  But Bridgeport is 3-7 in their last ten, while the Ducks are just the opposite with a 7-3 record in their last ten games.  The Bluefish were 4-2 losers to Southern Maryland Wednesday.  The Ducks are now 11-1 at home.


The Ferry Cup Series continues.  In the last meeting between these teams, the Bluefish swept a three game series in Bridgeport.





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 ~ Continue Home Cooking Against Somerset

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

L.I. Ducks

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  The Webbed Ones Continue to Dominate The Pond.

Game One ~Friday Final:
Somerset       7
Long Island  9

Pond Sweet Pond.  Back from Sugar Land, Texas, after splitting a six game series with the Skeeters, the Ducks returned to The Pond and continued their home winning streak that began on Opening Day.  After last night's opening series win over the Somerset Patriots, the Ducks are now winners of seven in a row at home.  Also winners of seven of their last ten, the Ducks will enter tonight's second game against the Patriots 1.5 games in first place ahead of their Liberty Division rivals.  And in spite of last night's loss, the Somerset Patriots are still tied for first in the Freedom Division along with the Lancaster Barnstormers.

The Ducks have been marching on without their former renaissance man; Lew Ford, who was purchased by the Baltimore Orioles.  Previous to Ford's departure, Ryan Garko's sizzling bat was purchased by the Tampa Bay Rays.  That's a bunch of offensive production the Ducks will have to somehow make up for.  Compounding the Ducks line-up issues, heavy hitting Brandon Sing last played on May 11th.  And in one another transaction, the rights to Javier Colina were traded to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs for a player to be named later.

To bolster the roster, Long Island welcomed back Matt Esquivel, who started last night's game as the team's DH.  Last night, Ray Navarrete played first base in Brandon Sing's continued absence.  Jake McOwen was in left where Lew Ford often patrolled.

Last night, Ducks' starter, and ace, Mike Loree, struggled through a second consecutive rough start.  Only this game, he suffered a little more than usual.  He was accidentally hit in the head by his catcher, Josh Johnson, on an attempted throw down to second base in the third inning.  Mike stayed in the game, but was removed the following inning.  He lasted four innings, and surrendered three runs; two earned; on five hits.  He walked three and struck out three before giving way to reliever Jason Monti.

Ray Navarrete's RBI single put the Ducks up by one after the first.  Somerset tied the game in the top half of the third, only to give the run back in the bottom half of the inning when Jake McOwen doubled home Kraig Binick with the go ahead run.

Mike Loree encountered trouble in the fourth.  After two runs and three hits, his day was done with the Ducks behind 4-3 at the time.  In the sixth inning, Somerset pounded out three more runs against Jason Monti.  The Patriots scored on a two run triple, and plated another run on a dropped strike three by Josh Johnson, for a 7-3 lead.

After a good crowd stretch, the Ducks stormed back with four runs in the home half of the seventh.  Bryant Nelson had an RBI single.  Ray Navarrete's bases loaded base hit drove in two more, and Shawn Williams scored the fourth run on a wild pitch.

After Somerset scored one run in the top of the eighth, the Ducks took their turn again, and scored three more.  Dan Lyons had an RBI single.  Bryant Nelson doubled Lyons home.  And Jake McOwen followed with a single to plate Nelson.

Connor Graham, Jeremy Hill, and Jon Meloan combined to pitch the final three innings and preserve Ducks' victory number thirteen on the season in their twentieth game played.


SPECIAL NOTE:
Earlier this season, nine year Somerset Patriots veteran, Jeff Nettles, became the Atlantic League's All-Time Career Hits leader.  Atlantic League Story Link





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