Long Island Ducks Win 2012 Atlantic League Championship

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

2012

ATLANTIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

LONG ISLAND DUCKS
 

 

 

 

LONG ISLAND DUCKS WIN SERIES 3-2

I - Barnstormers 5; Ducks 1

II - Ducks 9; Barnstormers 4

III - Barnstormers 12; Ducks 5

IV - Ducks 9; Barnstormers 3

 

GAME FIVE FINAL:

Ducks 5; Barnstormers 4

 

 

Finals Preview

Game One

Game Two

Game Three

Game Four

 

 

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Win Ninth Inning Thriller;

Walk-Off Bunt Saves The Day, And Championship.

 

 

 

LongIslandDucks.com

 

 

Ducks Win Club's Second Atlantic League Title.

SS-Dan Lyons Named Series MVP.

 

Long Island Fans Enjoy First Championship At The Pond.

 

Bobby Blevins started Game Five for Long Island, and pitched six spirited innings before leaving on the winning side of a 4-2 Ducks lead.  He allowed Lancaster to score single runs in the second and fourth innings.  He allowed five hits in all.  Blevins walked no batters and struck out five before giving way to a combination of Matt May, Eric Niesen, and Jared Lansford, who pitched scoreless baseball over the next two innings.


On the mound for Lancaster was Dwayne Pollok, who won the league's ERA title and tied for the lead in wins.  He was victorious over the Ducks in Game One, and was starting Game Five on three days rest.


The Ducks jumped on Pollok right away with two runs in the first inning.  An error by Lancaster's center fielder allowed the Ducks to score their first run.  A single by Bryant Nelson knocked in their second run.  In the second inning, Joash Brodin's RBI single delivered Dan Lyons home with the Ducks third run.  The Ducks scored a fourth time off Pollok in the fifth inning when Matt Esquivel doubled home Bryant Nelson.


After eight innings of rather stellar baseball, the Long Island Ducks second year manager Kevin Baez placed the ball, a 4-2 Ducks lead, the Ducks season, and the team's championship hopes into the right hand of his closer, Leo Rosales.


The first batter he faced, Lancaster's third baseman Travis Denker, crushed the fifth pitch he saw for a home run.  The Ducks lead was now down to one.  Loe Rosales then walked the second batter he faced.  That runner advanced to second on a grounder to first, then proceeded to third base when Rosales unleashed a wild pitch against Lancaster's next batter.  With the tying runner on third, Rosales managed a strikeout for out number one.  Lancaster's Gilberto Mejia then followed with a four hopper to shortstop Dan Lyons.  The ground ball seemingly gave Lyons trouble off the bat.  He failed to field it cleanly, and delivered a throw in the dirt which first baseman Brandon Sing was unable to scoop.  Unbelievably, and to the dismay of the home crowd, the Barnstormers tied the game at four runs apiece.  What was once within Long Island's grasp was now seemingly slipping away.


Into the bottom of the ninth inning they went.  With one out, Lee Cruz got last licks started when he drew a walk.  Matt Esquivel drew a second consecutive base on balls.  As Mitch Canham reached safely on a fielder's choice, Lee Cruz was wiped from the bases.  Lancaster pitcher Josh Dew then unleashed a wild pitch which advanced Matt Esquivel to third base.  With two outs, the next batter, Dan Lyons surprised everyone and laid down a bunt down the third base line.  Matt Esquival scored as there was no play at first base.


Of all manners to win a game, the Long Island Ducks won the 2012 Atlantic League Championship on a walk-off bunt.  Dan Lyons went from the lowest depths of despair after committing the costliest of errors in the top of the inning, to ascending the high of exhilaration.  Dan Lyons was named series MVP for his overall efforts in the five game series.  But in truth, many deserve credit for securing the Ducks second ever championship trophy.


In 2004, Kevin Baez played on the Ducks first championship winning team.  Now, in his second season as manager, Coach Baez wins his second title with the club.  After falling to the York Revolution in four games during last season's Finals, Coach Baez led the organization to its first title since that 2004 season, and the Ducks second in thirteen years as members of the Atlantic League.


I would like to extend a special congratulations to Buddy Harrelson, for many many reasons.



Mike.BTB

Atlantic League Championship - Final Game Tonight

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

TONIGHT

 

 

 

ATLANTIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

 

GAME FIVE

 

Lancaster Barnstormers

vs.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

 

FROM

THE POND

Long Island, New York

 

 

Series Tied 2-2

I - Lancaster 5; Long Island 1

II - Long Island 9; Lancaster 4

III - Lancaster 12; Long Island 5

IV - Long Island 9; Lancaster 3

 

Finals Preview

Game One

Game Two

Game Three

 

 

 

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Avoid Elimination With Big Inning In Game Four.  Force Deciding Game Five.

 

 

Rain is in the forecast.  Should Mother Nature allow, the final game of the 2012 Atlantic League Championship series between the Ducks and the Lancaster Barnstormers is scheduled for 5pm at The Pond.

 

 

Each team is 1-1 when playing in each other's parks.  In Lancaster, the Ducks opened the series with a loss, then came back to win Game Two.  Upon return to Long Island, the Ducks dropped Game Three, then rallied for seven runs in the sixth inning Saturday evening to force a Game Five today.  If the pattern of alternating victories holds true, the Lancaster Barnstormers will be crowned Atlantic League Champions tonight.  But this is when Long Island's decision to start the playoffs on the road is supposed to pay off.  Home field advantage is theirs.

 

 

Of the four teams to make the playoffs this season, the Long Island Ducks posted the worst record, while Lancaster's 2012 regular season record was the league's best.  The Ducks season is a tale of two halves; one bearing a division title, and the other about a precipitous fall.  The Lancaster Barnstormers were consistent, if not dominant all season long.  They won both division flags this season.  None of that matters now.  There is only one game left in the Atlantic League season.  After tonight, the league will have a new champion.

 

Atlantic League Championship Trophy

 

 

In the championship series last season, the Ducks bowed to the York Revolution who repeated as Atlantic League champions.  While Long Island's pitching held up for the most part, bolstered by the return of Mike Loree, the Duck's mighty offense disappeared in an instant.

 

 

Late in the 2012 season and through the playoffs, this season's reconstructed starting pitching has proven resilient.  And offensively speaking, the Ducks have shown their playoff bats are here to stay.  Last year's batting champion, Kraig Binick, battled through a significant drop off this season.  He has seemingly regained his stroke of last season in time for the playoffs.  Brandon Sing has been nothing short of clutch in the post season.  And guys like Joash Brodin and Bryant Nelson keep driving in runs.  So the outlook for this afternoon's game is indeed promising.

 

 

Bobby Blevins, acquired from the Rockland Boulders late in the season, managed six appearances for the Ducks this season, and made four starts.  He started twenty games for Rockland and posted an 8-9 record with a 3.64 earned run average.  In six games, he posted a 2.42 ERA for the Ducks.  Bobby Blevins surrendered three earned runs in six innings against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in the first round in a game the Ducks won by a 5-4 score.  Today he is tasked with pitching Game Five of the Atlantic League Championship series.

 

 

Opposing him will be Dwayne Pollock.  In Wednesday's opening game of the 2012 Atlantic League championship series, the league's regular season ERA King did what he does best - win games and make opposing runs a scarce commodity.  In Game One, Dwayne Pollock, who also tied for the league lead in wins, pitched six innings of shutout ball against the Long Island Ducks.  He  surrendered four hits, walked two, and struck out five for the win.

 

 

 

 

GAME FOUR RECAP:  A Seven Run, Sixth Inning Quack Attack, Forces Game Five

 

 

 

Facing elimination, the Ducks turned to John Brownell to pitch Game Four.  After just an inning of play, the home team's outlook dimmed as Lancaster went to work right away.  With three hits in the first inning, the Barnstormers claimed an early 2-0 lead.


Opposing Brownell was Lancaster's Mark Brackman.  While John Brownell settled down and kept the Barnstormers scoreless over the next five innings, the Ducks finally chipped a run off Lancaster's lead in the fifth inning.  With two outs, Dan Lyons and Kraig Binick both singled.  Mark Brackman then hit Joash Brodin with a pitch to load the bases.  That caused manager Butch Hobson to emerge from the Barnstormers dugout and remove his starting pitcher.  Joe Bateman entered in relief and immediately unleashed a wild pitch to score Dan Lyons from third base.


John Brownell wound up pitching a strong six innings.  The three hits and two runs he surrendered in the first inning were all he allowed.  Two walks and two strikeouts complete his line.  Then in the bottom of the sixth, his mates put him on the winning side of the game with a seven run explosion.


An RBI single by Mitch Canham started the Ducks off.  Kriag Binick's RBI single delivered run number two.  Joash Brodin's single delivered run number three.  A walk to Ray Navarrete forced run number four across the plate.  Bryant Nelson then cleared the bases with a three RBI triple, giving the Ducks an 8-2 lead.


Mitch Canham had another RBI single in the seventh for the Ducks.  Lancaster's Ryan Harvey homered off Jared Lansford in the ninth.  The Ducks win a 9-3 final.





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

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 ~ Clinch First Step Towards Redemption

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

2012 First Half Liberty Division Champs

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  The Webbed Ones Open July By Clinching First-Half Liberty Division Title.


The Ducks know something about division titles.  Last season, they clinched first and second half  regular season titles, only to fall in the championship series against York.  During the entire 2011 regular season, Long Island was by far the most offensively potent team in the circuit.  Then in the Finals, they shorted out.  At present, they have now taken the first step towards redeeming themselves, by securing a spot in the Atlantic League's post season.


On Sunday, the Long Island Ducks clinched the first half Liberty Division title rather handily, with an eight game lead as of July 1st, over the second place Camden RiverSharks.  And after Monday's win over Southern Maryland, the Ducks now sit 39-24, nine games ahead of Camden.  The Long Islanders are winners of their last seven in a row.  Only Lancaster, leading the Freedom Division with forty, have more wins than Long Island.


Sunday's clincher came in dramatic fashion.  After the Sugar Land Skeeters took a 1-0 lead after three innings off starter off Dan Meyer, the Ducks tied the game in the sixth on a Shawn Williams RBI.  Dan Meyer struggled with control, walking six batters in a short 2.2 inning appearance before rain delayed the game.  With the bullpen holding the RiverSharks in check, the game remained tied until the bottom of the ninth inning when Dan Lyons drove in Shawn Williams with the winning run and the first half clincher.  The Ducks completed a sweep of the Skeeters as well.


Then in Monday's series opener against Southern Maryland, Long Island watched their 4-0 lead after five innings almost disappear.  Bryant Nelson's two RBI double gave the Ducks a quick lead after one.  In the third inning, Ray Navarrete drove in Ducks' run number three with another double.  In the fifth, Ray Navarrete's sac-fly drove home Kraig Binick to give the Ducks a 4-0 lead.


In his first 2012 start as a Duck, Nick Singleton pitched five very effective innings.  He allowed a mere two hits and struck out seven.  In the sixth, the Blue Crabs touched up reliever Josh Lansford for two runs.  In the eighth, they picked up another off Jeremy Hill.  But in the ninth and making his return to the Ducks, John Hunton, retired the Blue Crabs in order, to preserve Long Island's victory.  The Long Islanders are now winners of eight of their last ten games.


The Lancaster Barnstormers have wrapped up the Freedom Division title, amassing a convincing lead over the York Revolution.


Seven games remain till the halfway mark of the season, and the Atlantic League All-Star Game.




Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks ~ The Webbed Nine Take a Bite Out of Camden

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  Open Road Trip With 8-0 Blanking of River Sharks.


Mike Loree pitched like the Ducks' ace of old Monday evening in Camden.  He hand-cuffed the Sharks over seven innings, allowing a mere three hits and no runs.  He walked none and struck out five, before giving way to Dan Meyer and Conner Graham, who took care of the eighth and ninth innings to end Camden's night.  Long Island pitching held the River Sharks to five hits.

After a pair of rocky starts, and a few no decisions, Mike Loree pitched, by far, his best game of the season over five starts so far, and picked up his second win in the process.  Mike also lowered his ERA to a 3.18 mark.

Long Island got on the board right away against Camden starter, Mike McGuire.  Kraig Binick led off the game with a walk, and later came around to score for a 1-0 lead.  In the fourth, Long Island used power and took advantage of shoddy defense to score three more runs.  Ray Navarrete led off the inning with a home run.  Then two River Sharks' errors led to two more runs for the Ducks, and a 4-0 lead.

Bryant Nelson led off the fifth with a single, then scored on a Ray Navarrete sac-fly.  In the eighth, Ried Gorecki launched his first home run of the season; a solo shot, to give the Ducks a 6-0 lead.  Then in the ninth, Long Island tacked on two more for good measure.  Matt Esquivel and Ray Navarrete hit back to back doubles, for a 7-0 lead.  Shawn Williams' sac-fly to center scored Navarrete, and capping the Ducks scoring at eight.

That's the Ducks' third win in a row.  They are now the first team to reach twenty wins this season.  Long Island has also opened up a 4.5 game lead over the Bridgeport Bluefish, who lost at home to the Revolution.  Only the Sugar Land Skeeters are a hotter club than the Ducks over the last ten games of the season.

Armando Benitez, signed by the Ducks on May 24, is yet to appear in a game.





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 ~ 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

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

L.I. Ducks ~ 2012 Positional Players Preview

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Long Island Ducks

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  Many New Faces Will Be Wielding a Bat for the Ducks This Season.  But Can the New Members be as Formidable as Last Year's Line-Up?


L.I. Ducks - Gearing Up for Another Run at Title




CATCHER  - J.R. House  .305 AVG  19 HR  81 RBI  ~  GONE.

 Replacements:

1) - The Ducks will primarily go with JOSH JOHNSON behind the dish.  He's 29 years old with AAA experience.  He played last season for the Road Warriors.  Last season, his nine home runs and forty-six rbi were career bests.

2) - SHAWN WILLIAMS is a twenty-eight year old switch hitter who played with the Brockton Rox last season where he batted .316 in 69 games.  He has A-level experience.

Analysis:  The Ducks will clearly not be getting the same production out of their backstop they received last season.





FIRST BASE/DH - John Rodriguez  .313 AVG  18 HR  81 RBI  ~  GONE.

Replacements:

1) - Freddie Thon returns from last season and will see action at first base.

2) - BRANDON SING has resoundingly been considered the American Association's top slugger over the last four seasons.  The 31 year old's best season came in A-ball when he batted .270, stroked 32 home runs, and drove in 94 runs.

Analysis:  John Rodriguez wielded a very productive bat last season.  But he was injured far too often.  What better we to replace him than with independent ball's top slugger.





SECOND BASE - Ray Navarrete will be back.  He has been a Long Island Duck for the majority of the last six seasons.  Ray will turn thirty-four years old in May.  Last year he tied his career best with twenty-seven home runs.  However, he posted his lowest career batting average as a Duck.  Last season Ray Navarrete continued to etch his name into Long Island's record books.  During the 2011 season, Ray became the Ducks' all-time hits leader as well as becoming the team's all-time runs scored leader.  He also lays claim to being the team's all-time home run leader and all-time rbi leader.  For a single season, he holds their record for doubles and games played.  And he also holds the Ducks' record for hits in a single game, and rbi in a single game.  The long time Ducks favorite will be a pleasant sight for Duck fans when this new look team takes the field.





SHORTSTOP - Javier Colina  .309 AVG  25 HR  90 RBI  ~  GONE.
THIRD BASE - Matt Padgett   .282 AVG  11 HR  67 RBI  ~  GONE.

Infield Replacements:

1) - BRYANT NELSON is 38 years old and will serve as a middle infielder off the bench.  This will be his third season with the Ducks.  He gained MLB experience with the Red Sox.  With eighteen years of minor league experience, he is a career .285 hitter.

2) - WILBERTO ORTIZ has six years as a pro with AAA experience.  He's 27 years old and comes to the Ducks from the L.A. Dodgers organization.  Signed more for his glove than his bat, he possesses no real power to speak of, and is a .265 career minor league hitter.

3) - RYAN GARKO has six years of MLB experience. He is 31 years old. His best seasons came in 2007 and 2008. He's a .275 career hitter, with 55 home runs, and 250 rbi on his pro resume.

Analysis:  Dan Lyons also will be back for another season.  But the new infielders will be hard pressed to replicate the kind of offense last season's Ducks generated.  Matt Garko may have something to say about that however.





CENTER FIELD - Kraig Binick returns for his second season in the Pond.  He was last season's Atlantic League's batting champion.  Kraig split time leading off, and hitting in the sixth and seventh spots in the order.  Prior to suffering a facial injury in a collision at second base, Kraig was off to a blazing start batting as high as .409 as of June 6th.





LEFT FIELD - Kennard Jones   .292 AVG  8 HR  54 RBI  ~  GONE.
RIGHT FIELD - Matt Esquivel   .328 AVG  15 HR  69 RBI  ~  GONE.

Outfield Replacements:

1) - REID GORECKI is a nine year AAA pro.  He is 32 years old with a career .267 average.  Doubles to the gap is his thing.  But he has no real power to speak of.

2) - PAUL KARMAS is a 22 year old who is fresh out of Rookie ball.  Prior to that, he was a .300 hitter for St. John's.

3) - JAMES McOWEN is 27 years old with AA experience.  If he can keep his strikeouts down, he'll be another doubles machine with occasional home run power.  In five seasons, he's a career .289 minor league hitter.

Analysis:  Most of the Ducks' power last season came from the infield.  But Matt Esquivel's numbers will be hard to make-up.  The spotlight seems to be on James McOwen.  Lew Ford will turn thirty-six in August.  This will be his third season in the Pond.

2012

ATLANTIC LEAGUE SEASON

GAME ONE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

vs.

Somerset Patriots

From

TD Bank Ballpark

New Jersey

OPENING DAY

Somerset Patriots

Mike.BTB