Long Island Ducks Take Second Straight from Staten Island Ferry Hawks

From the desk: THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE and THAT RICHMOND COUNTY TEAM

EMPIRE STATE

Battle of the Birds

Long Island Ducks

vs.

Staten Island Ferry Hawks

Ferry Hawks Let Two Leads Get Away

Leading off the home first for Staten Island, right fielder Antoine Duplantis homered to right field.  But Long Island answered right back on catcher Carlos Castro's run-scoring double in the second.  The Ferry Hawks retook the lead on newly acquired Cristopher Cespedes' RBI single in the fourth.  After a scoreless fifth inning, Sam Travis scored on a Dustin Woodcock sac-fly, and catcher Joe DeCarlo drove in Deibinson Romero, giving the Ducks a 3-2 lead and the final margin of victory.  

Ferry Hawk starter and Bronx native Anthony Rodriguez surrendered three runs, but only two were earned, on seven hits and four walks in 5.2 innings for the loss.

Long Island native Joe Iorio limited Staten Island to a pair of runs on four hits and four walks with a pair of strikeouts in seven innings for his seventh win against four losses.  In relief, left-hander Jose Jose tossed a scoreless eighth, and Tyler Webb closed out the ninth for his tenth save.  

BOXSCORE

Visiting Long Island Ducks Rout Staten Island Ferry Hawks in Series Opener

From the desk: THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE and THAT RICHMOND COUNTY TEAM

EMPIRE STATE

Battle of the Birds

Long Island Ducks

vs.

Staten Island Ferry Hawks

at

Richmond County Grounds

The Flock Announce Their Arrival With Authority

The Ducks created instant trouble for Ferry Hawk starter Francisco Carrillo who yielded five hits in the first inning, most notably a three-run home run by designated hitter Deibinson Romero.  Afterwhich, things settled down, and the score remained unchanged through the fourth.  

But Long Island stepped it up again in the fifth.  Left fielder Sam Travis doubled home 

Alejandro De Aza, first baseman Jacson McGowan doubled home Travis, and Francisco Carrillo was sent off to the showers.  With Eddy Reynoso pitching in relief, a sac-fly by Vladimir Frias plated the third run of the inning, giving the Ducks a 6-0 lead.  

A sac-fly off the bat of Antoine Duplantis in Staten Island's half of the fifth finally spoiled the shutout.  Making his 17th start for the Ducks, right-hander Scott Harkin exited on the winning side after allowing one run on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts through five innings pitched.   

Out of the Duck bullpen, Edubray Ramos threw a scoreless sixth, right-hander Sandy Baez twirled a scoreless seventh, and James Varela similarly handled the eighth.  

Deibinson Romero extended Long Island's lead on a wild pitch in the seventh. 

In the top of the ninth, Staten Island pitching wholly imploded.  Long Island sent eleven batters to the plate who erupted for another seven runs, highlighted by catcher Carlos Castro's two-run home run.  

James Varela completed his second scoreless inning in the home ninth to close out this lopsided victory.  Four Long Island pitchers joined to limit the Ferry Hawks to a pair of runs on six hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.

Long Island batters amassed 21 hits, with seven going for extra bases.  Shortstop Kevin Whatley was the lone Duck without a hit, while all other batters wielded no less than two hits each.

BOXSCORE