Staten Island Ferry Hawks Salvage Series Finale Against Long Island Ducks

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 and Mother Nature Strike Down Long Island Ducks

After sustaining consecutive losses to open the series, the Ferry Hawks tallied seven runs by the time Long Island mounted a response.  Not until the home fifth did Duck starter Bennett Parry retire Staten Island without yielding a run.  Leading off the bottom of the first, right fielder Antoine Duplantis doubled and scored.  The Ferry Hawks then pushed across two runs in the second, Dilson Herrera hit a two-run home run in the third, and designated hitter Joseph Monge singled home a pair in the fourth.  The Ducks finally got on the board in the fifth.  With the bases loaded, Staten Island starter Matt Solter walked Alejandro De Aza forcing in a run, and Dustin Woodcock scored on a fielder's choice.  In the top of the sixth, Jacson McGowan hit his first home run as a member of the Ducks, and shortstop Phil Caulfield doubled home a run making the score 7-4 in Staten Island's favor.  Matt Solter exited the game on the winning side upon allowing four runs on eight hits and four walks with six strikeouts in 5.2 innings. 

• Then, the game was delayed by lightning in the bottom of the sixth.  Play resumed at 9:18 pm.

Once given the all-clear, the Ducks rallied for two runs in the top half of the seventh; Jacson McGowan and Joe DeCarlo scored, cutting the Ferry Hawks' lead to one.  But Staten Island answered right back with two runs at the frame's bottom.  Hits by Dilson Herrera and Ricardo Cespedes extended the Ferry Hawks' lead to three.  The teams traded runs in the eighth.  Afterwhich, right-hander Victor Capellan closed out the game with a scoreless ninth for his 13th save.  Staten Island salvages the series finale.  Matt Solter earns the win and Bennett Parry takes the loss.  BOXSCORE

 

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

Long Island Ducks Hurl Shutout Over Staten Island Ferry Hawks

From the desks: THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE & THAT RICHMOND COUNTY CLUB

EMPIRE STATE

BATTLE of the BIRDS

Long Island Ducks

vs.

Staten Island Ferry Hawks

Stephen Tarpley, Ducks Bullpen Outduel Ferry Hawks in Series Opener on Staten Island

The battle of the birds resumed at Richmond County grounds on Tuesday.  

Left-hander Stephen Tarpley climbed the hill for Long Island, and seven-year independent league veteran Dakota Freese started for the host Ferry Hawks.  Both pitchers held the opposition scoreless through the first four innings, each allowing just two hits, respectively.

The Ferry Hawks threatened in the fifth, but with runners on the corners and one out, catcher Bryan Gonzalez bounced into an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play.

Long Island finally broke through in the sixth.  Recently acquired Phil Caulfield drew a one-out walk and soon scored on Alejandro De Aza's fielder's choice to second.

Staten Island threatened again in the home sixth with three consecutive singles to load the bases.  But with one out, Stephen Tarpley struck out center fielder Ricardo Cespedes for out number two, then fanned Dilson Herrera on five pitches to end the frame.

Ferry Hawk manager Edgardo Alfonzo handed the ball over to reliever Eddy Reynoso in the seventh.  

Starter Dakota Freese allowed one run on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts in six innings. 

The Ducks promptly put two runners on base on an E-5 and a hit-by-pitch.  Reynoso gathered himself and struck out Dustin Woodcock for out number two.  Shortstop Vladimir Frias popped out to Dilson Herrera in foul territory to end the threat.

Flock skipper Wally Backman summoned right-hander Nick Goody from the bullpen for the bottom of the seventh.  

Starter Stephen Tarpley allowed six hits and one walk with eight strikeouts over six scoreless innings pitched.  He faced 23 batters while throwing 90 pitches, with 57 (63.3%) going for strikes.

Alejandro De Aza was hit with a pitch in the eighth and left the game.  It was the second batter hit by Eddy Reynoso.  It gave the Ducks runners on first and second with no outs.  With Sam Travis at the plate, L.J. Mazzilli got thrown out at third on the front end of an attempted double steal.  Travis then bounced back to the pitcher.

Southpaw Tyler Webb entered the game in the bottom of the eighth in relief of Nick Goody.

Right-hander Joe Kuzia pitched a scoreless top half of the ninth for Staten Island.

Former Arizona Diamondback farmhand Kai-Wei Lin was tasked by Wally Backman with closing out the ninth, and he did not disappoint, retiring the side in order and striking out the last man looking.

Three Staten Island pitchers limited the Ducks to just three hits.  Dakota Freese took the loss.  

Stephen Tarpley improves to 3-3 with a 2.75 ERA.

The Ducks and Ferry Hawks have now played ten games this season, with Long Island winning seven and Staten Island three.  However, the teams are even at 3-3 over their last six meetings.

• BOXSCORE