Long Island Ducks Outlast Staten Island Ferry Hawks in Wild Contest at The Pond

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

BATTLE of NEW YORK

Staten Island Ferry Hawks

vs.

Long Island Ducks

Flock Stages Stunning Comeback at The Pond

The Ferry Hawks appeared well on their way toward tying the series out on Long Island.  They broke out with three runs in the first inning against Ducks starter Stephen Tarpley, who would fail to pitch out of the third.  After allowing three runs on three hits and one walk in just 2.1 innings pitched, he was relieved.  

Right-hander Hunter Claudelle likewise allowed three runs on three hits and four walks in relief of Tarpley, and the Ferry Hawks led 6-0 through three and a half innings of play. 

But Staten Island would soon regret leaving the bases loaded in the top of the fourth.  

Long Island stunningly rallied for ten runs in the bottom half of the frame, highlighted by Johnni Turbo's three-run home run giving Long Island a 7-6 lead and another three-run home run off the bat of Sam Travis, making it a 10-6 game.

Staten Island recovered a single run in the fifth and added two more in the seventh but ultimately finished a run short.

Second-year Duck Dylan Peiffer earned the win with 1.1 innings pitched, and Tyler Webb pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.  

Ferry Hawk starter and Bronx native Anthony Rodriguez allowed six runs (five earned) on seven hits and two walks in 3.0 innings pitched but escaped with a no-decision.  Right-hander Eddy Reynoso 

yielded both Long Island home runs and got tagged with the loss.  

Staten Island right fielder Rymer Liriano went 2 for 4 with a double and four runs batted in.  Second baseman Alfredo Reyes was 3 for 6 with a triple, one run batted in, and twice scored.  BOXSCORE

L.I. Ducks: Late Rally Gives Lexington Legends 2-1 Championship Series Lead

From the desk: THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

ATLANTIC LEAGUE

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

LEXINGTON LEGENDS

vs.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

GAME ONE    GAME TWO

Failure to Convert Early Inning Opportunities Comes Back to Haunt Ducks; Legends Seize 2-1 Series Lead With Eighth Inning Rally

With Lexington, Kentucky, hosting their first-ever Atlantic League championship series game, Game Three pits right-hander Scott Harkin for Long Island against J.J. Hoover pitching for the Legends.

SCORING OPPORTUNITIES LOST

The Ducks threaten early but keep coming up empty.  They load the bases in the first but leave all runners stranded.  Catcher Hector Sanchez doubles with one out in the second and advances to third but is also left stranded.  Then with two outs in the third and Vladimir Frias, the base runner at second, L.J. Mazzilli singled to left field, but Frias is thrown out at home attempting to score.

As fate would have it, Lexington opens the scoring on catcher Christian Correa's home run leading off the bottom half of the third.

DUCKS TWICE OVERCOME DEFICIT

After getting set down in the fourth, center fielder Boog Powell ties the game in the fifth with his second home run of the playoffs.

But Lexington retakes the lead with two runs in the home sixth on a walk, a fielder's choice, a wild pitch, and Juan Silverio's two-run base hit.

Scott Harkin exits on the losing side after allowing three runs on four hits and three walks with six strikeouts through six.  Meanwhile, J.J. Hoover leaves on the winning side, allowing one run on just four hits and two walks through six innings.

Long Island's Dylan Peiffer and Henry Owens for Lexington twirl a scoreless seventh.

With two outs in the eighth, L.J. Mazzilli singles, and Deibinson Romero ties the game with a two-run blast to left field.

BULLPEN IMPLOSION

Wally Backman turns to Frank Moscatiello, who pitched well in Game Two for the bottom of the eighth.  After retiring his first two batters, Moscatiello walks the next batter prompting another change by Backman.  But Wally's maneuverings backfire.  Southpaw Darrell Thompson yields three consecutive hits as the Legends plate three runs en route to a 6-3 lead and the final margin of victory.

Frank Moscatiello takes the loss for walking the potential go-ahead run.  Scott Harkin escapes with a no-decision.  Henry Owens earns the victory in relief of Hoover, and Austin Adams earns his second save.

• BOXSCORE

L.I. Ducks: Lexington Legends Take Game One of Championship Series at The Pond

From the desk: THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

ATLANTIC LEAGUE

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

LEXINGTON LEGENDS

vs.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

Lexington Legends Bullpen Lockdown Ducks

Game One features New Jersey native Eli Garcia toeing the rubber for Lexington against right-hander

Brendan Feldmann for the Ducks.  Both pitchers are knocked out of the box early.  Garcia fails to make it out of the third, and Feldmann is relieved in the fourth.

Lexington opens with single runs in the first and second innings.  Legend left fielder Courtney Hawkins

homered in the first.  Two hits and a hit by pitch loaded the bases in the second, and a sac-fly gave Lexington a 2-0 lead.  

Long Island catcher Hector Sanchez singles opening the home third, and a pair of walks issued to Ty Kelly and Boog Powell loaded the bases.  With one out, Steve Lombardozzi's sac-fly to right field scores Sanchez.  Left fielder Lew Ford singles on a comebacker and advances two bases on an errant throw to first; both Kelly and Powell score.  Right-fielder L.J. Mazzilli then singles home Ford for a 4-2 Ducks lead.

But Long Island's lead is fleeting.

Brendan Feldmann surrenders a leadoff double, followed by two consecutive walks to load the bases in the top of the fourth.  Wally Backman then summons Anderson DeLeon from the bullpen, who promptly unleashes a wild pitch allowing home a run.  A second run crosses home on a sac-fly, tying the game at four.  Both runs are charged to Feldmann.

The Lexington bullpen shuts out the Ducks, beginning in the fourth through eighth innings.  Meanwhile, the Legends bunch together three hits and benefit from a throwing error resulting in two runs in the sixth, then tack on their seventh run in the eighth.

Trailing 7-4 entering the home ninth, Boog Powell draws a leadoff walk, and shortstop Vladimir Frias singles putting runners at the corners.  Steve Lombardozzi looks at strike three, and Lew Ford goes down swinging.  L.J. Mazzilli walks to load the bases, after which Deibinson Romero draws yet another walk to force home Powell from third.  With two outs and the bases still jammed with Ducks, designated hitter Chris Shaw lifts a ball deep into the right/center gap chased down and caught by center fielder Cole Sturgeon for the game's final out.

Four members of Lexington's bullpen join together in limiting the Ducks to one run on five hits and five walks with three strikeouts over the final 6.1 innings.  Shawn Blackwell earns the win in relief of Garcia, and Austin Adams earns a troublesome save, but a save nonetheless.

Duck right-hander Dylan Peiffer takes the loss.

BOXSCORE

L.I. Ducks: Flock Strikes Back; Force Decisive Third Game in North Division Series

From the desk: THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

ATLANTIC LEAGUE

NORTH DIVISION SERIES

SOUTHERN MARYLAND BLUE CRABS

vs.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

BOXSCORE GAME TWO

Scott Harkin Tosses Gem to Force Decisive Game Three Against Blue Crabs

Needing to force a third game in the North Division series, Long Island right-hander Scott Harkin does just that by hurling a gem in game two against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.

Harkin allows just four hits, none for extra bases, and no walks with six strikeouts over 7.0 innings for the win.  He faces 26 batters and throws 99 pitches, with 64 going for strikes.  Frankie Moscatiello

allows just one hit and fans three in a scoreless eight-inning, and Dylan Peiffer throws a no-hit, no-run ninth inning to complete the shutout from out of the bullpen.

Facing Southern Maryland starter Kolton Mahoney, Long Island strikes for an early run in the first.  Second baseman Steve Lombardozzi singles home Boog Powell.  With two outs in the second and runners at the corners, Boog Powell lays down a bunt fielded by the pitcher who throws to first;  Deibinson Romero scores on the play giving the Ducks a 2-0 lead.

Long Island adds two in the sixth on runs batted in by catcher Hector Sanchez and Chris Shaw.

Chris Shaw singles home his second run in the eighth, and with the bases loaded, Steve Lombardozzi draws a walk forcing home Shaw.  Right fielder Ramon Flores knocks in the Ducks' seventh and final run in the visitor's ninth.

Kolton Mahoney allows four runs on seven hits and four walks in 5.1 innings for the loss.

Boog Powell leads Long Island with three hits, and Deibinson Romero goes 2 for 3 with two walks and four runs scored.

GAME ONE