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

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