L.I. Ducks ~ Riversharks Bite Ducks in Ninth

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  After a Marvelous Pitcher's Duel, Camden Riversharks Serve Up Last Licks on Ducks.

For six innings, Long Island's starter, Gustavo Chacin, and Camden's Kevin Reese, engaged in a fine pitcher's duel at Campbell's Field.

Gustavo pitched through the seventh, surrendering only three hits, and striking out five, while walking two.  Kevin Reese was relieved after six.  But he similarly only allowed four hits, walked one, and struck out three.  Then Camden's bullpen took over.

Through seven innings, Kraig Binick was 2 for 4, and was the only Ducks player with multiple hits.  Brandon Sing, Matt Esquivel, and Ray Navarrete, had the other three Long Island hits.

After the Ducks failed to score in the top of the eighth, Coach Baez opted to turn the game over to his bullpen.  He summoned Jason Monti, who promptly sat down the Riversharks in order.  The Ducks were likewise set down in order in the top of the ninth.


Jason Monti went out to the hill for his second inning of work.  Suffice to say, after a lead off double, an intentional walk, and a hit-by-pitch to load the bases, Monti was in trouble.  A sac-fly to right later, and this game went final.  Ducks lose on Camden's last licks.


So, after winning the first two games of the series, Camden gets one back.  Thursday will be the fourth and final game of this series.  The Riversharks will be looking for a split.



Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks ~ Too Much Fight in the Bluefish

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  Bluefish Dominating The Pond.  Ducks Drop Fifth Straight to Bridgeport.  Ferry Cup Series Proving Half-Empty For Long Island.

Thursday's was a comeback that fell short.  After Brideport jumped ahead with four runs in the second inning, and another run in the third, the Ducks found themselves behind 5-0 early.

The Bluefish roughed up Joe Esposito during his abbreviated 2.1 innings of work.  He surrendered eight hits and allowed five of six earned runs.  Joe walked one and struck out one in suffering his third loss of the season.

Long Island's bullpen kept Bridgeport off the scoreboard for the rest of the night.  But the damage was already done.  Conner Graham and Dan Meyer took care of the next four innings.  Eric Niesen struggled in his appearance, as he walked three batters out of eight he faced.  Jeremy Hill finished out for the Ducks.

The home team started their comeback in the fifth inning with a lead off home run by Josh Johnson.  In the sixth, Long Island scored again on Josh Johnson's RBI single.  But two more runs in the seventh fell just a little short of a full comeback however.  Matt Esquivel and Ried Gorecki both drove in a run each with singles, but the Ducks couldn't manage another.

This game ended in a 5-4 final.

In Friday night's affair, the Bluefish continued to befuddle Long Island for a fifth consecutive game this season.  Bridgeport swept Long Island earlier in the season, and so far in this series, the Fish have shown no signs of letting up.

Gustavo Chacin took the hill for Long Island and immediately found himself in a 2-0 hole after the first inning of play.  Another run in the third, and three more in the sixth knocked Chacin out of the box after having allowed six earned runs over 6.2 innings.  The Bluefish tagged him for eight hits.  Recent pick-up, Jared Lansford, came in to relieve.

Through six, all the Ducks could manage off Bridgeport's starter, Paul Oseguera, were two hits.  But they finally broke through for a few runs in the eighth.  After Ried Gorecki and Dan Lyons reached safely, Wilberto Ortiz drove in Gorecki with a single.  Brandon Sing then stepped up and jacked a three run home run to cut Bridgeport's lead in half.  That was Brandon's seventh.  But by then, Bridgeport had already scored eight runs off Ducks' pitching.  Dan Meyer got touched for two of those, as the Ducks used five relievers to get through the game.


The Bluefish have now crept back to within 1.5 games of the Ducks for first in the Liberty Division.

Bridgeport Bluefish lead Ferry Cup Series 5-0

Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks ~ The Pond Hurlers; 2012 Ducks Pitching

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Long Island Ducks

2012 Positional Players - Preview

Long Island Ducks; Gearing Up For Another Run at Title

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  The Ducks' Ace Pitcher and 2011 Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year, Returns for a Second Season in the Pond.



Last season, if there were questions regarding the Ducks' pitching, it centered around Mike Parisi and Mike Loree.  And the question was - How long would they last?  With the fine seasons both were having, it was only a matter of time before affiliated baseball came seeking their services.  And sure enough, Mike Parisi was the first to go.  Mike Loree followed.  Only, Mike Loree came back for the playoffs, and pitched Long Island into the championship round against York.


After Mike and Mike, the Ducks were desperately thin at starting pitching last season.  But Long Island possessed a rather remarkable bullpen that over came many deficiencies in the starting rotation.  In the end, Long Island's pitching held up.  It was the offense that disappeared against the York Revolution in the Finals.


That's all behind us now.  The 2012 season is here.



Last season's Atlantic League Pitcher of the Season; Mike Loree; returns to the Long Island Ducks for his second season.  He won the League's pitching triple crown last season with 14 wins, 131 strikeouts, and sported a league low 1.98 era.  Mike will start the season off against the Somerset Patriots this evening.


Gustavo Chacin will most likely serve as the number two starter behind Loree.  In 2005, he went 13-9 with the Toronto Blue Jays.  Over 58 major league starts, the 31 year old owns a 27-17 overall record.  Last year, he split time between AAA-Buffalo, and Oklahoma City of the Pacific Coast League.


Jason Monti returns to the club after pitching in 20 games out of the bullpen for the Ducks last year. He did not start a game last season, but in his two previous seasons; one with Somerset, and one spent in the Frontier League, he made 36 starts in 45 appearances.


Eric Niesen is no stranger to me.  Drafted by the New York Mets, he played his first season in Brooklyn with the Cyclones; A-NYPL.  Raised through the Mets' system as a starter, in 2011, he appeared in 51 games, all in relief.




Randy Keisler is a 36 year old lefty.  He played for Long Island in 2010, and is a veteran of 13 seasons mostly in AAA.  Last season he played in the L.A. Dodgers organization.  He made 19 starts and posted a 7-7 win/loss record.


Joe Esposito started 14 games for Reading of the Eastern League last season.  But the 33 year old is most likely headed for the Ducks' bullpen.  In 375 career minor league innings pitched, he has amassed 405 strikeouts.


Connor Graham spent the last two seasons playing for the Cleveland Indians' affiliate in AA-Akron.  He appeared in 43 games last season; 39 came in relief.  In 79 innings, he struck out 65 batters, and posted a 3.43 era.



Jeff Lyman started the 2011 season playing Rookie Ball, and eventually made his way to AA-Springfield.  The 25 year old made 35 appearances, all in relief.  In 49 innings pitched, he struck out 39 batters, but also walked 32 batters as well.


Jon Meloan comes to the Ducks with loads of AAA experience.  This may be Long Island's closer this season.  Over 372 innings pitched in his 6 year minor league career, he has amassed 433 strikeouts, while issuing 180 base on balls.


Dan Meyer will be another potential high strikeout pitcher.  But he walks far too many batters.  He has 103 games, and 113 innings pitched worth of MLB experience.


Travis Minix appeared in 11 games for the Somerset Patriots last season.  He also pitched for Somerset's 2008 and 2009 championship teams.  He has 6 seasons of AAA experience.


Retuning from last season to bolster the bullpen once again, will be the dependable duo of Jeremy Hill and Bob Zimmerman.  Hill, the ten year baseball veteran posted an 8-2 record with a 2.91 era for the Ducks out of the pen last season.





Mike.BTB