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 Shut Out Ferry Hawks in Staten Island Opener

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

EMPIRE STATE
Battle of the Birds

Long Island Ducks

vs.

Staten Island Ferry Hawks

Ferry Hawks Get Their Feathers Ruffled By Flock

The Flock returned to the boroughs to resume their New York rivalry with the Ferry Hawks.

Long Island right-hander Scott Harkin and four bullpen members joined in hurling a gem.  Harkin faced 19 batters, throwing 65 pitches with an efficient 46 (70.7%) going for strikes.  He allowed no runs on four hits and one walk with a pair of strikeouts over five innings for the win.  Harkin improved to 5-6 with a lowered 3.75 ERA over 72.0 innings.  Four relievers limited the Ferry Hawks to four hits and no walks over the final four innings to preserve the shutout.

The Ducks scored four runs off Staten Island starter Dakota Freese, who struggled with control.  First baseman Sam Travis scored on a fielder's choice in the second.  Designated hitter Alejandro De Aza and Sam Travis singled and delivered home runs in the third.  In the fifth, Dakota Freese walked the bases loaded, and center fielder Rusney Castillo followed with a sac-fly to right field scoring Long Island's final run of the night.  Freese allowed four hits but walked six in a losing effort.  Boxscore

Hoping our Ducks (and @AtlanticLg) fam had as spectacular a #FourthofJuly as this!

Happy Birthday America! 🇺🇸 🎇 ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/Eigl5eIQ64

— Long Island Ducks (@LIDucks) July 5, 2022

Staten Island Ferry Hawks Pluck Long Island Ducks

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

Staten Island Evens Series With Long Island

After being shut out on Tuesday, left-handed Bronx native Anthony Rodriguez set Staten Island on a winning course in game two.  The Ferry Hawk starter kept Long Island scoreless on just two hits and one walk through the fifth inning.

Facing Duck right-hander Scott Harkin, the Ferry Hawks opened the scoring on designated hitter Joseph Reyes' double in the second.  Reyes then doubled home his second run of the game in the fourth.  In the fifth inning, Antoine Duplantis and Angel Aguilar each delivered home a run giving Staten Island a 4-0 lead.

Left fielder L.J. Mazzilli spoiled the shutout with a home run to left/center field, leading off the top of the sixth inning.  Reliever Sandy Baez then took over pitching duties for Long Island in the bottom of the sixth.

Right-hander Connor Law entered the game in the top of the seventh in relief of Anthony Rodriguez.  

Long Island's Chad Hockin entered the game in the bottom of the seventh and yielded a run-scoring double to Ricardo Cespedes, extending Staten Island's lead to four.

After a scoreless eighth, Staten Island's Victor Capellan closed out the ninth.  Anthony Rodriguez earned his second win of the season.  Scott Harkin took the loss.

• Boxscore: Ducks 1; Hawks 5
• Game One

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: 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