David Washington Powers Long Island Ducks to Game One Victory over Sugar Land Skeeters

From the desk of: THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

ATLANTIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

GAME ONE

SUGAR LAND SKEETERS

vs.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

FROM

THE POND

Long Island breaks out for five runs in the first inning against Sugar Land starter Mike Hauschild.  Rey Fuentes, Steve Lombardozzi, and Lew Ford, open with consecutive hits for an instant 1-0 lead.  L.J. Mazzilli then grounds into a seemingly inning altering double-play.  But Hauschild walks next batter Hector Sanchez putting two runners on base, then surrenders a three run home run to third baseman Deibinson Romero.  David Washington makes it back to back home runs with a long jolt over the center field wall.

Helped along by catcher Hector Sanchez' errant pick-off attempt at first base Sugar Land scores their first run before achieving their first hit, and close to within 5-3 by the fourth.  That is, until David Washington leads off the bottom half of the frame with his second home run of the game.  Vladimir Frias follows with a double to right, and eventually scores on Steve Lombardozzi's sac-fly to center for a 7-3 Ducks lead.

Starter Vin Mazzaro exits the game on the winning side after allowing three earned runs on three hits and two walks with five strikeouts through six.  Manager Backman summons Joe Iorio from the bullpen whom yields two runs including a home run from designated hitter Denis Phipps making it a 7-5 game.  But Cody Mincey retires the Skeeters in order in the ninth preserving Long Island's series opening victory at Bethpage Ballpark.  Mazzaro earns the victory, Mincey the save.

FIRST PITCH

FIRST INNING 

Deibinson Romero hits a three run home run

giving the 4-0 Ducks lead.

FIRST INNING

David Washington makes it back to back 

home runs giving the Ducks a 5-0 lead.

FOURTH INNING

David Washington hits his second home run of the game.

ATLANTIC LEAGUE

GAME TWO MATCH-UP

(S.L.) Carlos Pimentel  vs.  (L.I.) Darin Downs

L.I. Ducks: 2018 Liberty Division Champions

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Ducks Win Liberty Division Series, 3-2

I - LID 9; SOM 2

II - LID 11; SOM 1

III - SOM 8; LID 4

VI - SOM 5; LID 3

V - LID 3; SOM 2*

*10 innings

Long Island Ducks Outlast Somerset Patriots; Win Liberty Division Crown; Advance to Atlantic League Championship Series.

For the moment, this concludes an otherwise epic season-long battle against the Patriots.  The teams split their regular season series down the middle, with each gaining nine victories apiece.  Somerset clinches the first-half division title while posting a 6-3 record over Long Island.  But the Ducks turn the tables in the second-half, likewise taking six of nine from their rival and clinching the division by two games over Somerset.

The Liberty Division championship series opens at Bethpage Ballpark, where the Ducks pummel visiting Somerset in games one and two by a combined 20-3 margin.  As the series shifts to TD Bank Ballpark, the Patriots strike back with victories in games three and four.  In the fifth and decisive game at Somerset, the teams remain deadlocked at two through nine innings of play.

Naturally ...

With two outs in the top of the tenth, Ducks third baseman Taylor Ard singles to center.  David Washington follows with a single to right, advancing Ard to third.  Catcher Ramon Cabrera then lofts a fly to right/center that drops in, scoring Ard from third with the go-ahead run.  Closer Francisco Rodriguez had previously been called upon by Coach Baez to pitch the ninth.  For the bottom of the tenth, Coach calls upon veteran starter Matt Larkins.  After fanning lead-off batter Craig Massey, Larkins greets Somerset shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez with an inadvertent pitch to the ribs.  Undeterred, Larkins retires Endy Chavez on a pop-out to short, then induces first baseman Jayce Boyd into a game ending fielder's choice.

Entering the series, I noted in my preview Long Island's offensive production would not necessarily be the problem.  And it wasn't.  The Ducks wound up outhitting the Patriots 53-41, and outscoring them by a 30-18 margin. 

However, I insisted the Ducks would need to somehow out-pitch Somerset, a team which ranked first/second in most major pitching categories alongside Sugar Land.  The Ducks, who during the regular season ranked fifth/six in most pitching categories, did just that.  Through five games plus one inning, Somerset starters allowed 18 earned runs through 26.2 innings pitched for a 6.18 ERA.  Their bullpen surrendered another nine earned runs in 17.1 innings for an ineffective 4.73 ERA.  Meanwhile Ducks starters allowed just 13 earned runs through 29.1 innings pitched for a 4.02 ERA.  The bullpen was stellar, allowing just three earned runs in 14.2 innings for a 1.90 ERA. 

Closer Francisco Rodriguez earns the victory in Long Island's clinching game, and veteran starter Matt Larkins earns the save.

Well done, Duck!

ATLANTIC LEAGUE 

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Long Island Ducks

vs

Sugar Land Skeeters

FROM

The Lone Star State

That makes three straight Liberty Division titles for Long Island, thus marking their third straight trip to the Atlantic League Championship Series.  The Ducks have previously appeared in six league championships in their history and have won three league titles, but none since their back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.  In each of the last two years, the Ducks were swept first by the Sugar Land Skeeters in 2016, then again last season by the York Revolution.  The Skeeters (1-1) are making their third ever trip to the championship series.

May the wind be at your backs  ...

Next stop is Sugar Land, Texas, where the Skeeters await the Flock's arrival.

L.I. Ducks: On Not So Golden Pond

From the desk of:. THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Sugar Land Skeeters

* *  2016  * *

ATLANTIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

Skeeters win series 3-0

I - SLS 7; LID 1

II - SLS 2; LID 0

III - SLS 5; LID 3

Long Island Ducks: Back to the Old Drawing Board.

As fate would have it, pitching turned out not being Long Island's phantom menace.

They entered the season very well armed with John Brownell, Darin Downs, Jack Snodgrass, Mark Blackmar, Bobby Blevins, and spot starter Bruce Kern manning the rotation.  On the strength of their depth, the Ducks nudged their way atop the Liberty Division to clinch a first-half title.

By July, however, the contracts of all but Brownell and Blevins had been purchased away, and the resulting net affects would be considerable.  Long Island's second-half 32-38 record, and last place finish says it all.

With the regular season winding down, pitchers Nick Struck, Matt Larkins, Jarrett Leverett, and Daniel Hererra were at least providing fans a sense of renewed hope for a successful playoff run.

Losing games One and Two of the Liberty Division series on the road at Somerset, then storming back to win three straight at Bethpage Ballpark, and deposing last year's champion was yet another reason for fans believing they could still pull off the improbable.

Then you look back at Game One of the championship series against the Sugar Land Skeeters and think, okay, the Ducks were rolling the dice by starting Bobby Blevins.  And yes, that scenario proved predictably problematic for the Long Islanders.

Blevins is coming off a terrible season, his worst as a Duck, ending with a 2-12 record 5.51 ERA, while allowing 154 hits in 127.1 innings pitched.  He wrapped up the regular season losing five of his last six games, surrendering 23 runs on 56 hits in 39.1 innings pitched.  The series opener at Sugar Land offered much of the same.  Bobby Blevins was relieved after just 4 innings of work, but not before surrendering six runs on nine hits.

But what choice did the Ducks have ... really?  John Brownell pitched games One and Five against the Patriots, and thus became unavailable against Sugar Land during games One through Three.

After dropping the first two games of the Atlantic League finals in Sugar Land (again), the Ducks needed yet another improbable three game comeback at the Pond.

Their run instead promptly ended, with Sugar Land completing the sweep with a 5-3 victory in Game Three at Bethpage Ballpark to capture their first ever league title.

Offensively speaking, Long Island's bats short circuited much in the same manner the 2011 Ducks' did during the 2011 finals against York.  That year's most potent offense of the league fell completely and ponderously silent during the finals.

In three games against the Skeeters, the Ducks hit a mere 19 for 95, for a .200 team average, were outscored 14-4, and shut out once.  Meanwhile, Coach Baez stuck with a regular line-up.  But his lead-off hitter only went 2 for 11, while the middle three, four, and five hitters, combined on just one RBI.

Neither Mark Blackmar nor Jack Snodgrass could have prevented that.

Atlantic League: Ducks Migrating to Texas for Championship Series Opener

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

ATLANTIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

GAME ONE

Long Island Ducks

vs.

Sugar Land Skeeters

FROM

The Lone Star State

Long Island Ducks: Flock overcome two game deficit with three straight victories at Bethpage Ballpark; eliminate former champion Somerset Patriots to capture Liberty Division crown.

Sunday's game marked the year's 25th clash between the Long Island Ducks and Somerset Patriots.

The league's two most successful franchises split their regular season series right down the middle with ten victories apiece.  Entering Game Five of the Liberty Divison series, the playoffs had played out no differently with the Patriots sweeping two games in Bridgewater, New Jersey, then with the Ducks regrouping and taking games Three and Four at Bethpage Ballpark.

In other words, through five months worth of regular and post-season baseball, nothing had really changed.

But there sat Long Island's 500 lbs. gorilla in the locker room still pointing to last year's Game Five whitewash at the hands of these very same Somerset Patriots.

As if Long Islanders need reminding ... Somerset captured last year's Liberty Division title with a 4-0 shutout in Game Five over John Brownell and the Ducks en route to winning their sixth Atlantic League championship.

The disappointment no doubt remained fresh on the minds of many of these Long Island Ducks, but perhaps none more so than John Brownell who pitched poorly that day, allowing four runs in 4.2 innings pitched, from which the Ducks could not recover.

One year later, John Brownell and the Flock gain sweet redemption.  The Ducks completed their unlikely comeback ... all the way back ... winning Game Five and capturing the Liberty Division crown with a 5-1 victory over the Patriots.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

2016

First-Half Champions

Liberty Division Champions
*

Ducks win series over Patriots 3-2

I - SOM 3; LID 2*

II - SOM 10; LID 0

III - LID 7; SOM 1

IV - LID 2; SOM 0

V - LID 5; SOM 2

*11 innings

John Brownell, the Ducks' all time ace, pitched 5.2 masterful innings during Sunday's series finale, retiring the first 12 Somerset batters he faced.  He surrendered a lone run in the fifth, otherwise allowed just three hits, no walks, and fanned two batters before exiting on the winning side.

Coach Baez then handed the ball off to the bullpen, whom continued pitching 3.1 innings of scoreless baseball, allowing a pair of hits and a walk, while fanning six batters to close out the victory.

Long Island jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back.  Eight Ducks hitters stepped in against Patriots starter Will Oliver, immediately turning Somerset score keeper pages into scribble.  Many little details needed squeezing into those little boxes:

• a lead-off single, a catcher's interference, a fielder's choice, two wild pitches, a double, a strikeout, yet another wild pitch, another double, and one last base hit all led to Somerset's early deficit.

Will Oliver's control failed him again in the second, as Anthony Vega scored on yet another wild pitch, giving the Ducks a 5-0 lead.

Somerset finally scored off John Brownell in the fifth, on second baseman Eric Farris' sacrifice fly to center scoring first baseman Bryan LaHair, but managed little else.

Long Island now faces the Freedom Division champion Sugar Land Skeeters in the Atlantic League championship series

AtlanticLeague.com

CELEBRATIONS PICS

Ducks press release 

  Skeeters press release

Games One and Two will be played at Sugar Land, while games Three through Five (if necessary) are to be played at Bethpage Ballpark.

Sugar Land captured the second-half Freedom Division pennant with a 39-31 record, two games ahead of the first half champion York Revolution, whom in turn were then swept in the Freedom Division final by Sugar Land.

The Skeeters finished the regular season with an overall 74-66 record.  Now in their fifth year of existence, they'll be making their second Atlantic League finals appearance.  They first advanced in 2014, but were swept by the Lancaster Barnstormers.

Long Island concluded their regular season with a 72-68 record - the worst of the final four.  They are nevertheless attempting to win their fourth league title, and their first since capturing back-to-back titles during the 2012-13 seasons.

Long Island Ducks: Atlantic League Playoff Preview

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

*  2016  *

ATLANTIC LEAGUE

DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

Freedom Division Series

YORK REVOLUTION

vs.

SUGAR LAND SKEETERS

This year's Freedom Division series opens Tuesday evening, and features the first-half champion York Revolution facing off against the second-half champ Sugar Land Skeeters.  The series opens in Sugar Land, then shifts to York for games three through five (if necessary).

• Finishing the season with the league's second most victories, York last won back-to-back Atlantic League titles in 2010-2011.

• Two short years after Sugar Land's founding, the Skeeters were swept in the 2014 A.L. championship series by the Lancaster Barnstormers.

Liberty Division Series

FLOCK at the GATES..!!

Long Island Ducks

vs.

Somerset Patriots

FROM

TD Bank Ballpark

Bridgewater, N.J.

On Wednesday, old time rivals resume hostilities when the defending Atlantic League champion and this year's second-half Liberty Division winner Somerset Patriots host the first-half champ Long Island Ducks.

• Finishing the regular season with the league's best record, the Somerset Patriots are chasing their seventh ever Atlantic League championship.  They've also lost four championship series along the way.

• After losing to York in the 2011 championship series, the Ducks rebounded to win back-to-back titles in 2012-13, then failed to qualify for the 2014 post-season.  They were then eliminated in the first round of last year's playoffs.

Overall Record

Patriots  77-63

Ducks    72-68

These rivals last faced off on August 11, with Somerset gaining a 7-4 victory at Bethpage Ballpark.   

However, these teams could not be more evenly matched.  The Ducks and Patriots met 20 times in the regular season, with each claiming ten victories.  

The Patriots opened the regular season by sweeping four games from the Ducks.  But despite posting a 7-3 first-half record against Long Island, it was the Flock that would capture the first-half crown.  

In an ironic reversal of fortune, the Ducks kicked off the second-half with a three game sweep of the Patriots, en route to a 7-3 record over Somerset.  However, Somerset ensured themselves the opportunity of defending their league title by capturing the Liberty Division second-half flag.

If only marginally, Somerset seemingly enters these playoffs the hotter club.  The Patriots posted an 11-8 record in September, but finished 5-5 over their last ten games of the season.  Long Island posted an 8-10 record in September, but finished 6-4 over their final ten games.

The Patriots seemingly own a slight offensive advantage over the Ducks.  Long Island's pitching, however, seems to enjoy the edge over that of Somerset's.

At The Plate

Team Slash

• SOM - .272/.349/.401
• LID - .270/.334/.388

Runs

• SOM - 694
• LID - 635

Home Runs

• SOM - 116
• LID - 84

Total Bases

• SOM - 1,933
• LID - 1,808

Stolen Bases

• SOM - 166
• LID - 124

Long Island's MVP candidate Fehlandt Lentini is the only Atlantic League player to score over 100 runs this season.  He additionally leads the circuit in total hits and doubles, places second in stolen bases, fifth in both batting average and RBI, and leads the Ducks with a .455 slugging average.

With a .321 batting average, the Ducks Delta Cleary Jr. ranks third.  Aharon Eggelston batted .310 and Eric Farris batted .301 this season for the Patriots.  Eggelston is fifth in the League with a .388 OBP, while Ruben Gotay ranks ninth and leads the Ducks with a .372 mark.

Anthony Vega is sixth in the league with 75 runs scored, while Somerset's Farris and Eggelston are ranked seventh and tenth respectively.

The Patriots' David Vidal is second in the league with 26 home runs.  Anthony Vega leads the Ducks with eleven, while catcher Mike Blanke has ten.  Fehlandt Lentini, however, leads either team with a .455 slugging average, while Carlos Guzman leads Somerset with a .408 mark.

Bryan LaHair leads the Patriots and ranks second in the league with 86 RBI.  For Long Island, Fehlandt Lentini drove in 75 runs, and Cody Puckett is sixth with 73 RBI.

Ducks outfielder Lew Ford spent considerable time on the disabled list this season due to a strained hamstring, but is expected to be a regular starter during the playoffs.  Originally injured on May 28, he remained out through June 24.  After just five games back, he was sidelined again on June 30 through August 23.  Ford finally returned to action on August 24, and has remained on the field since.

On The Mound

ERA

• SOM - 3.90
• LID - 3.87

WHiP

• SOM - 1.29
• LID - 1.33

Average Against

• SOM - .256
• LID - .256

Slugging Against

• SOM - .392
• LID - .382

Strikeouts

• SOM - 1,080
• LID - 1,084

Base on Balls

• SOM - 361
• LID - 394

There's a good reason why the Ducks finished the second-half in last place with a 32-38 record.  The month of July took a ruinous toll on their pitching staff.  The contracts of Mark Blackmar, Jack Snodgrass, Darin Downs, Bruce Kern, and others, were all purchased away.

Mainstay John Brownell remains, giving the Ducks a fighting chance.  The usually reliable Bobby Blevins endured a rough season.  The Ducks will instead be looking to Matt Larkins, Jarrett Leverett, Daniel Hererra, and Nick Struck to get them through.

Long Island batters will be opposed by Will Oliver, Nik Turley, the familiar Shaun Garceau, and perhaps Efrain Nieves.

Patriots closer Jon Hunton led the Atlantic League with 37 saves, while posting a 3.76 ERA over 50.1 innings pitched.  Ducks closer Todd Coffey registered 27 saves with a 3.08 ERA over 44 innings pitched.

The best of five series shifts to Long Island's Bethpage Ballpark for games three through five (if necessary).

L.I. Ducks: The Monday Swim - 7/27/2015

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

On Troubled Pond...

Long Island Ducks: Flock has yet to recover from disastrous trip to Sugar Land.

For the beaten and battered Ducks, there's perhaps been no more timely, and needed break in the   schedule than today's.

The Ducks have gone 7-10 since play resumed after the Atlantic League All-Star break, and are fresh off getting swept by the Bluefish in Bridgeport.

Looking back, their problems seemingly started during their June trip to Sugar Land, where the Skeeters short circuited Long Island's first half pennant bid by taking 5 of 6 games, dropping the Ducks hopelessly behind the eventual first half champ Somerset Patriots.

Professional baseball circuits from within, and outside America's borders then began pecking away at GM Michael Pfaff's roster.  The departures of Lew Ford, Reegie Corona, Mickey Jannis, and Andrew Barbosa are just a few that Long Island has endured this month.

The present standings are a clear reflection of their plight.  Long Island is 3 games below ,500, and they trail the 1st place Bridgeport Bluefish by 6 games in the Liberty Division standings.

All that said, there's still good news to report.

The Ducks began the second half leading the Wild Card standings by 10 games over the Sugar Land Skeeters, whom also have gotten off to a 7-10 second half start, and lost their last 4 in a row.  Long Island's 10 game lead, then, has remained in tact.

• Don't look now, but Jon Griffin is tied for the league lead in home runs, and is within 4 RBI of taking over the league lead from the departed Lew Ford.  With Ford out of the circuit, Griffin is the lone Atlantic League player with 50+ RBI.

The Ducks open a 7-game home stand on Tuesday against the Somerset Patriots and the Bridgeport Bluefish.

Mike

L.I. Ducks: The Flock's Waddle is Strong

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LIBERTY DIVISION STANDINGS:

1) Somerset        37-16

2) Long Island   35-17

Long Island Ducks: Flock swat Sugar Land Skeeters to gain their latest series sweep; improve record to 16-1 in June.

The Long Island Ducks remain the Atlantic League's hottest team.

With Thursday night's victory over the Sugar Land Skeeters, the Flock completed their third series sweep in their last four, extended their most recent winning streak to 6 games, and improved their record to 16-1 in June after opening the month with a 10-game winning streak.

On June 1st, the Ducks lay 5 games back of the Liberty Division leading Somerset Patriots.  By close of business Thursday, Long Island cut Somerset's lead to just 1.5 games.  There are just 18 games remaining in the season's first half, and the teams are just 15 games away from what could prove to be a decisive head-to-head showdown for the first half crown.

Despite the Ducks torrid month of June, the Somerset Patriots have remained no less relentless.  They are 7-3 in their last 10 games, and 13-5 in June.  They just split 4 games with the Bridgeport Bluefish, and still lead the circuit with a 37-16 record.

Long Island will now host the Bridgeport Bluefish, whom given the Ducks quite a bit of trouble this season.  The Bluefish lead the season series by a 6-4 margin.  The Ducks were swept in their first meeting, and the Bluefish took 2 of 3 games in their second encounter.  Last weekend, the Ducks rebounded after losing the series opener to sweep the final 3 games.  On Friday they open a 4 game series at Bethpage Ballpark.

The Patriots will open a weekend series against the Sugar Land Skeeters in Somerset.

Ducks win series over Skeeters 3-0

I - LID 4; SLS 1

II - LID 3; SLS 1

III - LID 2; SLS 0

Mickey Jannis toed the rubber Thursday night for Long Island, and was opposed by Sugar Land's Roy Merritt.  The two dueled for 7 innings.

Jannis faced 24 batters and threw 94 pitches, with 55 going for strikes.  He allowed no runs on just 3 hits, walked 3 and fanned 5 batters before exiting on the winning side of a 2-0 game.

Merritt faced 25 batters and threw 91 pitches with 62 going for strikes.  Ducks DH Randy Ruiz hit Merritt's only mistake of the evening over the left field wall to give the Ducks their 2-0 margin of victory.   Lew Ford, who previously singled, scored.  Merritt otherwise limited the Ducks to 5 hits, walked none, and fanned 3 batters.

Mickey Jannis improved his record to 5-2, lowered his league leading ERA to a 1.31 mark, and now boasts the league's lowest (.183) batting average against.  He is also 4th in the league behind his team mate John Brownell with 49 strikeouts in 68.1 innings pitched, and owns a .950 WHiP.

Randy Ruiz's double in the second game of Wednesday's double-header proved to be the game winning RBI, as did his 2-run clout on Thursday.

Delta Cleary Jr., has batted lead-off the last 2 games, while Bryan Sabatella nurses a leg injury incurred during the first game of Wednesday's double-header against the Skeeters.  He went 3 for 4 in Wednesday's first game while batting the second slot, but went 0 for 7 in 2 games batting lead-off and watched his average dip from .339 to a .319 mark.

Lew Ford, however, is tied for the league lead with a .340 average, and still leads the circuit with 44 RBI.  First baseman Jon Griffin remains right behind him with 36 RBI.

Dan Lyons went 3 for 7 with 3 RBI in 3 games against the Skeeters.  He is now 6th in the league with 26 RBI, and kept his average hovering at the .300 mark.

On the mound, pitcher Andrew Barbosa continues providing the Ducks with high quality starts.  He started in Wednesday's first game of a double-header, pitched 6 innings, allowed no runs on just 3 hits, walked 3 and fanned 7 batters en route to his 3rd victory of the season.  He is 3-0 since joining Long Island with a 1.96 ERA.  Moreover, the Ducks are 6-0 in games he pitched.

Closer Ryan Kussmaul earned a save in each Long Island's 3 victories over Sugar Land, which included a pair during Wednesday's double-header.  He has a 2-0 record with a 2.03 ERA, and a league leading 16 saves.  He has struck out 23 batters in 26.2 innings pitched.

The Ducks offense have scored the most runs in the Atlantic League to date.  They also own the league's best team slash with a .279/.349/. 384 mark, and have stolen the most bases.

On the mound, Somerset and Long Island are running first and second in team ERA, batting average against, slugging against, and team WHiP.  However, Patriots pitchers have tossed 5 complete games, while the Ducks have tossed none.



Mike

L.I. Ducks: Flock Flying High After Completing Four Game Sweep Of Blue Crabs

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Flock Off To Go Mess With Texas.

Led by the bats of Cody Puckett and Adam Bailey, the Long Island Ducks completed a four game sweep of the visiting Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.  The Ducks rapped 13 hits against their opponents, and only fanned once in gaining an 8-3 victory in Thursday night's series finale.

Puckett was 2 for 4 with a double, a home run, and 3 RBI.  Bailey went 3 for 3, and likewise produced a double and his team leading 5th home run of the season to go along with a pair of RBI.  Lead-off batter Fehlandt Lentini also had a productive night at the plate, going 3 for 4, with a walk, an RBI and 2 runs scored.

Making his third start of the season, Jared Lansford climbed the hill for Long Island, and was opposed by Southern Maryland's Ian Marshall.  Jared pitched 5 innings, allowed 2 runs (but none earned) walked 3 and struck out 3 to earn his first victory of the season.  Ian Marshall was knocked out of the box after just 2.2 innings pitched, and allowing 5 earned runs on 8 hits.

The Blue Crabs picked up their third run of the game in the 6th off reliever Steve Garrison.  Otherwise, Josh Lansford continued his scoreless innings streak in the 7th, while Jon Meloan and Jeremy Accardo finished out the bullpen's contribution with 2 scoreless innings of work.

Defensively however, this was not one of Long Island's sharpest games, as they committed 4 errors.

With a 7-3 record over their last 10 games, the surging Ducks have transformed themselves into hottest team in the division, and now boast an overall 14-11 mark.  They remain 2.5 games behind the division leading Somerset Patriots (17-9), whom were Thursday night winners over Camden.

The Flock were forced into a hasty departure from Bethpage Park, as Friday evening they begin a four game Memorial Day Weekend series against Tracy McGrady and the Sugar Land Skeeters in Texas.




Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks: Flock Rock! Sweep Blue Crabs; Will Face Somerset In Finals

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

 

Ducks Sweep Liberty Division Series 3-0

I - Ducks 6; Blue Crabs 2

II - Ducks 6; Blue Crabs 5*

III - Ducks 4; Blue Crabs 1

*extra-innings

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Veni, Vidi, Quack! - The Flock Sweeps Southern Maryland In Three Games For Chance To Defend Title Against The Somerset Patriots.

Over 5,100 fans showed up in Southern Maryland Friday night to witness the completion of a first round sweep.  After hosting, and winning the first two games in Long Island, the Ducks clinched their third straight Liberty Division crown on the road with haste.

In Game Three, third year Ducks pitcher, old reliable, thirty-one year old Bob Zimmermann hurled his Long Island team mates into the Atlantic League championship finals.  In six innings pitched, he limited the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs to just one earned run on four hits, walked two and struck out five before departing the game on the winning side of a 2-1 game.

The Ducks gave Zimmermann a 2-0 lead in the first inning and played superlative defense behind him, to include turning a huge inning ending 6-4-3 double-play in the sixth, with what was at the time, the tying run on third.  Josh Barfield then gave the Ducks a 3-1 lead in the top of the seventh when he deposited the first pitch he saw over the left/center field wall.  It was his eighth home run of the season and first of the playoffs.  Ryan Strieby drove in Long Island's two runs in the first and Adam Bailey had Long Island's fourth RBI.

Leo Rosales closed out the Blue Crabs season with a scoreless ninth inning.  The Ducks win the Liberty Division series three games to none.

They will now take on the winner of the Freedom Division finals.  As such, I told you! not to let the Somerset Patriots hear that talk of Sugar Land dominating the 2013 Atlantic League regular season.  The Skeeters have been swatted from the post-season.  While it is true, the Sugar Land Skeeters finished the regular season with a A.L. all-time best 95-45 record, the Patriots only finished 4.5 games behind then, in an equally record setting season for victories.  They too won up to ninety games this season, and on Friday night, likewise completed a three game sweep of the Skeeters to advance into the Atlantic League championship series.

The Ducks have now defeated Southern Maryland in each of the last three post-seasons to capture Liberty Division titles.  As such, this will be Long Island's third straight trip to the finals.  After the Long Island Ducks championship effort short circuited in the 2011 finals, they rebounded the very next season to capture the 2012 Atlantic League crown.  For the first time since winning the title in 2004, they will now have the opportunity to defend it.

The Somerset Patriots will attempt to improve upon their league record five Atlantic League championships.  They previously won titles after the 2001, 2003, and 2005 seasons, and back-to-back titles during the 2008-2009 seasons.



Mike.BTB

2013 Atlantic League Regular Season Wrap-Up

 

ATLANTIC LEAGUE:

2013 Regular Season Ends

 

The Final Four:

 

FREEDOM DIVISION SERIES

Sugar Land Skeeters vs. Somerset Patriots

 

LIBERTY DIVISION SERIES

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs vs. Long Island Ducks

 

With a .342 batting average, the Lancaster Barnstormers' Jerry Owens was the Atlantic League's top hitter.  With twenty-nine home runs and ninety-two runs batted in, his team mate Ryan Harvey was the league's leader in both.  On the hill, Lancaster's Dwayne Pollok was the Atlantic League's top winner with eighteen victories, and came in second with a 2.92 ERA, and was one of only two pitchers with an ERA under three.  With a 72-66 mark, the Lancaster Barnstormers finished the regular season with the Atlantic League's third best overall record behind only the Sugar Land Skeeters and Somerset Patriots.

...And there in lies Lancasters' end of the road.  Had they played in the Liberty Division, they would have assured themselves a playoff spot long ago; easy.  However, there will be no post-season for the Barnstormers this year.  Posting identical 36-33 records, they finished third behind the Skeeters and Patriots in both the Freedom Division's first and second halves.

The Sugar Land Skeeters were the undisputed Freedom Division champs, and set the new Atlantic League all-time mark with an overall 95-45 regular season record.  Who's record did they break?  Ironically, it was the 2012 Lancaster Barnstormers.  The Skeeters dominated the entire league from post to post.  Just do not let the Somerset Patriots hear that kind of talk.  Were it not for Sugar Land achieving the milestone first, the Somerset Patriots would have been credited with setting the new Atlantic League record for wins in a season.  With a 90-49 overall record, they finished second in the Freedom Division in each half behind Sugar Land.  Somerset will enter the post-season however, as the Wild Card.  Somerset and Sugar Land were the only two clubs with eighty victories or better, much less achieving ninety wins.

Simple accounting tells you all that winning took its toll somewhere else in the league.  The Liberty Division suffered the brunt of the damage, but truth is, every team outside of Sugar Land, Somerset and Lancaster finished the regular season below the .500 mark.

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs won the Liberty Division's first half title with a 37-32 record, but stumbled mightily to a 27-42 record in the second half, and finished with an overall 64-74 regular season record.  The defending champion Long Island Ducks finished second, 7.5 games behind the Blue Crabs with a disappointing 30-40 first half record.  Long Island's struggles continued throughout the second half as well.  But in the second to final game of the regular season and with the Bridgeport Bluefish hot on their tail, Long Island finally clinched an opportunity to defend their title, by capturing the Liberty Division second half flag, finishing with a 33-37 record.  The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs finished the second half in last place.

The 2013 Atlantic League post-season is set.  The Sugar Land Skeeters will face the Somerset Patriots in a Freedom Division showdown between the league's top two teams, while the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs will play the defending champion Long Island Ducks for the Liberty Division crown.  The winners of each series will then play for the Atlantic League championship.

The games begin Wednesday night.



Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks: Sugar Land Completes Romp Through The Pond

 From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

 

MAGIC NUMBER

4

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Losing Streak Reaches Five Games; Swept By Sugar Land Skeeters, But Magic Number Is Now Down To Four.

Losers of four in a row and their three previous games against the Skeeters, the Long Island Ducks entered tonight's series finale against Sugar Land with a magic number of five to clinch the second half Liberty Division flag.

In tonight's game, Long Island starting pitcher Bob Zimmermann kept the Sugar Land Skeeters hitless through the first four innings.  The Skeeters finally recorded their first hit in the fifth.  To that point, Zimmermann had issued one walk and struck out seven.  Michael Nix climbed the hill for the visiting Skeeters, and retired thirteen straight Ducks at one point.  Through five, Nix surrendered two hits, walked none and struck out four.

Sugar Land finally struck in the sixth.  With two outs, third baseman Brian Burgamy drove in the game's first run off Zimmermann with a single.  In the bottom of the frame, the Ducks were helped out by an E5, which factored in an unearned run, and a tie game.

Through seven full innings, Bob Zimmermann held Sugar Land to a run on three hits, walked two, and struck out a new season high - eight batters.

Long Island rallied in the bottom of the seventh.  With runners on first and second and one out,  Ray Navarrete was induced into a weak fly to right for the second out.  With Kraig Binick at-bat, a wild pitch by Nix put the go ahead run on third base.  Binick then singled to drive first baseman Ryan Strieby home to give the Ducks a 2-1 lead.

Bob Zimmermann stayed in to pitch the eighth.  But an error by shortstop Dan Lyons opened the door and welcomed in a disaster.  With the lead-off batter aboard safely at first, a 1/4 sacrifice moved the tying run to second base.  Ducks manager Kevin Baez then emerged from the dugout once the next batter due up, Ryan Langerhans was announced.  Into the game entered Erick Threets in relief of Zimmermann, and promptly walked Langerhans.  Second baseman Jeff Dominguez singled sharply to center field, knotting the game again at two.  Dan Lyons recorded the second out with a catch on Brian Burgamy's line drive to short.  But with two outs, Josh Pressley launched a two run scoring double to make it a 4-2 game in Sugar Land's favor.

Michael Nix was through after seven.  He allowed two runs on six hits, walked none and struck out five.  Roberto Giron took over pitching duties for Sugar Land in the eighth.  The Ducks then faced Gary Majewski in relief of Giron in the ninth.  A lead-off hit by right fielder Adam Bailey was negated when Ralph Henriquez bounced into a double-play.  Ray Navarrete then ended the game with a fly to left.

The Sugar Land Skeeters completed their four game sweep of the Ducks, and have taken seventeen of the twenty games they've played against Long Island this season.  Sugar Land also continues to add to their Atlantic League record, with their ninety-third victory of the season.

Long Island's current losing streak now stands at five games.  Their second half record fell to 30-34, and have dropped seven of their last ten games.  But the Ducks ended the evening still leading the Liberty Division by two games over the Bluefish.  In what can only be viewed as a consolation for Ducks fans, the Bridgeport Bluefish were defeated by the York Revolution, which lowered Long Island's magic number down to four, with six games left in the regular season.

The Ducks will now host the Lancaster Barnstormers, then hit the road to end the season in Somerset.





Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks: Staying In First Place Proving Difficult

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

 

Atlantic League Round-Up

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Still Treading Water; Hold Two Game Lead In Liberty Division With Seven Games To Go.

Can't anybody stop the Sugar Land Skeeters?  The Ducks have failed to do so in three games so far this series, as well as sixteen other times this season.  In nineteen total games played against the Sugar Land Skeeters, the Long Island Ducks have won but three.  The two teams will meet for the twentieth and final time on Monday night

The Sugar Land Skeeters continue to romp through the Atlantic League.  When they recently hit eighty-nine wins for the season, they set a new Atlantic League record.  With Sunday afternoon's victory, Sugar Land now has a 92-41 overall record.  In just their second season of existence, the Skeeters reset the league mark previously established by the 2012 Lancaster Barnstormers.

Somehow, last year's Atlantic League champions remain in first place of the Liberty Division.  That's because no other team wants to challenge Long Island for the lead.  At least that's the way it has appeared for a considerable portion of the season.  The Long Island Ducks are playing below .500 overall, with a 60-73 record.  The Liberty Division's first half title went to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, while the Ducks posted a disappointing 30-40 record and finished second.  In the second half, all members of the Liberty Division are currently playing below the .500 mark.  The Ducks presently have a 30-33 record, and maintain a two game lead over the second place Bridgeport Bluefish.  Including Monday night's series finale against Sugar Land, the Ducks have seven games remaining in their regular season.  A home series against Lancaster follows the Skeeters, then the Ducks wrap up the season on the road against Somerset.

Lost in all this, is the season the Somerset Patriots are having.  If not for the Sugar Land Skeeters, all the talk would be of Somerset and how they could have set the league's new victory total as well.  Overall, they sport an 88-46 record - one away from Lancaster's old mark.  Somerset is presently the only other team to achieve eighty wins this season, and are fast closing in on ninety.  They will enter this season's post-season as the Freedom Division Wild Card, as the Skeeters have clinched both halves of the regular season.

To date, the Lancaster Barnstormers are the third best overall team this season, behind Somerset and Sugar Land.  They are worth a mention because ironically, they hold many of the league's marbles.  Barnstormer Jerry Owens leads the circuit with a .344 batting average, while his team mate Ryan Harvey leads the Atlantic League with twenty-eight home runs and eighty-eight runs batted in.  On the hill, Lancaster's Dwayne Pollok leads the league with eighteen wins and a 2.92 ERA.




Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks: Sugar Land Skeeters Keep On Winning; Lead Series 3-0

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Bullpen Blows Game...Twice.


Look what the Skeeters did to the Ducks...again.  Unfortunately, Long Island lost a heartbreaker last night in Game Three, this time by a 6-5 final in eleven innings.

Starting pitcher Matt Way did well.  He tossed six innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits, walked one and struck out four before departing the game on the winning side of a 4-2 game.

Third baseman Bryant Nelson drove in the Ducks' run in the opening frame.  In the fourth inning, Ralph Henriquez drove in Long Island's second run.  Sugar Land came back to tie the score at two in the bottom of the fourth off Way.  However, the Ducks answered right back in the top of the sixth with another pair of runs on RBI's by Adam Bailey, and Ralph Henriquez' second of the game.

The Ducks took their 4-2 lead into the ninth inning and entrusted reliever Jared Lansford to hold, and save it.  But he could not.  After retiring the lead-off batter, Sugar Land stroked three consecutive hits and scored twice to tie the game again at four.

After a scoreless tenth inning, the Ducks seemingly caught a big break in the top of the eleventh.  Two lead-off hits and two errors by Sugar Land allowed first baseman Ryan Strieby to score the go-ahead run.  Long Island reliever Daniel Harrera was then given the ball in the bottom of the frame.  But once again, the bullpen failed.  Three consecutive hits to start the inning, and a fourth hit spelled the end of Long Island's night.  Two runs crossed the plate as the Sugar Land Skeeters completed their third straight victory over the Ducks.

There are still three more games to play.  In Game Four tonight, Bill Murphy will climb the hill for Long Island, opposed by Sugar Land's Clint Everts.



Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks: Trip Into Sugar Land Not So Sweet

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: After Suffering Two Routs In Sugar Land, Still Plenty Of Time To Make This A Series.

President/GM Michael Pfaff Has His Work Cut Out For Him.

After a pair of games between the Atlantic League's two division leaders, the series between visiting Long Island and the Sugar Land Skeeters has been a one sided affair.  They like things big in Texas, and so the Skeeters have thus far been putting up big numbers against Ducks pitching.

In Friday night's series opener, well over 5,500 fans watched Sugar Land jump all over Long Island starter Nick DeBarr, pouncing on him for ten runs, nine earned, in just 2.1 innings pitched.  He surrendered ten hits and walked four. The Skeeters scored four runs in the first, three in the second, and three more in the third.  Long Island's bullpen then limited Sugar Land to just one more run over the next six innings, en route to an 11-3 loss.

In Game Two on Saturday, the Ducks gave their starting pitcher John Brownell a three run lead to work with, but they received an awful lot of help to do so.  In the top of the second, Sugar Land starting pitcher David Pauley walked the first three batters he faced.  Dan Lyons singled to drive in a run.  But then Long Island picked up two more on ground ball outs.  Who can argue with scoring three runs, but David Pauley conceivably could have been knocked out of the box with one or two big hits.  Instead, he induced outs, and avoided an even bigger mess.  That became a mute point however. Sugar Land picked up two runs in the bottom of the frame, and proceeded to rout the Ducks from there.  Four more runs in the fourth and three in the eighth spelled a 9-3 victory for the Skeeters.

In two games played, Sugar Land has abused Long Island pitching for twenty total hits and twenty runs.  While Long Island posted identical three run, seven hit games.  Tonight they'll play Game Three of six.  Long Island's Matt Way will climb the hill, opposed by Sugar Land's Cesar Carillo.  There is still plenty of time for Long Island to turn this into a series instead of a rout.  But Michael Pfaff clearly has a problem on his hands.  Without Dontrelle Willis, and the previous departure of others, his depleted starting pitching is a glaring weakness, and unlike last season or the year before, I'm afraid the Ducks aren't as potent offensively either.  His Ducks certainly have their work cut out for them.

Play ball.



Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks: Off To Sugar Land For A Showdown With Skeeters

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  Pitcher James Houser And Bullpen Out-Duel Barnstormers In Rubber Game.

It's Off To Texas For A Major Showdown Between

The Atlantic League's Two Division Leaders.

Pressed into starting duties back in early June, James Houser was large and in charge Thursday night in Lancaster, as the Long Island Ducks took the rubber game over the Barnstormers by a 3-1 final score.  Making his eleventh start and his twenty-seventh appearance, Houser tossed six innings, allowed one unearned run in the fourth inning, walked no batters and struck out eight before departing a 1-1 deadlock.  He now has seventy-seven strikeouts in 72.1 innings pitched this season, but in taking a no-decision, his record remains 7-1 with a lowered 2.36 ERA.

Lancaster took the initial lead, but the Ducks came right back to tie in the top of the fifth when catcher Ramon Castro led off with his seventh home run of the season off Barnstormers starting pitcher Derrick Loop, who incidentally didn't do too badly for himself.  Loop pitched seven full, allowed Castro's solo home run, and five hits in all.  He walked one batter and likewise struck out eight.

Long Island broke the tie in the top of the eighth with an RBI from second baseman Bill Hall and Ramon Castro's second RBI of the game.  That put reliever Ian Snell on the winning side.  Snell  entered the game with two outs in the seventh and tossed a scoreless eighth inning, striking out two.  Josh Lansford was then summoned to pitch the ninth, and earned his ninth save of the season.  Ian Snell evened his record at 2-2 with the victory. 

That was the Ducks twentieth win of the second half, and fiftieth of the season.  With a 20-13 record, they own a six game lead in the Liberty Division over second place Bridgeport.  They are still only 50-53 for the season, three games below the .500 mark.  In fact, no team in the Liberty Division is playing above .500 for the season.

The 2012 defending champs are now headed for Texas, where a big six game series versus the Sugar Land Skeeters awaits.  Sugar Land is leading the Freedom Division with a 23-10 record, three games in front of Lancaster.  They also own the Atlantic League's top overall mark with a 70-33 record.  At this juncture of the season, this will be a timely and mighty challenge to see how the Ducks measure up.



Mike.BTB