L.I. Ducks: Monday Swim 7/29/2019

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Ducks defeat Patriots 2-1

I - LID 1; SOM 0

II - SOM 8; LID 3

III - LID 4; SOM 1

Par for the course ... the Ducks waddle into their Monday break with an 8-8 record, which for the moment is good enough for first place of the Liberty Division.  The High Point Rockers trail Long Island by 1.5 games, while the New Britain Bees and Somerset Patriots lay two games back.

In the latest showdown between the Ducks and Patriots, Long Island takes two of three.  If you recall Long Island overcame perfection in extra innings of game one on Friday.  Somerset bounces back with an 8-3 victory on Saturday.  The Ducks take Sunday's rubber game in comeback fashion with a burst of runs late in game three.

Somerset opens the scoring in the first when shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez tags from third on catcher Mike Ohlman's sac-fly to left.  They cling to their one run lead through the seventh.  Long Island finally breaks through with three runs in the eighth on a two run home run from T.J. Rivera, and an RBI single from Daniel Fields.  With two outs in the top of the ninth Rey Fuentes connects on his eighth home run of the season giving the Ducks a 4-1 final margin of victory.

Making his fourth start Seth Simmons yields one run on just two hits with five walks and seven strikeouts through six innings pitched, but departs on the losing side of a one run affair.  Rob Rogers earns the victory in relief of Simmons with two scoreless innings of three hit ball with two strikeouts.  Michael Tonkin fans two in a scoreless ninth to earn his fourth save of the season.

• Steve Lombardozzi is presently on the 10-day IL as of 7/23.
• Ducks closer Enrique Burgos had his contract purchased by Leones de Yucatan.  Burgos made 29 appearances for the Ducks, posting a 4-2 record and 2.43 ERA, with 13 saves and 49 strikeouts through 29.2 innings pitched.

Next stop on Long Island's road trip is New Britain where a three game series awaits against the Bees.

Look What the Ducks Did to the Lancaster Barnstormers, Again

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Ducks Lead Series 3-0

I - LID 9; LAN 5

II - LID 2; LAN 1

III - LID 5; LAN 4

GAME FOUR

Lancaster Barnstormers

vs.

Long Island Ducks

FROM

THE POND

Showing no signs of letting up the Ducks close out their third straight victory over the Lancaster Barnstormers - and in doing so nudge the High Point Rockers from their brief stay atop the Liberty Division.  Now back in first, the Flock seeks to complete a sweep of Lancaster at Bethpage Ballpark on Sunday

Long Island wins game one of Friday's doubleheader by a slim 2-1 margin.  All scoring takes place in the fourth.  Facing Ducks starter Darin Downs, Lancaster manufactures a run on a double by Joey Terdoslavich who later comes around to score on a fielder's choice.  Recent Long Island newcomer T.J. Rivera leads off the bottom of the frame with a hit.  One out later, Rivera scores on Lew Ford's triple to right.  Lew Ford soon scores on third baseman Terdoslavich throwing error for a 2-1 lead and final margin of victory.  Downs yields just one run on four hits and no walks with six strikeouts through six innings pitched for his second victory of the season.  Michael Tonkin pitches a scoreless seventh for his first save as a member of the Ducks.

With game two tied at five entering the final frame, Long Island reliever Zack Weiss completes his second inning of scoreless work.  In the home seventh, Lancaster reliever Alejandro Chacin walks the bases loaded.  With two outs, in steps Daniel Fields who greets Chacin with a knock over the right/center field wall for a game ending walk-off grand slam home run.

*            *            *

On Saturday the Ducks win their third straight.  A three run home run from Hector Sanchez in the third, and RBI from Vladimir Frias and David Washington stake the Ducks to a 5-0 lead after four innings.  Starter Joe Iorio allows no runs on just three hits and three walks with two strikeouts through six innings pitched.  Long Island almost unravels when Lancaster rallies for four runs in the eighth off reliever Cody Mincey.  Manager Wally Backman then calls upon relievers Rob Rogers and Michael Tonkin to douse the fire.  The Flock hold on for a 5-4 victory, and stand poised to sweep the Barnstormers with one more victory on Sunday.

L.I. Ducks Clinch 2019 First-Half Liberty Division Flag

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

ATLANTIC LEAGUE

FIRST-HALF

LIBERTY DIVISION CHAMPIONS

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

Despite losing game two of their weekend series against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs at Bethpage Ballpark, the Long Island Ducks emerge as this season's first-half Liberty Division champion.  The Flock close out Saturday's action with a league best 42-26 (.618) record and a 1.5 game lead over the Patriots.  Long Island has two games in hand and own the tie-breaker over Somerset, whom only have one game in hand.  The High Point Rockers 3-2 victory over Somerset at North Carolina on Saturday essentially clears Long Island's way.

I'm more impressed than surprised by what the Ducks have thus far accomplished.  Long Island this season has had upwards of nine pitchers pilfered from their staff by MLB organizations - good pitchers too - and therefore I'm thinking they'd be in big trouble as early as mid May.

Instead, Darin Downs posts a 3.08 ERA through ten starts and 49.2 innings.  Joe Irorio chips in with nine starts with a 3.08 ERA through 61.1 overall innings pitched.  Bennett Parry owns a 3.38 ERA through five starts and 26.2 innings pitched.  However Jake Fisher has struggled this season posting a  4-6 record with an unsightly 4.99 ERA.  Which leads me to ask where would the Ducks be without Travis Banwart?  He has been a godsend posting a 3-1 record with a 1.91 ERA through 37.2 innings and an 0.96 WHiP since joining the Ducks.

The (first-half) Ducks are just one of three teams with a staff ERA below four.  Their 3.94 ERA is third behind Somerset's league leading 3.26 mark.  Long Island also places third with a 1.30 WHiP.  The Ducks and Patriots finish first and second respectively in strikeouts.  But Somerset leads the circuit with 31 saves with the Ducks second with 21 saves.

• Ducks Slash: .252/.324/.403/.727, with 64 home runs, 310 runs scored, and 58 stolen bases.
• Patriots Slash: .264/.337/.374/.711, with 38 home runs, 290 runs scored, and 65 stolen bases. 

David Washington leads the Ducks with 18 home runs and 47 RBI, not to mention a team high 13 stolen bases.  Kirk Nieuwenhuis is second with 11 home runs and 41 RBI.  L.J. Mazzilli is batting .283 and leads the team with 18 doubles.

• Steve Lombardozzi is presently injured.
• Local kid from Bronx and former Mets infielder J.T. Rivera joins the Ducks.

The first-half Liberty Division presently features four teams playing at or above the .500 mark.  By Saturday evening, the New Britain Bees had dropped to 34-34 on the season.  Participating in their first Atlantic League campaign the High Point Rockers end the day with 41-29 record, just two games behind the Ducks.  Meanwhile the Freedom Division leading Sugar Land Skeeters are just one game over .500, and are the only team playing above par.  Second place York is a game under yet trail the Skeeters by one game in the standings.

The Ducks and Blue Crabs play the rubber game of their series on Sunday.

2017 World Baseball Classic: Pair of Mets Shine for Puerto Rico

From the desk of:  PLANET BASEBALL

POOL-D

FINAL

Venezuela       0

Puerto Rico  11

New York Mets sophomore Seth Lugo and rookie J.T. Rivera are Puerto Rico's latest shining stars of the Caribbean.

Making the start in Puerto Rico's opening match of Pool-D play against Venezuela, Seth Lugo kept silent a formidable line-up featuring Miguel Cabrera, Carlos Gonzalez, Victor Martinez, Jose Altuve, Martin Prado, Odubel Herrera, Salvador Perez, et al.

Lugo threw 5.1 innings of scoreless, one-hit baseball, walking none and fanning three for the victory.  He faced 17 batters, throwing 65 pitches with 40 going for strikes.

Credit must also be given to catcher Yadier Molina for guiding Lugo through his way.

Venezuela was limited to just three hits all game.

Playing first base and batting eighth, T.J. Rivera went 1 for 3 three at the plate.  He drove in Puerto Rico's first run in the bottom of the third inning with a sac-fly to center scoring Eddie Rosario.  He then would plate Eddie Rosario yet again in the seventh with a home run to center, capping a six run outburst en route to an 11-0 whitewashing of Venezuela.

An original Brooklyn Cyclone from 2001 and former Met, Angel Pagan went 0 for 4 with a pair of strikeouts.  Third baseman Carlos Correa and Yadier Molina also homered for Puerto Rico.  Right fielder Eddie Rosario went 3 for 4 with two RBI.  Designated hitter Carlos Beltran went 1 for 2, with two walks and two RBI.

NEXT

Puerto Rico

vs.

Mexico

N.Y. Mets: T.J. Rivera; Prospect Rising

Here's my latest for 

RisingApple.com

Mets Prospect T.J. Rivera Emerging 

as a Third Base Alternative

Mike

senior staff writer/Rising Apple

BKN Cyclones ~ Saturday Night Fever

From the desk of:  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

BROOKLYN CYCLONES

Tonight, They Play For a Piece of the Wild Card Lead.

The Cyclones are making their move on the Staten Island Yankees via Ohio.  They are now just 4.5 games behind the McNamara Division leaders.  And with last night's victory over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, the Brooklyn Cyclones are now just one game away from tying the Scrappers for the Wild Card lead.  The Williamsport Crosscutters still have a say in the Wild Card race as they sit just one half game behind Mahoning Valley entering today's games.

McNAMARA DIVISION

1) - Staten Island Yankees...35-19   .648    -

2) - Brooklyn Cyclones.........31-24   .564   4.5 GB

WILD CARD

1) - Mahoning Valley Scrappers   32-23   -

2) - Williamsport Crosscutters       31-23   0.5  GB

3) - BROOKLYN CYCLONES          31-24   1.0  GB

In the last weekend before the NY-PL All-Star Game break, game one of a three game series against the Ohio Nine goes to Brooklyn.  The Cyclones loaded up with three runs in the fifth inning and four more in the eighth, en route to a 10-6 final over Mahoning Valley Friday night.

One of our newest Cyclone signings and native New Yorker hailing out of the Bronx; T.J. Rivera; helped the Surf Avenue Sluggers out-hit Mahoning Valley by going 4 for 5, with a double and two runs scored in only his fourth game wearing Bum Threads.  Richard Lucas and Ismael Tijerina each had two RBI on the night.

 

Cole Frenzel doubled in the second inning to score Charles Thurber.  Then, Mahoning Valley allowed the Cyclones to score a run in the third on a wild pitch.  Richard Lucas tripled in the fifth inning; driving home his two RBI, and Mahoning Valley allowed the Cyclones to score another run off another wild pitch in the fifth inning.  The Cyclones picked up one in the sixth on Ismael Tijerina's sac-bunt which scored Travis Taijeron.

 

A four run eighth inning capped the game off for the Cyclones.  Two more Scrapper's wild pitches  allowed two more runs to score. As a matter of fact, Mahoning Valley uncorked a multitude of wild pitches throughout the game, and utterly handicapped themselves in the eighth in particular.  RBI by Travis Taijeron and T.J. Rivera finished off the Scrappers for the night.

WILD TIME TONIGHT!

BROOKLYN CYCLONES

vs.

Mahoning Valley Scrappers

From

Somewhere in Ohio

Mike.BTB