Game 56: Ducks vs. Bluefish

One aspect of the Ducks’ game that has been evident most during their stretch of 18 win in 19 games has been the offense. Long Island leads the Atlantic League in several offensive categories, including batting average (.282), runs (275), hits (530), RBI (254), walks (177), on-base percentage (.349) and slugging percentage (.390). Those numbers were all aided on Saturday night when, despite a less-than-stellar start from Billy Buckner, the Ducks reeled off yet another victory. In the 12-6 win over the Bluefish, the Ducks amassed a season-high 18 hits and received contributions up and down the lineup.

Three of the biggest contributors for the Flock on Saturday were the bottom three hitters in their order. Jose Morales, Prentice Redman and Dan Lyons combined for nine hits in 15 at-bats along with two doubles, two home runs, five RBI and four runs scored. Morales led the Ducks with four RBI, all coming in Long Island’s seven-run fourth inning that came immediately after the Bluefish scored three runs in the top half of the inning to tie the game. He started the inning off by launching his first home run of the year, an opposite field blast to left. Redman ended his night with three hits and a run scored. For the outfielder who has been looking to earn playing time with Lew Ford, Bryan Sabatella and Delta Cleary, Jr. all playing well, he now has back-to-back multi-hit games. Finally, Lyons was a major offensive catalyst on Saturday. He totaled four hits, matching the most by a Duck in a game this year, and connected for his third home run and 11th double. The shortstop has had a fantastic season overall and is now hitting .386 in the month of June, trailing only Morales, who has a .421 average but just five games played. Randy Ruiz chipped in with three RBI that gave the Ducks an early 3-0 advantage, Jon Griffin had two RBI singles and Cleary, Jr. finished with two hits, a run batted in and two runs scored.

Despite Buckner not having his best stuff on the mound, he was able to pick up his fourth win of the season thanks to the offense. The righty seemed to have trouble with his grip on the mound throughout the game, and that appeared to affect his control. He allowed four runs on eight hits and five walks and needed 103 pitches to make it through five innings. The former big leaguer got out of big jams in the first and third innings before yielding three runs in the fourth to cough up a 3-0 lead. However, he managed to keep the Ducks in front after the big fourth inning. Long Island’s bullpen closed the game out, with four different relievers appearing. Patrick Crider had a rough sixth, allowing two runs to score, but Frank DeJiulio, Jr., Nick Struck and Matt Soren each threw a scoreless inning afterwards.

CLICK HERE to listen to highlights from Saturday’s game
CLICK HERE to watch postgame interviews with Dan Lyons, Jose Morales and Prentice Redman
CLICK HERE to view Saturday’s box score

Both teams will have the quick turnaround with a Father’s Day matinee on Sunday afternoon. Long Island has already extended their unbeaten streak in series play to nine consecutive series and will look to lock up their sixth straight series win. Right-hander Mark Rogers will take the mound as he makes a spot start due to the postponed game on Tuesday. With Andrew Barbosa and Ian Marshall both pitching this past Wednesday, either would have had to pitch today on short rest. Rogers enters with a 3-3 record and a 5.70 ERA through 10 games (six starts) this year. He last pitched a week ago in Bridgeport, giving up two runs on four hits and two walks in one and one-third innings of relief. The righty’s last start came on June 5 in game one of a doubleheader at Camden, and he picked up the win, throwing five innings of three-run ball and allowing three hits and three walks while striking out two. This will be his first start against the Bluefish in 2015.

Bridgeport will counter Reinaldo Lopez, who will be making his fourth start of the year and second against the Flock. He started last Sunday’s game against Long Island up at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard and suffered the loss, surrendering six runs (five earned) on nine hits and two walks while striking out two in four innings of work. The Ducks scored all six of their runs in the first inning, en route to a 9-3 win, so they will be looking to attack early once again. Lopez is 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA thus far, and his only other road start came at Sugar Land on June 9. In that outing, he gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks with two strikeouts in five innings. The 24-year-old started the season with Double-A Montgomery in the Rays organization and posted a 3.32 ERA in five games (four starts) for the Biscuits before getting released.

Here are today’s game notes:

The Faithful Flock: The Ducks have welcomed an Atlantic League record 6,405,120 fans through the gates of Bethpage Ballpark since the team’s inaugural 2000 season. Long Island also hosted their 641st sellout crowd on Saturday, a league record as well. The Ducks have led the Atlantic League in attendance 12 times and have an all-time average attendance of 5,863 (97.7%) entering 2015.

Ducks vs. Bluefish: Today marks the 298th all-time meeting between the Ducks and Bluefish. Bridgeport currently leads the series by a 149-148 margin,  but the Ducks hold an 82-67 advantage at Bethpage Ballpark. It is also the 13th of 27 scheduled games between the two teams in 2015. The series is tied at six, with the Ducks winning this last five games. This year marks the seventh edition of the Ferry Cup Series, with the Ducks winning the Cup in four of the first six years.

All They Do Is Win: The Ducks earned their eight consecutive win on Saturday night. In addition, Long Island has an 18-1 record in their last 19 games, outscoring opponents 121-52 in that span (6.4 runs scored/game). Their 18 wins in June are four shy of the club record for wins in a month (22 – July, 2003). In addition, the Flock have won 11 straight games at Bethpage Ballpark. The longest home winning streak in team history was 12 games, which was done July 5-20, 2006.

Ford’s Fury: Lew Ford has earned hits in 13 consecutive games after picking up a single on Saturday. In those 13 games, the former big leaguer is batting .451 (23-for-51) with six doubles, eight RBI, and 13 runs. Ford currently leads the Atlantic League in batting average (.345), hits (71), RBI (44), total bases (107), doubles (19), extra-base hits (25) and slugging percentage (.519). He is also second in on-base percentage (.416) and third in runs scored (32).

Welcome to the Hit Parade: Long Island’s 18 hits on Saturday were their most in a single game this season. The previous high was 16, done on May 20 at York in an 11-9 comeback victory. The Ducks also finished one run shy of their season best of 13, which they totaled June 5 in game two of a doubleheader at Camden.

Morales Mashes: Jose Morales hit his first home run of the season with his solo blast in the fourth inning on Saturday. 11 of the 16 Ducks position players this year have now hit at least one home run. Morales also finished with four RBI, becoming the fourth Duck to do so this year. Lew Ford (twice), Jon Griffin and Mike Blanke are the other three. The backstop has hit safely in each of his last six games, compiling a .440 batting average in that span (11-for-25).

Dan’s The Man: Dan Lyons finished with four hits in Saturday’s game. In doing so, he became the fourth Duck this year to collect four hits in a single game. The others were Ford (twice), Delta Cleary, Jr. and Bryan Sabatella. Lyons also hit his third homer of the season. The shortstop totaled four homers during the 2014 season. He now ranks third in the Atlantic League with a .311 batting average.

On the Air: Today’s game will be broadcast on the Ducks’ official YouTube channel. Live streaming video and audio will be available by CLICKING HERE. Chris Buckley will call the play-by-play. Fans can also follow a pitch-by-pitch account of the game via Pointstreak’s GameLive application by CLICKING HERE.

Finally, here are today’s starting lineups:

Ducks
#44 Bryan Sabatella – RF
#5   Delta Cleary, Jr. – CF
#20 Lew Ford – DH
#33 Jon Griffin – 1B
#9   Mike Blanke – C
#11  Reegie Corona – 2B
#27 Prentice Redman – LF
#22 Blake Davis – 3B
#12 Dan Lyons – SS

#37 Mark Rogers – RHP

Bluefish
#2   Ethan Chapman – CF
#6   Luis An. Rodriguez – 2B
#19 Welington Dotel – RF
#26 John Alonso – 1B
#17 Jobduan Morales – DH
#3   Jake Luce – LF
#4   Matt Wessinger – 3B
#9   Luis Al. Rodriguez – C
#25 Matt Burns – SS

#36 Reinaldo Lopez – RHP

We’ll have updates for you all game long from Bethpage Ballpark as the Ducks and Bluefish look to gain the leg up in the Ferry Cup Series! You can also follow the Ducks on Twitter (@LIDucks) for updates all year long!

UPDATE (1:50): MID 1: Bluefish take a 1-0 lead on a wild pitch. Ducks coming up to bat!

UPDATE (2:03): BOT 1: Long Island gets the run right back on Jon Griffin’s sacrifice fly! 1-1 between the Flock and ‘Fish.

UPDATE (2:11): TOP 2: The Bluefish take the lead back 2-1 on a RBI double from Matt Burns.

UPDATE (2:34): BOT 3: Lew Ford with the sacrifice fly and RBI to left and the game is tied at two!

UPDATE (2:59): BOT 4: Dan Lyons with a bomb to left field, a three-run shot! Ducks lead 5-2! Lyons is on FIRE!

UPDATE (3:08): TOP 5: Bridgeport gets one run back on Welington Dotel’s RBI fielder’s choice. 5-3 Ducks.

UPDATE (3:20): BOT 5: A two-run double from Reegie Corona and a RBI single from Prentice Redman has the Ducks up 8-3!

UPDATE (4:19): FINAL: Ducks win 8-3! 12 straight at home!

Game 42: Ducks at Riversharks

The Ducks continued their winning ways overall and against the Riversharks on Friday, sweeping a day/night doubleheader at Campbell’s Field. Once again, the offense took center stage, pounding out nine runs on 12 hits in the opener followed by 13 runs on 15 hits in the nightcap. While the offense was doing work, the pitching staff was also superb. Long Island allowed just three runs on five hits in game one followed but two runs on seven hits in game two. All things told, the Ducks have now won five games in a row and are one win away from a sweep of the four-game series in Camden.

In game one, the Ducks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first against Riversharks starter Zachary Clark. Camden closed to within one in the third after Mark Rogers retired the first six batters he faced, but the righty settled down to avoid further trouble. Then, the offense went into high gear. Four runs in the fifth inning put the Flock ahead 6-1. The Ducks scored runs on a throwing error and a wild pitch, as well as a two-run single by Jose Morales. Former Duck Evan Crawford trimmed the lead to three with a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning, his first longball of the year. However, the Ducks answered back with three in the sixth to put the game out of reach. Bryan Sabatella, who had four hits and three runs, delivered a RBI single to plate Dan Lyons, who finished with three hits and two runs. Prentice Redman also delivered a two-run double. Meanwhile, Mark Rogers gave the Ducks five innings of three-run ball and both Nick Struck and Carmine Giardina tossed a pair of scoreless innings in relief.

Game two featured more of the same for the Ducks. They got in front early on Jon Griffin’s two-run home run to left off of former Duck Bill Murphy, who got the start for the Riversharks. Another run in the second on Dan Lyons’ sacrifice fly to right increased the lead to three. However, it was the fourth inning that stuck the dagger in the hearts of Camden. Long Island sent 14 men to the plate in the frame, compiling nine runs on eight hits, two walks and a hit batter. Among the highlights, Lyons drove in two in the inning and three for the game, Delta Cleary, Jr. collected a two-run single and Griffin added a two-run double to cap a four-RBI night. On the mound, Andrew Barbosa was dominant again. In two straight starts, he has now gone seven innings without allowing an earned run while striking out 10. He gave up just five hits, one unearned run and two walks on Friday. Frank DeJiulio, Jr. pitched the final two innings, allowing only a run in the ninth after back-to-back hitters reached on infield singles.

CLICK HERE to listen to highlights from game one on Friday
CLICK HERE to listen to highlights from game two on Friday
CLICK HERE to view Friday’s game one box score
CLICK HERE to view Friday’s game two box score

With the Ducks on the verge of a sweep, they’ll send Ian Marshall to the mound to try and seal the deal. Marshall has had some mixed results this year but ultimately enters with a 2-1 record and a 2.57 ERA through six starts. In 31 and two-thirds innings, he has allowed 28 hits and 12 walks while striking out 19. The right-hander took a no-decision in his last outing, giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits and one walk while striking out two in a 4-3 15-inning loss against York on May 31. His only loss came against these Riversharks on May 23 in game two of a day/night doubleheader. In that outing, he had trouble with his control, allowing five hits and seven walks in five innings, though he only gave up three runs (two earned).

Camden will send right-hander Eric Smith to the mound for just his second start of the year. He’s filling in since Ryan Kulik pitched on Tuesday, and the ‘Sharks don’t want to pitch him on just three days’ rest. The righty is 0-2 with a 6.56 ERA in seven games thus far, and the Ducks roughed him up for seven runs (three earned) on three hits and a walk in one-third of an inning on Thursday. However, Smith threw three scoreless innings of relief against the Flock on May 22 at Bethpage Ballpark. His only start came on May 16 in Bridgeport, and he took the loss, giving up five runs on six hits and a walk in three and one-third innings.

Here are tonight’s game notes:

Ducks vs. Riversharks: Today marks the 273rd all-time meeting between the Ducks and Riversharks. The series is currently tied at 136 apiece, and Camden has a slim 70-69 edge at Campbell’s Field. It also marks the eighth of 18 scheduled games between the two in 2015. The Ducks lead the series six games to one and have won four consecutive games.

Managerial Milestone: Ducks manager Kevin Baez earned his 300th career managerial victory in Friday’s game one win. Since taking over as the Ducks’ skipper in 2011, he has a regular season record of 301-281 and a postseason mark of 16-10. Baez is second among Ducks’ managers in wins behind Don McCormack, who won 399 games from 2001-06.

Offensive Onslaught: The Ducks have broken out the bats in the first three games of the series. Long Island has combined to score 31 runs on 41 hits in the series, an average of 10.3 runs and 13.7 hits. The 13 runs in game two on Friday was their highest in a single game this season.

Oh, What a Relief They Are: Long Island’s bullpen has been outstanding over their last 11 games. In that span, Ducks relievers have allowed just four runs in 41 and one-third innings of work (0.87 ERA) on just 17 hits and seven walks while striking out 38 in the 11 games. Nick Struck has not allowed a run in eight straight appearances, and Carmine Giardina has thrown six scoreless outings.

Griffin Goes Yard: Jon Griffin hit his team-best eighth homer of the season in game two on Friday. He is now tied for second in the Atlantic League, one behind Southern Maryland’s Cyle Hankerd. Griffin also collected four RBI to increase his season total to 32. That’s second in the league behind Lew Ford, who has 35.

Cody’s Crushing It: Cody Puckett extended his on-base streak to 17 straight games by reaching in both games of Friday’s twinbill. During the streak, he is batting .329 (24-for-73) with five doubles, eight RBI and 10 runs scored. Puckett has also hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games and in 15 of his last 17 contests.

Atop the Leaderboard: Bryan Sabatella scored five runs in Friday’s twinbill. That number increased his season total to 34, which leads the league by 10 over Lancaster’s Blake Gailen and Brian Cavazos-Galvez. The outfielder also leads the league in at-bats (174), hits (51) and stolen bases (14).

On the Air: Tonight’s game can be heard on the Ducks’ flagship radio station, 103.9-FM LI News Radio. Live audio will also be available online by CLICKING HERE. Michael Polak will call the play-by-play. Fans can also follow a pitch-by-pitch account of the game via Pointstreak’s GameLive application by CLICKING HERE.

Finally, here are the starting lineups:

Ducks
#44 Bryan Sabatella – RF
#5   Delta Cleary, Jr. – CF
#20 Lew Ford – DH
#2 Cody Puckett – 3B
#33 Jon Griffin – 1B
#28 Prentice Redman – LF
#26 Jose Morales – C
#11  Reegie Corona – 2B
#12 Dan Lyons – SS

#21 Ian Marshall – RHP

Riversharks
#9   Brandon Chaves – SS
#52 Evan Crawford – LF
#27 Joel Guzman – DH
#4   Mike Costanzo – 3B
#33 Ryan Strieby – 1B
#3   Carlos Guzman – RF
#12 Jose Gil – C
#15 Norberto Susini – 2B
#2   Michael Rockett – CF

#18 Eric Smith – RHP

We’ll have updates throughout the game from Campbell’s Field as the Ducks and Riversharks wrap up their four-game series. You can also follow the Ducks on Twitter (@LIDucks) for updates all year long!

UPDATE (6:08): END 2: No score through the first two innings in Camden. Jon Griffin has the only hit of the ballgame with a single in the second.

UPDATE (6:19): TOP 3: Reegie Corona scores from third on a wild pitch to give the Ducks a 1-0 lead!

UPDATE (6:35): TOP 4: Long Island tacks on another run courtesy of a two-out RBI single to left by Jose Morales! 2-0 Flock!

UPDATE (6:45): BOT 4: Riversharks get on the scoreboard thanks to a RBI double to right from Joel Guzman. Ducks lead is now 2-1.

UPDATE (6:57): TOP 5: Ducks have scored two on a RBI triple by Delta Cleary, Jr. and a run-scoring groundout by Lew Ford!

UPDATE (7:32): TOP 6: The Ducks add two more runs as Prentice Redman and Jose Morales score on errors by the ‘Sharks! 6-1 Long Island leads!

UPDATE (7:52): TOP 7: Ducks tack on yet another run thanks to Jon Griffin’s RBI double! 7-1 Flock!

UPDATE (8:39): FINAL: Ducks complete the four-game sweep of the Riversharks with a dominant 7-1 victory! Six straight wins for the Flock!

Games 40/41: Ducks at Riversharks

In their first visit to Campbell’s Field this year, the Ducks put together a strong overall performance to open the series with a 9-1 win over the Camden Riversharks. Long Island received hits all night long from the offense, 14 in total, outstanding pitching from starter Billy Buckner and the bullpen, and some strong defense as well. Now, they’ll get to turnaround quickly today and look to build on their three-game winning streak when they face the ‘Sharks in a day/night doubleheader.

The Ducks’ offense was a consistent force against Riversharks starter Sean Gleason and eventually, the Camden bullpen. Long Island had at least one runner on in every inning but the seventh, amassing 14 total hits and drawing five walks and three hit by pitches against the Riversharks pitching staff. After falling behind in the second inning on Joel Guzman’s solo homer, the Ducks immediately tied the game in third when Lew Ford led off the inning with a solo blast of his own to left. Despite several opportunities, the Ducks could not take the lead until the sixth when Dan Lyons’ RBI single to left-center capped a streak of three consecutive singles for the bottom of the order. Even with Long Island’s constant threats, they had left nine men on base through the first eight innings and only had a one-run lead heading into the ninth. However, one big inning against Eric Smith and Daniel Herrera sealed the win. Here’s how it went down:

-Lyons reached on infield single to short, moved to second on throwing error by Norberto Susini
-Sabatella reached on infield single to short, Lyons to third
-Cleary, Jr. hit by pitch, Sabatella to second
-Ford hit by pitch, Lyons scored, Sabatella to third, Cleary, Jr. to second
-Puckett reached on fielder’s choice throwing error by Mike Costanzo, Sabatella scored, Cleary, Jr. to third, Ford to second
-Griffin singled to center field, Cleary, Jr. and Ford scored, Puckett to second
-Redman struck out swinging
-Corona walked, Puckett to third, Griffin to second
–Daniel Herrera relieved Eric Smith—
-Blanke flew out to right field
-Lyons singled to left field, Puckett and Griffin scored, Corona to second
-Sabatella singled to center field, Corona scored, Lyons to second
-Cleary, Jr. grounded into force out at second

Seven runs, five hits, two errors, two hit batters, one walk

As for Long Island’s pitching, they kept the game as close as it was for the first eight inning. Buckner earned his first win of the year with five and one-third innings of one-run ball. He gave up just three hits along the way and walked three batters while striking out three. Aside from the homer in the second, he allowed just two singles and never had two runners on at the same time in the ballgame. After he was lifted with one out in the sixth, Patrick Crider, Bruce Kern and Amalio Diaz retired all eight batters they faced. The big ninth inning allowed the Ducks to avoid using closer Ryan Kussmaul, and Frank DeJiulio, Jr. ended up closing out the game with a scoreless ninth, allowing just a double to Costanzo.

CLICK HERE to listen to highlights from Thursday’s game
CLICK HERE to view Thursday’s box score

Both teams return back to the field less than 12 hours after yesterday’s game was completed for a day/night doubleheader on Friday. The morning contest will begin at 11:05, with the nightcap following at 7:05, so there will hopefully be a decent break between the games for players to get some rest.

Mark Rogers will take the mound for the Ducks in game one looking to get back on the winning track. He has made six appearances (five starts) this year, going 1-3 with a 5.72 ERA. The right-hander’s last outing was a relief showing on Sunday against York in the 15-inning marathon. Rogers pitched out of tough jams in both the 13th and 14th innings, but in the 15th, he served up a leadoff homer to Sean Smith that proved to be the difference. Still, it was a much better showing for the righty. His last start came on May 20 at York when he lasted only one inning, giving up three runs on two hits and three walks before being lifted. The former big leaguer has yet to face Camden this year, but in 2014 with Lancaster, he was 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in two starts against the ‘Sharks.

Camden will use right-hander Zachary Clark for the twinbill opener. He has appeared in three games (two starts) for the Riversharks and is 0-1 with a 4.82 ERA thus far. The righty faced the Ducks in game one of a day/night doubleheader on Saturday, May 23 and took the loss, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks in three and one-third innings of work. His last outing came on Saturday, May 30 against the Revolution, and he took a no-decision, giving up three runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out three over five innings. Camden went on to drop the game in 4-3 in 11 innings.

Game two of the doubleheader will showcase a pair of southpaws in Long Island’s Andrew Barbosa and Camden’s Bill Murphy. Check back in later on for a closer look at that pitching matchup.

Here are today’s game notes:

Ducks vs. Riversharks: Today marks the 271st and 272nd all-time meetings between the Ducks and Riversharks. Camden leads the series 136-134 and has a 70-67 edge at Campbell’s Field. It also marks the sixth and seventh of 18 scheduled games between the two in 2015. The Ducks lead the series four games to one. Long Island won the 2014 series 13-7.

Managerial Milestone: With a win in either of today’s games, Ducks manager Kevin Baez will earn his 300th career managerial victory. The Atlantic League veteran is in his fifth season at the helm for Long Island and has posted a career record of 299-281 during the regular season along with a 16-10 postseason mark. Baez is second all-time among Ducks managers in victories, trailing only Don McCormack, who won 399 games from 2001-2006.

Oh, What a Relief They Are: Long Island’s bullpen has been outstanding over their last nine games. In that span, Ducks relievers have allowed just three runs in 35 and one-third innings of work (0.76 ERA) on just 13 hits and five walks while striking out 31 in the nine games. Bruce Kern and Frank DeJiulio, Jr. have each made seven straight scoreless appearances. Patrick Crider has allowed just one run in his last 14 games, while Amalio Diaz has yielded one run in his last 13.

Lew Launches One: Lew Ford hit his fifth homer of the season on Thursday. He is now second on the team, two behind Jon Griffin. Ford and Griffin have hit each of Long Island’s last five home runs. Ford’s two RBI increased his season total to 35, which leads the Atlantic League by seven over Griffin and Gailen.

Cody’s Crushing It: Cody Puckett extended his on-base streak to 15 straight games with a walk on Tuesday. During the streak, the infielder is batting .313 (20-for-64) with five doubles, six RBI and seven runs scored. Puckett has also hit safely in eight of his last nine games and in 13 of his last 15 contests.

Atop the Leaderboard: Bryan Sabatella scored one of the nine Ducks runs on Tuesday. It was the Long Island native’s 29th run of the year, which leads the league by five over Lancaster’s Blake Gailen and Brian Cavazos-Galvez. The outfielder also leads the league in at-bats (164) and stolen bases (14).

Delta Domination: Delta Cleary, Jr. has been red hot of late. The outfielder has earned hits in 12 of his last 13 games, compiling a .375 batting average (18-for-48) in those 13 contests. In addition, he’s totaled five doubles, five RBI, 10 runs and five stolen bases while raising his batting average from .133 to .317.

Off to the Races: The Ducks stole two bases on Thursday to improve their season total to 46. That leads the Atlantic League by six over Lancaster. Reegie Corona earned his fifth steal of the season, while Griffin picked up his second. 13 of Long Island’s 46 steals have come against the Riversharks.

On the Air: Game one of today’s doubleheader will be broadcast on the Ducks’ official YouTube channel. Live streaming audio will be available by CLICKING HERE. Game two can be heard on the Ducks’ flagship radio station, 103.9-FM LI News Radio. Live audio will also be available online by CLICKING HERE. Michael Polak will call the play-by-play. Fans can also follow a pitch-by-pitch account of the game via Pointstreak’s GameLive application by CLICKING HERE.

Finally, here are the starting lineups for game one:

Ducks
#44 Bryan Sabatella – DH
#5   Delta Cleary, Jr. – CF
#2   Cody Puckett – 3B
#33 Jon Griffin – 1B
#28 Prentice Redman – RF
#26 Jose Morales – C
#22 Blake Davis – 2B
#25 Erik Komatsu – LF
#12 Dan Lyons – SS

#37 Mark Rogers – RHP

Riversharks
#9   Brandon Chaves – SS
#3   Carlos Guzman – RF
#10 Paddy Matera – 2B
#27 Joel Guzman – 1B
#33 Ryan Strieby – DH
#4   Mike Costanzo – 3B
#52 Evan Crawford – LF
#28 Eddie Sorondo – C
#2   Michael Rockett – CF

#11 Zachary Clark – RHP

Keep it here for updates all day long from Campbell’s Field as the Ducks and Riversharks do battle in a day/night doubleheader. You can also follow the Ducks on Twitter (@LIDucks) for updates all year long!

UPDATE (11:24): TOP 1: Ducks jump out to a 2-0 lead on Cody Puckett’s RBI single to right and a run-scoring double play ball off the bat of Jon Griffin!

UPDATE (12:03): BOT 3: Camden pulls within a run on Eddie Sorondo’s RBI double. However, Mark Rogers strands him at second base!

UPDATE (12:41): TOP 5: Four runs for the Ducks, who now lead 6-1! Runs have scored on a wild pitch, an error, and a two-run single by Jose Morales!

UPDATE (1:01): BOT 5: Former Duck Evan Crawford hits a two-run homer to left to cut the Ducks’ lead to 6-3.

UPDATE (1:13): TOP 6: Three more runs for the Ducks increase the lead to 9-3! Bryan Sabatella with a RBI single, his fourth hit of the game, and Prentice Redman with a two-run double!

UPDATE (1:41): END 7: Nick Struck works back-to-back scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh, striking out five batters! Still 9-3 Ducks!

UPDATE (2:13): FINAL: Carmine Giardina works two scoreless innings, and the Ducks win 9-3. Congrats to manager Kevin Baez on his 300th managerial victory!

After the Ducks took game one of the doubleheader, game two will feature a pair of left-handers on the mound. Andrew Barbosa will get the start for Long Island, as he enters with a 1-0 record and a 0.60 ERA in three starts this year. In his last start, the southpaw tossed seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits and two walks while striking out 10 Somerset Patriots batters on the road in a 3-0 win. He faced Camden in the start before that and lasted five innings, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out four. Barbosa’s start tonight will be his third away from Bethpage Ballpark.

Camden will counter with Bill Murphy, a former Duck from their 2013 Atlantic League championship team. Murphy has struggled this year, going just 1-4 with a 5.30 ERA through seven starts. He has lost each of his last four starts, giving up 18 runs (17 earned) over 23 innings in them, which equates to a 6.65 ERA. His last start came on May 29 when he allowed four runs on nine hits and four walks over seven innings, striking out five in a 6-3 defeat. Murphy faced the Ducks back on May 22 and took the loss, yielding seven runs on eight hits and four walks in four innings.

We’ll have the starting lineups for you as soon as they are posted. Stay tuned!

UPDATE (5:56): Starting lineups for game two of the doubleheader:

Ducks
#44 Bryan Sabatella – RF
#5   Delta Cleary, Jr. – CF
#2   Cody Puckett – 3B
#33 Jon Griffin – 1B
#28 Prentice Redman – DH
#11  Reegie Corona – 2B
#9   Mike Blanke – C
#25 Erik Komatsu – LF
#12 Dan Lyons – SS

#49 Andrew Barbosa – LHP

Riversharks
#9   Brandon Chaves – SS
#52 Evan Crawford – LF
#10 Paddy Matera – 2B
#27 Joel Guzman – DH
#33 Ryan Strieby – 1B
#12 Jose Gil – C
#1   Daniel Rockett – RF
#15 Norberto Susini – 3B
#2   Michael Rockett – CF

#14 Bill Murphy – LHP

UPDATE (7:11): We are underway in game two of the doubleheader!

UPDATE (7:19): TOP 1: Jon Griffin launches a two-run home run to left field with two outs to put the Ducks on top 2-0!

UPDATE (7:42): TOP 2: Dan Lyons lifts a sacrifice fly to right, extending Long Island’s lead to three!

UPDATE (8:28): TOP 4: The Ducks have exploded for seven runs on seven hits and two walks to take a 10-0 lead!

UPDATE (8:40): TOP 4: Long Island adds two more runs for a nine-run inning! They have set a new season-high with 12 runs and lead Camden 12-0!

UPDATE (8:50): BOT 4: A RBI single by Norberto Susini puts Camden on the scoreboard in the fourth.

UPDATE (9:15): END 6: Andrew Barbosa strikes out two in the sixth and now has eight for the game! Ducks still lead it 12-1 over the Riversharks!

UPDATE (9:27): TOP 7: Cody Puckett delivers a two-out RBI single to center to give the Ducks their 12-run lead back at 13-1!

UPDATE (10:00): END 8: Frank DeJiulio, Jr. relieves Barbosa and works a 1-2-3 eighth. Final line for Barbosa: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 10 K!

UPDATE (10:19): FINAL: The Ducks complete the doubleheader sweep with a 13-2 rout of the Riversharks! They’ll go for the sweep on Saturday at 5:35!

Game 27: Ducks at Revolution

When the Ducks came back from eight runs down on May 8 to defeat the Lancaster Barnstormers 11-10, it was a stunning and rare feat that many have never experienced before. Nobody expects rallies quite that large to ever take place. After the Ducks fell behind 8-1 on Wednesday in York, things seemed bleak once again for the Flock. But, lo and behold, the Ducks found a way to pull off another giant comeback, storming back for an 11-9 win that gave the club their third straight victory and fourth win in five games at Santander Stadium this year.

The good pitching that the Ducks received in Tuesday’s 4-1 win was absent in the early going on Wednesday night. Mark Rogers, looking to rebound from a tough outing in Lancaster on Friday, lasted just one inning, giving up three walks as well as back-to-back home runs in the frame. Down 3-1, Kevin Baez called on Matt Soren, who proceeded to give up a two-run homer in both the second and third innings, and by the end of the third, Long Island trailed by seven. With Anthony Lerew and his 2.14 ERA on the rubber for the Revolution, it appeared like an epic rally would be tough to come by. But not for these Ducks!

Rather than chop away at the deficit, Long Island wasted no time. They scored nine runs in the fourth inning against the combination of Lerew and Beau Vaughan, who went on to receive the loss. Here’s how the inning played out:

-Jose Morales single to center, moves to second on a passed ball
-Erik Komatsu walk
-Dan Lyons pop out to shortstop
-Bryan Sabatella single to right, Morales to third, Komatsu to second
-Reegie Corona single to right, Morales scores, Komatsu to third, Sabatella to second
-Lew Ford two-run single to left, Komatsu and Sabatella score, Corona to second
(Ford pinch run for by Delta Cleary, Jr.)
(Vaughan replaces Lerew)
-Cody Puckett RBI single to left, Corona scores, Cleary, Jr. to second
-Jon Griffin RBI single to center, Cleary, Jr. scores, Puckett to second, Puckett moves to third and Griffin moves to second on an error by Brandon Boggs
-Prentice Redman RBI single to left, Puckett scores, Griffin to third, Redman to second on throw home
-Jose Morales reaches on fielder’s choice, Griffin out at home, Redman to third
-Erik Komatsu RBI single to right, Redman scores, Morales to third
-Dan Lyons two-run triple to right-center, Morales and Komatsu score
-Bryan Sabatella flies out to center field

13 batters, nine runs, nine hits, one walk, one error, one left on base

With the Ducks in front, Tommy Organ allowed a run in the fourth, but Long Island got it right back in the fifth on Griffin’s RBI groundout to second. From then on, the bullpen took over and got the job done for a second consecutive night. Baez played the matchups again and used nine total relievers (eight from the fourth inning on) to seal the deal. Over the final six innings of the game, those eight relievers yielded just one run on six hits and two walks while striking out six batters. The offense could have widened the lead several times, but it’s hard to ask more from a group that amassed 11 runs and 16 hits while overcoming a seven-run deficit.

CLICK HERE to listen to highlights from Wednesday’s game
CLICK HERE to view Wednesday’s box score

After a long three hour and 52 minute game, the two teams will have a quick turnaround for an 11:00 a.m. game on Thursday morning. Right-hander Billy Buckner will make his debut for the Ducks and is slated to go two or three innings. Mickey Jannis, whose spot Buckner is taking in the rotation, will back him up. Buckner has spent parts of six seasons in the big leagues with four different teams. He most recently made one start with the San Diego Padres in 2014. Overall, the righty was 7-12 with a 6.02 ERA in 44 Major League games (24 starts). This will be his first foray into the Atlantic League and independent baseball. In 11 total seasons, the Georgia native has an 80-74 career minor league record with a 4.61 ERA and 972 strikeouts in 236 games (213 starts).

On the other side will be Matt Neil, who is making his first start for the Revolution this year. The right-hander has appeared in seven games out of the bullpen and has a 1-0 record with a 3.27 ERA. He has allowed five runs (four earned) on 11 hits and two walks while striking out 13 in 11 innings. His lone win came in his last appearance, when the 28-year-old threw one and one-third scoreless innings in York’s 5-2 win on Monday at Sugar Land. The Phoenix native threw four innings of relief against the Ducks on Opening Day this year and gave up four runs (three earned) on four hits and two walks while striking out six.

Here are today’s game notes:

Ducks vs. Revolution: Today’s game marks the 161st all-time meeting between the Ducks and Revolution. The Ducks currently lead the series 81-79, but the Revs have a 47-35 edge at Santander Stadium. It also marks the sixth of 16 scheduled games between the two in 2015. Long Island leads the season series four games to one. York won the 2014 series 13-7, going 7-3 at home.

Rally Quacks: The Ducks earned their second-largest come-from-behind victory and fourth comeback win overall on Wednesday by overcoming a seven-run deficit. It marked the second time in two weeks that the Ducks rallied from a deficit of seven runs or more. On May 8, the Ducks came back from eight runs down (9-1) for an 11-10 victory over the Lancaster Barnstormers. Long Island’s 11 runs tied a season-high, while their 16 hits surpassed their previous high of 15.

Ford’s on Fire: Lew Ford earned his team-leading eighth multi-RBI game on Wednesday by driving in two runs. The 38-year-old has now reached base safely in 13 consecutive games. During the streak, the former big leaguer is batting .451 (23-for-51) with seven doubles, one triple, three homers, 22 RBI and nine runs scored. Ford has driven in at least one run in eight straight games, including three straight multi-RBI contests, and has picked up a hit in 11 of his last 13 games.

Reegie’s Raking: Reegie Corona picked up two more hits on Wednesday. The switch-hitter now has 11 multi-hit games, tied with Ford for the team lead, and he leads the Flock with nine two-hit contests. He now has multiple hits in four straight games and in five of his last six contests. In those six games, he has a .444 average (12-for-27). Corona has hit safely in 17 of his last 18 games.

Dan’s the Man: Dan Lyons picked up a triple and a walk on Wednesday and has now reached base safely in 14 consecutive games. During the streak, he has a .370 batting average (17-for-46) with two doubles, one triple, eight RBI, eight runs and nine walks. Lyons has a hit in 13 of his last 14 games.

Redman Reaches Again: Prentice Redman collected a single on Wednesday to extend his team-leading on-base streak to 16 games. He has reached base safely in every game that he has played as a Duck. In that span, he has drawn 13 walks, including at least one in eight of his last nine games.

On the Air: Today’s game will be broadcast on the Ducks’ official YouTube channel. Live streaming audio will also be available online by CLICKING HERE. Michael Polak will call the play-by-play. Fans can also follow a pitch-by-pitch account of the game via Pointstreak’s GameLive application by CLICKING HERE.

Finally, here are today’s starting lineups:

Ducks
#44 Bryan Sabatella – RF
#11 Reegie Corona – 2B
#20 Lew Ford – DH
#2   Cody Puckett – 3B
#33 Jon Griffin – 1B
#5   Delta Cleary, Jr. – CF
#22 Blake Davis – SS
#30 Dillon Haupt – C
#25 Erik Komatsu – LF

#29 Billy Buckner – RHP

Revolution
#2   Mikey Reynolds – 2B
#33 Brandon Boggs – CF
#4   Eric Patterson – LF
#7   Andres Perez – 1B
#14 Johan Limonta – DH
#37 Bryan Pounds – SS
#15 Steve Proscia – 3B
#34 Salvador Paniagua – C
#9   Willie Cabrera – RF

#32 Matt Neil – RHP

We’ll have updates all morning and afternoon long from Santander Stadium as the Ducks close out their three-game series in York and their week-long Pennsylvania road trip. You can also follow the Ducks on Twitter (@LIDucks) for updates all year long!

UPDATE (11:21): BOT 1: Billy Buckner gets out of a two-on, one-out jam in the first by inducing two popouts! No score after one.

UPDATE (11:39): BOT 2: Buckner strands two more on base after getting Mikey Reynolds to ground into a force out at second!

UPDATE (11:53): TOP 3: Ducks strike first on Bryan Sabatella’s RBI single to left-center field! 1-0 Flock!

UPDATE (12:12): TOP 4: Long Island doubles the lead to two on a sacrifice fly to center off the bat of Blake Davis! 2-0 Flock!

UPDATE (1:02): TOP 6: Ducks plate three more runs to take a 5-0 lead! RBI single from Delta Cleary, Jr., a sac fly from Dillon Haupt and a passed ball do the damage!

UPDATE (1:30): TOP 8: Three hits and a sac fly off the bat of Cleary, Jr. increase the lead to 6-0! Pitching change for the Revolution.

UPDATE (1:44): BOT 8: Mickey Jannis strands two in scoring position and has now tossed six scoreless innings of relief! 6-0 Ducks as we head to the ninth!

UPDATE (2:01): FINAL: Revs scratch out a run in the ninth, but the Ducks hang on for a 6-1 win! Seven innings for Jannis! Ducks sweep the Revolution!

Game 26: Ducks at Revolution

Ducks manager Kevin Baez said before Tuesday’s series opener in York that there were two keys to his team winning two of three during their first visit to Santander Stadium. He also said those same keys would apply to them taking this series. Good pitching and timely hitting were going to be of utmost importance if Long Island wanted to finish with a winning road trip in Pennsylvania. His players took those words to the field on Tuesday night and put together a clean, crisp 4-1 victory over the Revolution.

Good pitching was the first key, and aside from a little bit of control issues at points, the pitching staff got the job done. Nine pitchers total took the mound for the Flock on Tuesday, a season-high, but they limited York to just three hits in the game. Andrew Barbosa started and pitched the first three innings. He retired the side in order in the first two innings before running into control issues in the third. Despite walking three, he found a way out of the jam to end his outing. Eric Niesen then came in and also looked strong for two innings before walking three himself in the sixth. Baez played matchups from that point on, bringing on seven different relievers to set up righty-righty and lefty-lefty battles. It worked though, as the final seven relievers combined to blank the Revolution over the final three and two-thirds innings. The seven gave up just two hits and one walk while striking out four. Amalio Diaz worked a scoreless ninth to earn his first save, with Ryan Kussmaul unavailable due to his long outing on Sunday.

Offensively, Lew Ford stole the show once again. The Ducks veteran came through in the clutch on two separate occasions. With two on and two out in the fifth, Ford fell behind in the count 1-2. However, he drove the next pitch from Shawn Hill to the wall in right for a two-run double. Two innings later, Ford again found himself at the plate with two outs after Reegie Corona singled to keep the inning alive. Facing lefty Shawn Harris, he drove a 1-0 pitch over the wall in right for a two-run home run, his fourth longball of the year. The two clutch hits now upped Ford’s batting average to .396 with runners on base, .393 with runners in scoring position and .333 with runners in scoring position and two outs. Corona and Erik Komatsu both had multi-hit nights as well, and although the Ducks had several chances to blow the game open, leaving nine men on base, they got the job done with the few timely hits they received.

CLICK HERE to listen to highlights from Tuesday’s game
CLICK HERE to view Tuesday’s box score

Wednesday night’s game will feature a rematch of the second game this season, with Mark Rogers starting for the Ducks and Anthony Lerew taking the mound for the Revolution. Rogers enters with a 1-2 record and a 4.82 ERA in four starts. He’s had mixed results in two starts since recovering from his Achilles injury. After throwing six hitless innings and striking out eight on May 9 at home against Lancaster, he struggled against the Barnstormers on the road this past Friday. The right-hander lasted five innings, allowing six runs on six hits and five walks while striking out four. Rogers was strong in his first start against York but made one bad pitch that gave him the loss. Leading 1-0 in the fourth, his strike three wild pitch allowed Bryan Pounds to reach and extended the inning for Brandon Jones, who hit a three-run homer on the first pitch. That longball was the difference in a 3-1 Ducks loss.

Lerew comes into Wednesday’s game with a record of 2-1 and a 2.14 ERA through four starts. He earned the victory in his last outing, tossing five scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out four in an 8-3 win at Camden on May 14. He has yet to allow more than three runs in a start and has struck out 19 batters in 21 innings while walking only eight. Lerew earned the victory against the Ducks on April 25, striking out six batters over five innings and yielding a run on five hits and two walks. His only hiccup came in the second when he allowed a double to Cody Puckett and a RBI single to Jon Griffin.

Here are tonight’s game notes:

Ducks vs. Revolution: Tonight’s game marks the 160th all-time meeting between the Ducks and Revolution. The Ducks currently lead the series 80-79, but the Revs have a 47-34 edge at Santander Stadium. It also marks the fifth of 16 scheduled games between the two in 2015. Long Island leads the season series three games to one. York won the 2014 series 13-7, going 7-3 at home.

Ford’s on Fire: Lew Ford earned his third three-hit game of the season on Tuesday and has now reached base safely in 12 consecutive games. During the streak, the former big leaguer is batting .449 (22-for-49) with seven doubles, one triple, three homers, 20 RBI and nine runs scored. Ford has driven in at least one run in seven consecutive games and has picked up a hit in 10 of the 12 games. He also collected his second four-RBI game of 2015. He leads the Flock with 11 multi-hit games this year and seven multi-RBI contests.

Reegie’s Raking: Reegie Corona picked up two more hits on Tuesday. The switch-hitter now has 10 multi-hit games, one shy of Ford for the team lead, but he leads the team with eight two-hit contests. He now has multiple hits in three straight games and in four of his last five contests. Corona has hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games and ranks second in the league with a .377 batting average.

Walk This Way: Prentice Redman collected a walk and a single on Tuesday to extend his team-leading on-base streak to 15 games. He has reached base safely in every game that he has played as a Duck. In that span, he has drawn 13 walks, including at least one in eight straight games. Redman now ranks second in the Atlantic League with 16 walks, two behind Lancaster’s Blake Gailen.

Dan’s the Man: Dan Lyons picked up a single on Tuesday and has now reached base safely in 13 consecutive games. During the streak, he has a .381 batting average (16-for-42) with two doubles, six RBI, eight runs and eight walks. Lyons has scored in three straight games and has a hit in 12 of his last 13 games.

On the Air: Tonight’s game will be broadcast on the Ducks’ official YouTube channel. Live streaming audio will also be available online by CLICKING HERE. Michael Polak will call the play-by-play. Fans can also follow a pitch-by-pitch account of the game via Pointstreak’s GameLive application by CLICKING HERE.

Finally, here are tonight’s starting lineups:

Ducks
#44 Bryan Sabatella – RF
#11 Reegie Corona – 2B
#20 Lew Ford – CF
#2   Cody Puckett – 3B
#33 Jon Griffin – 1B
#28 Prentice Redman – DH
#26 Jose Morales – C
#25 Erik Komatsu – LF
#12 Dan Lyons – SS

#37 Mark Rogers – RHP

Revolution
#2   Mikey Reynolds – 2B
#21 Wilson Valdez – SS
#4   Eric Patterson – LF
#7   Andres Perez – 1B
#33 Brandon Boggs – CF
#14 Johan Limonta – RF
#37 Bryan Pounds – 3B
#6   Luis De La Cruz – C
#15 Steve Proscia – DH

#18 Anthony Lerew – RHP

Stay tuned for updates throughout the game as the Ducks and Revolution continue their three-game series. You can also follow the Ducks on Twitter (@LIDucks) for updates all year long!

UPDATE (6:42): TOP 1: The Ducks strike first on a two-out RBI double to left by Jon Griffin! 1-0 Flock!

UPDATE (7:00): BOT 1: A two-run homer by Eric Patterson followed by a solo shot from Andres Perez has put York in front 3-1.

UPDATE (7:12): Mark Rogers has been lifted after one inning, and Matt Soren has now come on to pitch.

UPDATE (7:49): BOT 3: York scores three more runs on Johan Limonta’s two-run homer and a double play groundout by Steve Proscia. That after Soren allowed a two-run homer to Patterson in the second. 8-1 Revolution.

UPDATE (8:00): TOP 4: A RBI single by Reegie Corona and a two-run single by Lew Ford have made it an 8-4 game! Anthony Lerew lifted for York.

UPDATE (8:18): TOP 4: Ducks continue to rally and score nine runs on nine hits in the fourth to take a 10-8 lead!

UPDATE (8:31): BOT 4: The Revolution pull back to within one at 10-9 on a RBI single to left by Luis De La Cruz. 10-9 Ducks lead.

UPDATE (8:49): TOP 5: Griffin drives in his third run of the game with a RBI groundout to second! 11-9 Ducks at the halfway point!

UPDATE (9:50): END 7: Nick Struck strikes out Perez to strand the tying runs on base! Ducks still lead 11-9 as we move to the eighth!

UPDATE (10:28): FINAL: Ryan Kussmaul nails down the save, and the Ducks complete the comeback from an 8-1 deficit to take the middle game 11-9!!