(Central Islip, N.Y., Oct. 6, 2012) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Lancaster Barnstormers 9-3 on Saturday night in Game Four of the Atlantic League Championship Series at Bethpage Ballpark. The best-of-five series is now tied at two games apiece.
GAME VIDEO: The Ducks strike for seven runs in the sixth inning
POSTGAME VIDEO: Kevin Baez, Bryant Nelson and John Brownell talk about the thrilling victory
Lancaster took an early 2-0 lead in the first against Ducks starter John Brownell on a RBI groundout by Tommy Everidge and a RBI infield single by Fehlandt Lentini. It would stay that way until the fifth when Long Island grabbed a run on a wild pitch by Barnstormers reliever Joe Bateman.
In the sixth, the Ducks sent 11 men to the plate, scoring seven runs on six hits to take a commanding 8-2 lead. RBI singles by Mitch Canham, Kraig Binick and Joash Brodin along with a three-run triple by Bryant Nelson highlighted the offensive outburst. Another run-scoring single by Canham in the seventh rounded out the Ducks’ scoring.
Brownell (1-0) finished strong to earn the win, tossing six innings of two-run ball, allowing just three hits while striking out two. Mark Brackman started for Lancaster but did not factor into the decision, yielding one run on five hits with four strikeouts in four and two-thirds innings. Beau Vaughan (0-1) took the loss, surrendering three runs on two hits and a walk against the three batters he faced in relief.
Every Duck reached base in the win. Nelson led the Ducks with three hits and three RBI, while Canham, Binick, Brodin and Matt Esquivel each added two hits.
The victory sets up a winner-take-all Game Five between the Ducks and Barnstormers on Sunday evening. Game time is slated for 5:05 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 4:05. Right-hander Bobby Blevins gets the start for the Ducks against Barnstormers righty Dwayne Pollok.
Tickets for the game are available by visiting the Bethpage Ballpark box office, calling 631-940-TIXX or visiting www.liducks.com. Fans unable to make the game can follow all the action live on the radio at MyCountry 96.1 FM and online at LIDucks.com by clicking the Watch Live icon on the homepage. Streaming video and audio will be provided by iBN, the Internet Broadcast Network.
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Duck Tales: With the win, the Ducks improved to 6-6 all-time and 6-3 at home in games when facing elimination. They are also now 2-0 in the 2012 postseason in such games. The Ducks won Game Five of the Liberty Division Championship Series against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 5-4 at Bethpage Ballpark last Sunday…Ducks starter continued their postseason success, as John Brownell pitched six innings of two-run ball and did not allow a hit to the final 19 batters he faced. In nine postseason games thus far, Ducks starters have allowed just 22 earned runs in 53 and one-third innings (3.71 ERA) while striking out 46 batters and walking just 23…Kraig Binick picked up two more hits in the contest and has now hit safely in 18 of his last 19 games started. In that span, he is batting .379 (28-for-74)…Binick, Brodin and Canham each picked up two hits on the night and now have hits in all four games of the Atlantic League Championship Series. The Ducks have collected 23 runs on 34 hits as a team in the last three games after totaling 21 runs on 46 hits in the first six games of the playoffs.
GAME DATE: 10/06/2012 Lancaster Barnstormers 3 AT Long Island Ducks 9 YTD YTD Lancaster AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG G.Mejia 2B 4 0 0 0 .258 K.Binick CF 4 1 2 1 .364 A.Godwin CF 4 1 1 0 .276 J.Brodin RF 3 1 2 1 .314 B.Gailen LF 4 1 1 0 .348 R.Navarrete 2B 3 1 0 1 .167 T.Everidge 1B 3 0 0 1 .250 B.Sing 1B 4 0 0 0 .324 F.Lentini RF 4 0 1 1 .360 B.Nelson 3B 5 1 3 3 .216 R.Harvey DH 4 1 1 1 .310 L.Cruz DH 5 1 1 0 .152 T.Denker 3B 4 0 1 0 .483 M.Esquivel LF 3 2 2 0 .250 E.Frostad C 3 0 1 0 .056 M.Canham C 4 1 2 2 .474 K.Kirkland SS 4 0 0 0 .222 D.Lyons SS 4 1 1 0 .250 34 3 6 3 35 9 13 8 Lancaster 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 - 3 6 0 L Island 0 0 0 0 1 7 1 0 x - 9 13 1 2B--B.Nelson (3), M.Esquivel (2). 3B--B.Nelson (1). HR--R.Harvey (4). RBI--T.Everidge (6), F.Lentini (5), R.Harvey (9), K.Binick (4), J.Brodin (6), R.Navarrete (4), B.Nelson 3 (6), M.Canham 2 (3). HP--K.Binick (2), J.Brodin (1). SB--A.Godwin (2), B.Gailen (5), F.Lentini (1). CS--J.Brodin (2). E--B.Nelson (2). LOB--Lancaster 6, L Island 9. DP--D. Lyons(SS) - B. Sing(1B), G. Mejia(2B) - T. Everidge(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Lancaster M.Brackman 4.2 5 1 1 1 4 0 1.93 J.Bateman 0.1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0.00 R.Peeples 0.0 1 1 1 0 0 0 13.49 B.Vaughan (L,0-1) 0.0 2 3 3 1 0 0 37.79 J.Dew 1.0 3 3 3 1 2 0 5.06 C.Lo 2.0 2 1 1 1 1 0 3.00 8 13 9 9 5 7 0 L Island J.Brownell (W,1-0) 6.0 3 2 2 2 2 0 2.84 J.Lansford 1.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0.00 E.Niesen 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 5.40 J.Lansford 1.0 2 1 1 0 1 1 3.38 9 6 3 3 2 6 1 WP--J.Bateman (2), J.Brownell 2 (2), E.Niesen (1). HB--M.Brackman 2 (2). SO--B.Gailen, T.Denker 2, K.Kirkland 3, R.Navarrete, B.Sing 2, L.Cruz 2, M.Esquivel, D.Lyons. BB--T.Everidge, E.Frostad, J.Brodin, R.Navarrete 2, B.Sing, M.Esquivel. BF--M.Brackman 20 (20), J.Bateman 2 (12), R.Peeples (3), B.Vaughan 3 (19), J.Dew 7 (23), C.Lo 9 (12), J.Brownell 24 (52), J.Lansford 4 (21), E.Niesen 3 (15), J.Lansford 5 (13). P-S--M.Brackman 84-50, J.Bateman 7-3, R.Peeples 1-1, B.Vaughan 11-6, J.Dew 29-16, C.Lo 30-17, J.Brownell 101-59, J.Lansford 18-9, E.Niesen 16-11, J.Lansford 20-11. T--3:16. A--3230 Umpires: Plate Ump - Matt Hensel, Field Ump #1 - Mark Facto, Field Ump #2 - Hank Himmanen, Field Ump #3 - Matt Beaver