Four-run ninth inning earns Flock 17th straight win at Duck Pond
(Central Islip, N.Y., July 2, 2015) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Lancaster Barnstormers 7-6 in waddle-off fashion on Thursday night in the finale of a four-game series at Bethpage Ballpark.
GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the dramatic comeback
POSTGAME VIDEO: Kevin Baez, Dan Lyons and Blake Davis talk about the improbable win
Kevin Rivers put the Barnstormers in front with a two-run home run to right field in the first inning off of Ducks starter Andrew Barbosa. Back-to-back triples in the second by Jake Luce and Anderson Feliz extended the lead to 3-0. Another run in the third on a double play ball from Mike McDade pushed the advantage to four.
Long Island closed to within 4-3 thanks to a run in the third and two more in the fourth off of Lancaster starter Shunsuke Watanabe. Lew Ford’s RBI double and a two-run triple from Blake Davis did the damage. The ‘Stormers regained their three-run lead though at 6-3 with a RBI double by Luce in the eighth and a sacrifice fly from McDade in the ninth.
However, the Ducks rallied for four runs in the ninth inning to come away with the victory. A two-run double by Ford, a run-scoring error with two outs by Juan Apodaca and a RBI single to left-center by Dan Lyons highlighted the comeback.
Neither starter factored into the decision. Barbosa lasted six innings, giving up four runs on 11 hits and one walk while striking out five. Watanabe tossed five innings, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts. Frank DeJiulio, Jr. (2-1) picked up thew in after recording the final out in the top of the ninth inning. Scott Patterson (0-3) suffered the loss, surrendering four runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning.
Ford, Davis and Bryan Sabatella each had two hits to pace the Flock.
The Ducks continue their homestand on Friday when they take on the Somerset Patriots in the opener of a three-game series. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for season ticket holders). Following the game, all fans in attendance will be treated to a Pyrotecnico Fireworks Extravaganza, presented by Huntington Honda. In addition, it will be a Fowl Pole, Pizza Hut K-Man and Air Trampoline Sports Friday at the Duck Pond! Right-hander Ian Marshall gets the start for the Ducks against Patriots righty Lucas Irvine.
Tickets to the game and all Ducks home games are available by visiting the Bethpage Ballpark box office, calling (631) 940-TIXX or CLICKING HERE. Those unable to make the game can follow all of the action live on the Ducks’ flagship radio station, 103.9-FM LI News Radio. Streaming video and audio will also be available online via the Ducks’ official YouTube channel by CLICKING HERE.
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Duck Tales: Long Island earned their franchise record 17th consecutive victory at Bethpage Ballpark. They have yet to lose a game at home since June 1. The Ducks boast a 26-6 record at home this season, which is the best in the Atlantic League (.813 winning percentage)…The waddle-off victory was the Ducks’ sixth of the season. In addition, it was Long Island’s third walk-off victory over the Barnstormers this year and second of the series. Their first came on May 8 when Jon Griffin’s ninth inning double gave the Flock an 11-10 win, while the second took place on Tuesday when Randy Ruiz won the game 3-2 with a two-run single in the ninth. The Ducks have now totaled 20 come-from-behind victories in 2015…Lew Ford extended his on-base streak to 25 consecutive games with two doubles. During the streak, the outfielder/bench coach is batting .418 (41-for-98) with 11 doubles, one homer, 19 RBI and 20 runs. The former big leaguer leads the Atlantic League with a .352 batting average, 55 runs batted in, 89 hits, 133 total bases, 24 doubles and 31 extra-base hits…Left-handed pitcher J.C. Romero made his Ducks debut and threw a scoreless inning of relief in the seventh inning. The 14-year Major League veteran was signed by the Flock on Tuesday after beginning the year with Puebla of the Mexican League. Romero was a member of the 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies and has 680 games of Major League experience…Thursday’s crowd of 7,087 was the largest of the season at Bethpage Ballpark and most since August 30, 2014 when 7,033 fans watched the Ducks defeat the Riversharks 5-1. The sold out crowd was Long Island’s third of the season and 642nd all-time, which is an Atlantic League record. Since the inaugural 2000 season, the Ducks have welcomed a league record 6,438,313 fans through the gates of Bethpage Ballpark.
Game Date: 07/02/2015 Lancaster Barnstormers 6 AT Long Island Ducks 7 YTD YTD Lancaster AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG J.Owens CF 5 1 3 0 .365 B.Sabatella RF 4 2 2 0 .305 B.Nelson 2B 4 1 2 0 .294 R.Corona 2B 5 1 1 0 .317 Y.Kajimoto 2B,PR 0 1 0 0 .209 L.Ford CF 5 1 2 3 .352 K.Rivers DH 4 1 2 2 .265 R.Ruiz DH 3 0 1 0 .325 M.McDade 1B 4 0 0 1 .261 D.Cleary Jr DH,PR 1 1 1 0 .329 B.Cavazos-Galve RF 5 0 2 0 .243 J.Griffin 1B 5 0 1 0 .244 W.Batista 3B 3 1 1 0 .167 C.Puckett 3B 4 0 0 0 .271 J.Apodaca C 4 0 0 0 .229 J.Morales C 0 1 0 0 .255 J.Luce LF 3 1 2 1 .202 M.Blanke C 1 0 0 0 .304 A.Feliz SS 4 0 2 1 .222 P.Redman LF 4 1 0 0 .229 B.Davis SS 3 0 2 2 .188 D.Lyons PH,SS 2 0 1 1 .318 36 6 14 5 37 7 11 6 Lancaster 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 - 6 14 2 L Island 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 4 - 7 11 1 2B--B.Nelson (3), J.Luce (3), R.Corona (12), L.Ford 2 (24). 3B--J.Luce (2), A.Feliz (1), B.Davis (1). HR--K.Rivers (9). RBI--K.Rivers 2 (25), M.McDade (1), J.Luce (4), A.Feliz (12), L.Ford 3 (55), B.Davis 2 (6), D.Lyons (34). HP--J.Morales 2 (3). SF--M.McDade (1). SH--B.Nelson (0), W.Batista (0). SB--J.Owens (2), B.Sabatella (18). CS--B.Cavazos-Galvez (1), J.Morales (1). E--J.Apodaca (1), A.Feliz (7), C.Puckett (10). LOB--Lancaster 9, L Island 12. DP--R. Corona(2B) - B. Davis(SS) - J. Griffin(1B), R. Corona(2B) - B. Davis(SS) - J. Griffin(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Lancaster S.Watanabe 5.0 3 3 3 3 4 0 2.76 P.Andrelczyk 2.0 1 0 0 1 1 0 2.05 S.Gracey 0.2 2 0 0 1 0 0 2.22 Z.Jackson 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4.58 S.Patterson (L,0-3) 0.2 5 4 2 1 2 0 4.37 8.2 11 7 5 6 7 0 L Island A.Barbosa 6.0 11 4 4 1 5 1 2.82 J.Romero 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 N.Struck 1.0 1 1 1 1 0 0 2.21 P.Crider 0.2 1 1 1 1 0 0 3.21 F.DeJiulio Jr. (W,2-1) 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.26 9 14 6 6 3 5 1 WP--J.Romero (1), P.Crider (2). HB--S.Watanabe 2 (6). SO--B.Nelson, M.McDade, B.Cavazos-Galvez, W.Batista, J.Apodaca, B.Sabatella, R.Ruiz, J.Griffin 3, M.Blanke, B.Davis. BB--K.Rivers, W.Batista, J.Luce, B.Sabatella, R.Ruiz, C.Puckett, J.Morales, M.Blanke, P.Redman. BF--S.Watanabe 23 (255), P.Andrelczyk 7 (184), S.Gracey 5 (105), Z.Jackson (91), S.Patterson 9 (101), A.Barbosa 27 (210), J.Romero 4 (4), N.Struck 5 (90), P.Crider 4 (114), F.DeJiulio Jr. 2 (87). P-S--S.Watanabe 96-60, P.Andrelczyk 28-16, S.Gracey 17-9, Z.Jackson 6-3, S.Patterson 30-21, A.Barbosa 99-67, J.Romero 10-8, N.Struck 13-8, P.Crider 15-9, F.DeJiulio Jr. 6-5. T--3:32. A--7087 Plate Umpire - Warren Nicholson, Field Umpire #1 - Manolo Alejandro, Field Umpire #2 - JB Torres