Southern Maryland 8, Long Island 6

(Waldorf, Md., July 9, 2023) – The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 8-6 on Sunday afternoon in the finale of a three-game weekend series at Regency Furniture Stadium. 

The Blue Crabs took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning against Long Island starting pitcher Robert Stock courtesy of a two-run home run to left field produced by Khalil Lee. The Blue Crabs made it 3-0 in their favor in the second as Jack Sundberg drove home Ryan Haug with a two-out RBI single.                                                                                                                        

The Ducks got to within 3-2 in the third as Brian Goodwin and Ruben Tejada belted back-to-back-solo home runs off Blue Crabs starter Neil Uskali. Trailing 4-2 in the fourth, Brantley Bell cut Southern Maryland’s lead in half after hitting an absolute mammoth of a four bagger over the left field fence. The visitors took their first lead of the ballgame at 5-4 in the fifth thanks to a monstrous two-run home run to left produced by Sam Travis. Braxton Lee’s two-run tater in the home half of the frame enabled the Blue Crabs to jump back out in front 6-5. The visitors got to within 8-6 in the eight when Lew Ford hustled home all the way from second on a throwing error made by Philip Caulfield in the at bat to Joe DeCarlo, but the comeback would fall just short as Endrys Briceno closed the game out for his third save of the season. 

Stock (4-1) was dealt his first loss in a Ducks uniform this season after giving up seven runs on nine hits (two home runs) in six innings pitched, walking three and striking out two. Uskali (4-3) picked up the victory, allowing five runs on eight hits (four home runs) across five and one-third innings on the mound, walking two while not striking out a batter. 

Tejada led the way offensively for the Flock with a double, home run, RBI, and two runs scored. 

Long Island returns home on Tuesday, July 11, to begin a three-game midweek series with the Lancaster Barnstormers. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with the Fairfield Properties Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders). It’s a Triple Play Tuesday at the ballpark, and if the Ducks turn a triple play during the game, one lucky fan will win $25,000. Simply sign up prior to first pitch at the Ticket Kiosk on the main concourse to be eligible. Right-hander Justin Courtney (0-0, 0.00) gets the nod for the Flock against a pitcher to be announced for Lancaster.

High Point 14, Gastonia 13

HIGH POINT, N.C. – For the High Point Rockers and Gastonia Honey Hunters on Sunday, a game of home run derby would not suffice. Instead, the two Atlantic League South Division rivals engaged in an enhanced version, called Grand Slam Derby. At the end of the day, the Rockers prevailed 14-13 at Truist Point.

Gastonia hit two grand slams in the game, the Rockers just one. The Honey Hunters’ Braxton Davidson, who hit a grand slam on Saturday vs. the Rockers, added a second on Sunday along with Eric De La Rosa. High Point’s Ben Aklinski blasted a grand slam of his own in the sixth inning.  

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen three grand slams in a game before,” said Rockers manager Jamie Keefe.

Aklinski had six RBI for the Rockers while Davidson finished with seven RBI and De La Rosa drove in five runs for the Honey Hunters. Four Honey Hunters managed three hits apiece while High Point was led by Ryan Grotjohn with three base hits.

Gastonia scored first, taking a 1-0 lead in the first when Johnni Turbo led off with a single, and scored on a single by Davidson. The Rockers answered in the bottom half of the first when Grotjohn delivered an RBI single and Brian Parreira drew a bases loaded walk as High Point went up 2-1.

Davidson, who hit a grand slam on Saturday night, then hit his second in as many games, clearing the bases with two outs in the second inning as part of a five-run rally by the Honey Hunters who took a 6-2 lead.

The score remained that way until the Rockers erupted for six runs in the fifth. Grotjohn drove in one with a single, Aklinski hit a two-run triple and Parreira had an RBI sing. Moments later, Emmanuel Tapia smacked his first homer as a Rocker, lining a two-run shot over the fence in left to regain the lead for High Point at 8-6.

In the sixth, the Rockers put up another six spot. Taylor singled in one run before Aklinski unloaded his grand slam. Tapia, who had hit a solo homer in the fifth, singled in the sixth and scored on a Michael Martinez double as the Rockers went ahead 14-6.

But that lead wasn’t safe for long. De La Rosa’s grand slam in the seventh pulled the Honey Hunters to within four runs at 14-10. After the Rockers went down in order in the seventh, Rockers manager Jamie Keefe sent Jameson McGrane to the mound in the eighth. Gastonia put together four hits, a walk and a sac bunt to score three more runs and pull to 14-13 before McGrane fanned the final two batters of the inning.

The Rockers sent Dull to the mound in the ninth and he retired Gastonia in order to earn his 12^th save of the year.

“That’s a dog fight between two really competitive teams,” said Keefe. “We were cruising with an eight-run lead and before you can breathe, it’s a one run game. That’s a good ball club over there (referring to Gastonia). We’ll take the series win. We got a W and we’ll move on.”

The Rockers will be off on Monday, July 10 before starting a three-game homestand with the Staten Island FerryHawks on Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. at Truist Point.

NOTES: Three of the four home runs hit on Sunday were grand slams . . . Emmanuel Tapia’s solo homer was the only non-grand slam . . . Shed Long, Jr. reached base with three walks and a hit to extend his on-base streak to a league-best 31 games . . . The combined 27 runs are the most in an ALPB game this season, surpassing Spire City’s 18-8 win over Gastonia on July 5.

Spire City at Lancaster suspended

The Lancaster Barnstormers and Spire City Ghost Hounds started play on Sunday afternoon with the hopes of getting through an official game before rains hit.\

They came up 10 outs short.

Lightning and heavy downpours hit Clipper Magazine Stadium in the top of the fourth inning with Spire City leading, 3-0.

Under new Atlantic League rules adopted this season, the game will be picked up at the point of suspension on Friday, July 14 when the Ghost Hounds return to Lancaster.  The start time and length of games will be determined at a later time.

Both starters, Lancaster’s Bret Clarke and Spire City’s Jake Fisher, retired the first six batters of the afternoon.  Spire City got on the board in the third.  With one out, Osvaldo Abreu beat out a topper toward third base and went to second on a single to left by Luke Becker.  A wild pitch sent the runners to second and third.  Lancaster pulled its infielders to the infield grass, and Leobaldo Cabrera singled off Trace Loehr’s glove at third to drive home the run.

Kole Cottam added a two-run homer in the top of the fourth two batters before play was halted.

Fisher retired nine of 10, allowing only a leadoff single by Yeison Coca in the third.

Lancaster will head to Southern Maryland to play the Blue Crabs in a makeup doubleheader at noon on Monday.  The Barnstormers will be adding to the roster for the twinbill, including both starting pitchers.

Lexington at York postponed

(July 8, 2023, York, Pa.) — This afternoon’s York Revolution game against the Lexington Counter Clocks has been postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be made up in Lexington on a date to be determined.

Tickets for today’s game may be exchanged for tickets to any remaining regular season home game in 2023 (based on availability).

Exchanges may be made in person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office at WellSpan Park or by calling the ticket office at (717) 801-HITS. On game days, the ticket office is open from 10 a.m. until the end of the fifth inning. On non-game-days, the hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Charleston 11, Staten Island 4