Long Island 4, Southern Maryland 0

(Waldorf, Md., July 18, 2023) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 4-0 on Tuesday evening in the opener of a three-game midweek series at Regency Furniture Stadium.

Long Island took a 3-0 lead against Southern Maryland starting pitcher Tony Dibrell in the top half of the first inning thanks to an RBI double to the wall in left center field produced by Alejandro De Aza that plated Ruben Tejada after he was hit by a pitch with one man down, and a two-run home run over the left field fence off the bat of Sam Travis. The Ducks made it 4-0 in their favor in the fifth as Boog Powell plated Brantley Bell with a sacrifice fly to right after Bell led off the frame with a walk.

As the game progressed, the focus began to shift to Long Island’s starting pitcher Robert Stock, who after issuing a leadoff walk to Michael Baca in the third, proceeded to then retire 14 consecutive Southern Maryland hitters while not allowing a hit through seven innings of work. After a free pass was issued to K.C. Hobson to begin the eighth, the right-hander followed that up by retiring the next three batters in succession and was one inning away from history. In the bottom of the ninth with one man down, Matt Hibbert was hit by a pitch and Khalil Lee walked. In stepped David Harris, and Stock induced the cleanup batter and designated hitter to bounce into a game-ending 4-6-3 double play as Stock finished the ballgame erasing 23 of the final 28 Blue Crabs batters he faced as he was mobbed by his teammates in front of the pitcher’s mound as he became just the second player in the Long Island Ducks 23 year franchise history in the Atlantic League to record a no-hitter, joining Rod Henderson who accomplished the feat back in 2001. 

The victorious Stock (5-1) fired the first complete game of the season for the Flock, tossing nine innings of no-hit baseball, walking three while striking out six. Dibrell (1-2) was tagged with the loss, surrendering four runs on four hits (one home run) across six and two-thirds innings pitched, walking three and striking out seven.

Travis led the way offensively with three hits to extend his on-base streak to 19 consecutive contests, including a double, home run, two RBI’s and a run scored. 

The Ducks and Blue Crabs continue their three-game set on Wednesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at Regency Furniture Stadium. Fans can follow all the action live on Flo Baseball by CLICKING HERE. Left-hander Stephen Tarpley (3-4, 4.92) toes the rubber for the Flock against Blue Crabs righty Ian Kahaloa (4-5, 3.71). 

Long Island returns home on Tuesday, July 25, to open a three-game series against the Spire City Ghost Hounds. 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).

Lancaster 9, Lexington 3

he Lancaster Barnstormers reached Yeudy Garcia for five runs in the bottom of the first and cruised to a 9-3 win over the Lexington Counter Clocks Tuesday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

It was the third straight win for the Barnstormers, who improved to 7-2 in the second half.

Melvin Mercedes drew a walk from Garcia (3-7) and advanced to second when Yeison Coca chopped a single off the glove of leaping third baseman Connor Owings.  Andretty Cordero lined a single to center to load the bases, and Ariel Sandoval drew a walk to force home a run.  Garcia retired Wilson Garcia on a foul pop to third, but Joseph Carpenter drove home a pair with a double down the left field line.  Jack Conley walked to refill the bases.  Shawon Dunston, Jr. forced Sandoval at the plate for the second out, but Trace Loehr blooped a single into left to extend the lead to 5-0.

Lancaster generated no offense over the next three innings, and the Counter Clocks got back into the game against Jared Lakind (5-2).  With two outs in the fourth, Logan Brown smoked a triple off the fence in right center and scored when Hector Roa beat out a dribbler toward Loehr at third.  In the fifth, Josue Huma reached on a single off Coca’s glove at short and moved to third on a hit-and-run single by Brandt Broussard. Owings flied to shallow right, but Thomas Dillard brought the run home with a force play grounder.

Newcomer Chad Sedio doubled with one out in the bottom of the third, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Wilson Garcia as the Barnstormers reestablished control of the game with a 6-2 lead.  The Counter Clocks failed to pick up a hit in four innings against the Lancaster bullpen but did score a run in the eighth on a passed ball.  Lancaster scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Lancaster will send Nile Ball (4-4) to the mound on Wednesday evening against lefty Mike Kickham (1-3).  Fans may tune into either Blue Ridge Cable 11 or FloBaseball, beginning at 6:30.

NOTES:  Carpenter’s double extended his hitting streak to 10 games…The Cedar Crest product in 19-for-40 (.475) in the streak…Sedio was 2-for-2 with a double and a walk in his Atlantic League debut, replacing Sandoval in the fourth inning…Nick Duron retired the side in order in the ninth in his ALPB debut…Duron pitched one game for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022…Lakind won his fifth straight decision…The Barnstormers continued to average nine runs per game in the second half…Coca is hitting .434 in his last 20 games.

Gastonia 6, High Point 5

GASTONIA, NC - The High Point Rockers dropped the opener of a three game series by a final score of 6-5 at CaroMont Health Park in Gastonia, as a late comeback attempt fell just short on Tuesday night.

The Rockers wasted little time getting started offensively in the first inning, as Michael Russell collected High Point's first hit with one out. Two batters later, Daikan Yoh lifted a home run down the right field line to give High Point a 2-0 advantage. Yoh, fresh off a 7-for-9 performance over the weekend, continued to be the hottest hitter in the Rockers lineup.

Gastonia quickly answered, however, loading the bases with a walk and a pair of singles that brought Scott Manea to the plate. A chopper to third base that was handled by Michael Russell started an attempted 5-4-3 double-play, but Shed Long Jr. sailed a throw into foul ground that allowed two runs to score and knot the game 2-2.

One inning later in the bottom of the second, it was again the Honey Hunters who struck when Pedro Gonzalez belted a no-doubt homer off Mickey Jannis to push the hosts in front 3-2. High Point would not be denied long, striking back in the top of the third with another two spot, thanks to Russell's second hit of the ballgame, an RBI double, and Ryan Grotjohn who dribbled one to the right side of the infield to bring across the go-ahead tally, and the Rockers led 4-3 after two and a half innings.

The contest stayed locked at 4-3 through the fourth and fifth innings, as both Jannis and the Gastonia starter Zach Mort settled into a rhythm. In the sixth, Gastonia's offense came alive again, as David Washington knocked a solo homer the opposite way to tie the score 4-4. After Jannis recorded the second out of the inning one batter later, Jamie Keefe turned to the bullpen and called upon Jeremy Rhoades. Gonzalez doubled to set up Johnni Turbo, who laced one into the outfield to put the Honey Hunters up 5-4. The following batter was Kevin Santa, who swatted a double of his own to bring Turbo all the way around and Gastonia elevated its lead to 6-4 after six innings.

The Rockers went through the sixth and seventh innings without a hit, but they battled into the eighth and with one out proceeded to put four straight men on base, cutting the deficit to one on a Yoh base hit that drove in his third run of the night. With the bases loaded and two outs, Ben Aklinski climbed in but struck out swinging to end the threat.

With three outs to play with in the ninth, the Rockers were in search of a rally to try and extend the game. Quincy Latimore led off the frame with a single up the middle, his second hit in his 2023 debut. The next batter, Michael Martinez, then bunted the designated pinch runner, John Daly, into scoring position, but High Point's rally came up short as Beau Taylor struck out and D.J. Burt grounded out to second to put a cap on the ballgame.

Game two of the series is set for a 6:35 start tomorrow at CaroMont Health Park, with Jheyson Manzueta scheduled to get the start for the Rockers. The game will be streamed live on FLO Baseball and will also be available on the Mixlr app.

Spire City 15, Staten Island 0

York at Charleston, postponed (rain)