Long Island 6, So. Maryland 5

(Central Islip, N.Y., Aug. 9, 2023) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 6-5 on Wednesday night in the middle game of a three-game series at Fairfield Properties Ballpark.

Southern Maryland took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Khalil Lee’s RBI double and David Harris’ run-scoring groundout off Ducks starter Kyle Lobstein. RBI singles by Alex Dickerson and Wilson Ramos off Blue Crabs starter in the bottom of the inning tied the game at two. 

Long Island went in front 3-2 in the fourth on a mammoth solo home run to left field by Joe DeCarlo. Jimmy Kerrigan’s solo homer to right in the fifth evened the score at three, but an RBI double by Sam Travis in the bottom of the frame put the Ducks back ahead by one. 

Two more runs in the seventh on Dickerson’s RBI single and a wild pitch that plated Alejandro De Aza extended the Ducks lead to 6-3. A two-out, two-run double by Alex Crosby in the ninth closed the gap to one, but Isaias Quiroz popped out to first base to end the game. 

Lobstein (3-3) picked up the win, tossing five innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits and four walks while striking out three. O’Sullivan (8-4) took the loss, conceding six runs (five earned) on 11 hits and three walks in six and two-thirds innings with four strikeouts. Kevin Quackenbush collected his 12th save despite allowing two runs on three hits in the ninth. 

Dickerson led the Flock offensively with four hits and two RBIs. De Aza added two hits, three runs scored and a walk. 

The Ducks and Blue Crabs wrap up their three-game set on Thursday night. 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). The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Summer Days & Double Plays T-Shirts, courtesy of Discover Long Island. It’s also a Thirsty Thursday at the ballpark, and fans will be able to enjoy a special buy one, get one half-price offer on Budweiser during the game. In addition, the Duck Club restaurant and bar on the suite level will be open for all fans to enjoy. Right-hander Robert Stock (7-2, 4.37) toes the rubber for the Ducks against Blue Crabs righty Tony Dibrell (1-3, 5.24).

Lancaster 8, York 5

The Lancaster Barnstormers kept finding the gaps in the top of the sixth.

Five doubles to the alleys led to seven runs as the Barnstormers topped the York Revolution, 8-5, winning their second straight at WellSpan Park. 

The win moved the Barnstormers into a first place tie with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.  York trails by one-half game.

With only three singles on the ledger for the night heading into the sixth, the Barnstormers went to work on Tom Sutera (7-5) in the sixth.  Andretty Cordero reached on an infield single to open the inning.  Ariel Sandovall followed with a single up the middle.  Then came the doubles.

Wilson Garcia reached the gap in right center to score Cordero to give Lancaster a 2-1 lead.  Joseph Carpenter reached the wall in right center for a two-run double and a 4-1 edge.  For the second straight night, York summoned Zach Neff to face Shawon Dunston, Jr.  For the second straight night, Dunston spoiled the strategy, this time dumping a double into shallow left center, only sending Carpenter to third.  Neff struck out the next two, but Melvin Mercedes found the right center gap to score two more.  Neff walked Yeison Coca, and Cordero capped the inning with a two-run single to right center as the Barnstormers went up, 8-1.

Then, it was time to hold on.

Jared Lakind (7-3), coming back after the long wait, walked Nellie Rodriguez to open the bottom of the sixth.  One out later, Jacob Rhinesmith belted a double to the fence in dead center.  Both scored on Alejandro Rivero’s single to center. 

Brandyn Sittinger rescued the inning with a pair of strikeouts.  Then, in the seventh, Tomo Otosaka picked up the third of his four walks in the game and scored on a double to center by Troy Stokes, Jr., cutting the lead to 8-4.  Sittinger struck out the side after that.

York again put together a rally in the eighth.  Rhinesmith singled to right and stole second.  Brian Marconi retired two, but a passed ball sent Rhinesmith to third, and he scored on an infield single by Trent Giambrone behind third base.  Otosaka walked to bring Stokes to the plate as the tying run.  Nick Duron came out of the pen to get Stokes to ground to third, ending the inning.

Mike Adams allowed a leadoff single to Drew Mendoza in the ninth before getting the side in order for his sixth save.

Lancaster and York will finish the series on Thursday evening at 6:30.  Nile Ball (6-4) is scheduled for Lancaster against right-hander Pedro Vasquez (5-1).  Fans may tune in on FloBaseball, starting at 6:25.

NOTES:  York now leads the War of the Roses, 9-5, with seven games remaining…Carpenter extended a hitting streak to eight games…Garcia is 13-for-27 in the last seven games…Adams threw his seventh straight scoreless appearance, covering eight innings…RHP Nolan Long was placed on the injured list prior to the game.

Staten Island 14, High Point 4

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Staten Island Ferry Hawks scored eight runs in the first two innings and went on to post a 14-4 win over the High Point Rockers on Wednesday night at Truist Point.

The Rockers spotted the Ferry Hawks four runs in the top of the first. Staten Island lead-off hitter Ricardo Cespedes reached on an infield single off High Point starter Mitch Atkins (L, 1-2). After stealing second, Cespedes scored on an Angel Aguilar homer to left for a 2-0 lead. After Atkins fanned Yoshi Tsutsugo for the first out, Chris Brito singled and scored on a double by Luis Castro for the third run of the inning. Castro would score on a wild pitch to complete the 4-0 start.

The Rockers answered back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first. Ferry Hawks starter Ofelky Peralta (W, 1-4) walked D.J. Burt and Ben Aklinski. After retiring Shed Long, Jr. and Quincy Latimore, Peralta loaded the bases with a walk to Beau Taylor. Zander Wiel then blasted a line drive off the wall in left, scoring all three runners and pulling the Rockers to within 4-3.

Staten Island added four more runs in the second off High Point reliever Joe Johnson. A lead-off double by Noah Fisher was followed by an RBI triple from Aguilar.  After Johnson hit Brito with a pitch to put two aboard, Castro blasted a three-run homer as Staten Island went up 8-3.

High Point’s Bryce Hensley came on and put the Ferry Hawks down in order in the third but allowed two more runs in the fourth and three in the fifth when Roldani Baldwin hit a solo homer and Noah Fisher added a two-run shot. The Ferry Hawks led 13-3 after five innings and added one more run in the seventh on a Baldwin double and an RBI single ground out by Noah Fisher.

High Point’s final run came in the bottom of the ninth when Ryan Grotjohn was hit by a pitch and scored on a pinch-double by Daikan Yoh.

Shed Long, Jr. led the Rockers with three hits while Zander Wiel had a pair of safeties. Staten Island’s Aguilar came up a double shy of hitting for the cycle, collecting a homer, triple and single while Castro had a hoer and a double. Each had four RBI in the game.

The Rockers are now 57-32 overall and 16-10 in the second half of the Atlantic League season. High Point holds a one-game lead over Gastonia for first place in the second half.

The third and final game of the series is slated for a 6:35 p.m. start on Thursday at Truist Point. The game will be streamed live on FLO Baseball and also available on the Mixlr app.

NOTES: D.J. Burt reached base for the 44^th consecutive game, the second-longest streak by an Atlantic League player since 2019. Only York’s Carlos Franco, who reached base in 50 consecutive games last year, has a longer streak.

Spire City 3, Gastonia 2

Spire City overcame a 2-1 deficit with a pair of runs in the eighth to defeat Gastonia 3-2 on Wednesday afternoon at Gastonia. Craig Dedelow delivered a bases loaded double to drive home both runs and secure the win for the Ghost Hounds. Dedelow’s double was one of just four hits allowed by Gastonia. Zac Rosscup (W, 3-1) went seven innings and struck out three without allowing a walk.

Lexington 9, Charleston 1

Lexington snapped a six-game losing streak with a 9-1 win at Charleston on Wednesday night. The Counter Clocks held a narrow 2-1 lead in the fifth before exploding for five runs. Osmy Gregorio singled home a run, Thomas Dillard smacked an RBI double and Connor Owings brought home a run on a groundout to first. Zach Watson added an RBI single and Jesus Tavarez double home a run. Yeudy Garcia (W, 5-7) earned the victory while Charleston’s Kit Scheetz (L, 5-10) took the loss despite striking out 10 in 4.2 innings of work.