Staten Island 8, York 5

(May 25, 2022 – Staten Island, NY):  The York Revolution had their plans for a series victory put on hold on Wednesday night as the Staten Island FerryHawks grabbed an 8-5 victory at Staten Island University Hospital Northwell Health Community Park.

Things got off to a promising start as York grabbed a quick lead in the first.  After Troy Stokes Jr. struck a leadoff double to right-center and moved to third on a ground out, Melky Mesa delivered an RBI double that landed on the right field line for a 1-0 lead.

York scored again in the top of the second when Connor Lien crossed the plate on an error after reaching on a base hit earlier in the inning.  Staten Island lefty Anthony Rodriguez notched a pair of strike outs to minimize the damage and leave the bases loaded, however.

Things took a turn in the bottom of the second.  After York starter Austin Nicely set down his first five batters of the night including three strike outs, Mariel Bautista kept the inning alive with a base hit and Ricardo Cespedes reached on a throwing error by shortstop Edwin Figuera.  Javier Betancourt (3-for-3) capitalized with an RBI knock to right, and drawing a throw after rounding first base, allowed Cespedes to race home with a second run to tie the game.

The FerryHawks rallied for three runs on four hits in the third to go on top, 5-2.  Kacy Clemens drove in his first go-ahead run of the night on a single to right-center, and Bautista added a two-out double to the gap in left-center, plating the other two.

The Revs responded with a run in the fourth as Mesa lashed a two-out RBI single to right, then tied the game at 5-5 with two more runs in the fifth as Carlos Franco crossed on a wild pitch and Lenin Rodriguez drove a sac fly to right.

Nicely settled down to retire eight straight at one point, putting up zeroes through the middle three innings of the game.

Staten Island went ahead for good in the bottom of the seventh, however.  Joseph Monge led off with a bloop single to shallow right and Alfredo Reyes beat out a bunt hit to put the first two on.  Nicely struck out Rymer Liriano but the FerryHawks executed a double steal on the pitch, and with the infield drawn in, Clemens slapped a two-run single up the middle for a 7-5 lead.

The FerryHawks added one final run in the eighth when Liriano took a bases loaded walk from reliever Alberto Rodriguez.

Notes: Mesa’s first inning double was the 80th of his Revs career, moving him past Eric Patterson for fourth on the franchise’s all-time list; he is now two away from matching Ramon Castro (82) for third.  Nicely (0-5) worked seven innings for the third straight start and struck out a Revs career-best eight against no walks despite suffering the loss.  York stranded 12 runners as the offense has now left 36 runners on base in the last three games; the Revs went 4-for-17 with runners in scoring position on the night.  The Revs will go for their third series win in the last four tries in the rubber match on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. as RHP Merandy Gonzalez gets the ball.  Fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK, 989woyk.com, The New WOYK app, and the WOYK YouTube channel beginning at 6:10 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.

High Point 8, Charleston 2
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The High Point Rockers won their seventh straight game, breaking out the big bats while also receiving a superior pitching performance in routing Charleston 8-2 on Wednesday night at Appalachian Power Park.

The Rockers improved to 22-8 on the season. Coupled with Gastonia’s loss to Lancaster on Wednesday, High Point now has a 1.5 game lead over the Honey Hunters for first place in the Atlantic League South Division. This is the Rockers’ best 30-game start to a season after going 18-12 in 2019 and 15-15 in 2022.

The Rockers bashed 13 hits including four doubles while holding the Dirty Birds to just four safeties. Ben Aklinski and Giovanny Alfonzo each had three hits with Aklinski adding a three-run homer.

But the story of the night might have been on the mound. High Point starter Neil Uskali (2-1) made his first appearance since April 30 after spending time on the injured list. Uskali went six innings, held the Dirty Birds to three hits and one walk while striking out three as the Rockers built an insurmountable 7-0 advantage. High Point’s John Hayes came out of the bullpen to throw a scoreless seventh inning before the Rockers turned the game over to a couple of professional debutantes.

With lefthanded pitcher Justin Nicolino signing with the Cincinnati Reds earlier in the day, manager Jamie Keefe and pitching coach Frank Viola were seeking reinforcements for the bullpen. They landed on Kyle Mott and Colt Webb, a pair of recent college pitchers. Webb, who just finished his college career locally at the University of Charleston (W.Va.), came on and pitched the eighth inning and while he allowed two runs, he showed promise after having gone 9-2 as a college starter this spring. Mott, a recent North Carolina pitcher, was impressive in pitching the ninth, striking out two in making his first professional appearance.

High Point initiated the scoring when Aklinski extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a lead-off homer in the top of the fourth, staking the Rockers to a 1-0 lead.

The Rockers put up a five-spot in the fifth inning, all coming with two outs. Alfonzo started the rally with a line drive single to center before Charleston’s Derrick Adams (1-2) walked Michael Russell.  Aklinski doubled to left to score both runners. Jerry Downs followed with a single that scored Aklinski. Quincy Latimore drew a walk from Adams before Zander Wiel delivered another two-run double to put High Point up 6-0.

High Point added another run in the sixth for a 7-0 lead when Mike Gulino walked and scored when Alfonzo doubled into the left field corner.

Johnny Field singled home Jerry Downs in the seventh to give the Rockers a 7-0 lead.

With the loss, Charleston falls to 13-17 on the season.

High Point and Charleston will conclude their three-game series on Thursday night at 6:35 p.m. at Appalachian Power Park. The Rockers will then stay on the road and head north to Staten Island for a four-game set starting Friday and running through Memorial Day.

Southern Maryland 11, Long Island 7

Central Islip, N.Y., May 25, 2022) – The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 11-7 on Wednesday night in the middle game of a three-game series at Fairfield Properties Ballpark.

Southern Maryland jumped out to an early lead, putting three runs on the scoreboard in each of the first three innings. Jared Walker’s RBI double, Jack Sundberg’s two-run double, two RBI singles by Raul Shah and an RBI single by Joe Luca highlighted the offense.

Deibinson Romero put the Ducks on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second with a solo home run to left field. Long Island then closed to within 9-4 in the fifth on Johnni Turbo’s run-scoring groundout to shortstop and a fielding error by Alex Crosby that scored Deven Marrero and L.J. Mazzilli. Dustin Woodcock’s pinch-hit RBI infield single in the seventh trimmed the deficit to 9-5.

The Blue Crabs opened up an 11-5 lead in the eighth on a solo homer to right-center by Walker and Zach Collier’s RBI double. However, a two-run homer to right in the bottom of the frame by Vladimir Frias brought the Ducks back to within four.

Blue Crabs starter McKenzie Mills (3-1) earned the win, tossing five innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk with one strikeout. Ducks starter Akeel Morris (0-3) took the loss, giving up six runs on six hits and two walks in one and one-third innings.

Frias led the Flock offensively with two hits, two RBIs and two runs.

The Ducks and Blue Crabs wrap up their three-game series 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). It’s a Thirsty Thursday at the ballpark! Fans will be able to enjoy a special buy one, get one half-price offer on all Budweiser and Bud Light products throughout the game. In addition, the VIP Duck Club restaurant/bar on the suite level will be open for all fans to enjoy. Right-hander Scott Harkin (1-3, 5.73) toes the rubber for the Ducks against Blue Crabs righty Daryl Thompson (3-1, 3.19).

Lancaster 13, Gastonia 3

LANCASTER, Pa. - Lancaster’s offense flipped the switch back to “Feast” mode on Wednesday evening.

After scoring one run in the previous two games, the Lancaster Barnstormers satisfied their appetites with a buffet of eight extra base hits in  a 13-3 rout of the Gastonia Honey Hunters in the middle game of a three-game series at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

The Barnstormers jumped ahead of Jerry Keel (2-1) in the bottom of the second on consecutive, two-out RBI doubles by Anderson Feliz and Jake Hoover.  Colton Shaver added a two-run blast to right center in the top of the fourth to open up a 4-0 lead, but it was not until the lower half of the sixth that the Barnstormers were able to salt away the game.

LeDarious Clark opened the Lancaster sixth with a towering home run to left center.  Colton Shaver followed with a triple off the fence in right center to chase Keel.  Andretty Cordero singled to center to produce Shaver with the night’s sixth run.  A two-base wild pitch and a sacrifice fly by Feliz made it 7-1.

Kelly Dugan produced an RBI single to right in the seventh.  Clark followed with a long double to right center, and, one out later, Cordero blasted a homer onto the hillside for a 12-1 lead.

B.J. Boyd lined a solo shot into right center in the bottom of the eighth.

Augie Sylk (2-3) spun five scoreless innings, allowing only two bunt singles and two walks.  Zach Jarrett broke up the shutout bid off Oscar De La Cruz with a solo homer to right center in the sixth.  Chase Johnson pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh before the Honey Hunters reached Donald Goodson for single runs in the eighth and ninth innings.

The series concludes on Baseball in Education Day at 11:00 AM on Thursday.  Cameron Gann (2-2) will make the start for the Barnstormers against Reilly Hovis (1-0).  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube channel, starting at 10:55.

NOTES:  The Barnstormers have now outscored their opponents, 164-163, on the season…All three of Cordero’s homers have been against Gastonia…Shaver’s was his first at home and also his fourth in the last five games…He has 13 RBI in his last seven games…Prior to Wednesday night, Shaver had four stolen bases and two triples in regular season play as a professional…Clark is batting .361 in his last 17 games with 12 extra base hits…Sylk has not allowed an earned run in the first four innings in any of his last four starts…His ERA has dropped to 4.91.

Kentucky at Lexington, Postponed