Kentucky 9, Long Island 2

(Lexington, Ky., July 17, 2022) – The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Kentucky Wild Health Genomes 9-4 on Sunday afternoon in the finale of a three-game weekend series from Wild Health Field.

 Long Island took a 1-0 lead in the top half of the first inning against Genomes starting pitcher Elih Villanueva as L.J. Mazzili cracked a solo home run over the left field wall on the second pitch of the ballgame thrown by the right-hander. The Flock made it 2-0 in the second and once again it was courtesy of the big fly as Dustin Woodcock launched a leadoff solo blast onto the Pepsi Party Deck in right field for his team-leading 11th roundtripper of the campaign.

 The Genomes sent nine batters to the plate in the last of the fourth versus Ducks starter Stephen Tarpley and scored four runs in the process to take their first lead of the ballgame at 4-2, one they would never relinquish. Clayton Mehlbauer led off the inning with an opposite-field solo home run to right center to begin the comeback. With the bases loaded and one down, Khris Davis plated a pair with a base knock. Two batters later, Anderson Miller doubled the advantage for the home team driving in Chris Shaw with a single of his own. Trailing 9-2 in the seventh, the Ducks inched closer thanks to a mammoth two-run home run over the batter’s eye in straightaway center field off the bat of Carlos Castro for his first four-bagger in a Long Island uniform, but the visitors would get no closer as the Genomes were able to complete the sweep.

 Villanueva (6-7) was credited with the win, allowing two runs on three hits (two home runs) over five innings pitched, walking one and striking out four. Tarpley (3-4) suffered the loss, surrendering four runs on five hits (one home run) across four innings of work, walking a pair of batters while striking out five. Joe DeCarlo had two hits, a walk, and a run scored in the loss.

 The Ducks continue their road trip on Tuesday night when they open a three-game series against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at Regency Furniture Stadium. Fans can follow all the action on the Long Island Ducks Broadcast Network. Live streaming HD video and audio will be available via BoxCast on LIDucks.com as well as on the Ducks official Facebook page and YouTube channel. Right-hander Scott Harkin (6-6, 4.56) gets the start for the Ducks against a pitcher to be announced for the Blue Crabs.

Lancaster 6, Charleston 5

The Lancaster Barnstormers jumped ahead early then were forced to hold on tightly toward the end in a 6-5 victory over the Charleston Dirty Birds Sunday afternoon at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

 It was Lancaster’s 13th win in the last 14 home games and kept the club with at least a share of first place in the second half.

 Erik Manoah (2-1) yielded a solo home run to Alfredo Gonzalez in the top of the first and very little else.  The right-hander worked six overall, giving up three hits and two walks, though only striking out one.

He was well supported by the Barnstormers over a two-inning stretch.  Lancaster strung together five of its six hits, all singles, in the bottom of the third off Derrick Adams (3-6).  Trace Loehr led off with a single to left, stole second and took third on a wild pitch.  Devon Torrence walked to add a second runner, and a sharp single to right by Shawon Dunston, Jr. tied the game at 1-1.  Melvin Mercedes grounded a single into left to give Lancaster a lead.  Dunston and Mercedes executed a double steal, and both scored when Andretty Cordero singled inside the first base bag.  Cordero was thrown out at second taking the steam out of the inning before Anderson Feliz chimed in with a single later.

 In the fourth, the Barnstormers utilized three walks to put their final two runs on the board.  Anthony Peroni and Loehr drew the first two.  Devon Torrence flied to right with the runners holding.  Dunston also walked to load the bases.  Mercedes grounded into a 4-6 force to get one run home.  With Cordero batting, Mercedes broke for second and was caught in a rundown.  He stayed alive long enough to allow Torrence to sneak home with Lancaster’s sixth run.

 Charleston bounced back in the seventh.  Anfernee Seymour punched a leadoff single off Tyler Suellentrop just out of Loehr’s reach at third base.  Scott Kelly dropped a base hit into right center, scoring Seymour from first.  Tyler Blaum followed with a walk.  Suellentrop struck out Yovan Gonzalez for the first out, but Scott Burcham delivered a two-run single down the right field line, bringing the Dirty Birds within two.  Josh Graham took over and retired Nick Heath on a pop up to short.  He also got a pop fly out of Jose Rosario, but that landed just fair down the right field line, plating Burcham.  Alfredo Gonzalez followed with a single to center., but Graham fanned Diego Goris to end the inning.

 Graham and West Tunnell set down six in a row over the final two innings to preserve the win with Tunnell picking up his fifth save.

 The teams are off on Monday, but the series will resume on Tuesday.  Michael Gunn (0-2, 2-2) will make the start against Oscar De La Cruz (4-1).  Fans may tune into Blue Ridge 11 and the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, starting at 6:30.

 NOTES:  Mercedes’ single in the third extended his hitting streak to 15 games, tied for the longest on the club in 2022…Dunston has hit safely in nine straight…The club stole a season high six bases…Loehr drew three walks on top of the single and has now reached base 10 straight plate appearances, nine times on walks…He has also reached on 16 of his last 17 appearances…Torrence has walked seven times over the last two games…The Barnstormers have drawn 11 in consecutive games.

High Point 4, Southern Maryland 1
HIGH POINT, N.C. – Zander Wiel belted two long home runs and drove in three runs in leading the High Point Rockers to a 4-1 win over Southern Maryland on Sunday at Truist Point. Starting pitcher Ivan Pineyro went eight innings and struck out seven to earn his third win of the season.

The win snapped High Point’s 10-game losing streak and marked the 950th career victory for Rockers manager Jamie Keefe.

Southern Maryland took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when second baseman Michael Wielansky was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a ground ball before scoring on an RBI single by Zach Collier. But Pineyro (W, 3-1) then shut down the Blue Crabs, retiring 11 straight hitters as the High Point offense got in gear.

With one out in the third, centerfielder Ben Aklinski drew a walk before Wiel hit his first homer of the day, his 19th of the season, to give the Rockers a 2-1 lead. Blue Crabs’ starter Mitch Lambson (L, 5-5) put the Rockers down in order in the fourth before Wiel launched his second homer of the game and 20th of the year to put High Point ahead 3-1 in the fifth. Two batters later, Jerry Downs hit his 11th homer of the season to extend the Rockers’ lead to 4-1.

“Our sticks needed to wake up,” said Wiel following the game. “Jerry Downs had a big swing, Ivan pitched great and he really set the tone. Ivan going eight strong innings was the story of the day. When a guy throws like that, the offense wants to do all it can to do its part. But he didn’t need much help today.”

Pineyro allowed only one Southern Maryland base runner to advance beyond second after the first inning. Collier doubled with one out in the sixth and advanced to third on a ground out but was stranded there. Pineyro scattered five hits and allowed one run and did not issue a walk. Ryan Dull pitched the ninth and struck out two in earning his fifth save of the season.

Lambson went the distance for Southern Maryland, throwing eight innings and allowing six hits while walking four and striking out four.

“The curse is broken,” joked Keefe following the game. Despite the home runs, Keefe laid all the credit for the win at the feet of Pineyro.

“It’s unreal what Ivan has done since Junior (Rincon) arrived,” said Keefe. “They know each other and they’ve talked a lot about pitching off the fastball. Ivan hadn’t broken 90 (MPH) since he’s been here but today he was consistently between 89 and 92. And to go eight strong innings against the best team in the league, that was a big win for us.”

The Rockers now hit the road and will play at Lexington Tuesday through Thursday. High Point will return to Truist Point on Friday, July 22 to start a three-game series with Gastonia.

NOTES: Jerry Downs’ home run in the fifth inning came on the same day that his younger brother, Jeter Downs, hit his first Major League home run for Boston at Yankee Stadium . . . To snap the 10-game losing streak, the Rockers burned sage candles in the clubhouse prior to the game to remove any curses . . . The win was the 950th of Jamie Keefe’s professional managerial career, now in its 20th on-field season . . . Wiel now has five multi-homer games this season.

Gastonia 12, Lexington 5

GASTONIA, N.C. - Emmanuel Tapia hit two home runs and drove in four runs on Sunday afternoon as Gastonia swept the Lexington Legends at Caromont Health Park by a 12-5 score.

The win for Gastonia was their eleventh consecutive win, setting a season and franchise high. The previous high was set in early May of this year, as the Honey Hunters rattled off ten straight after losing on Opening Night in April.

The win also gives Gastonia 55 on the season, surpassing the inaugural season win total in just 76 games. Last year´s record of 54-66 was set in a shortened season, due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Zach Godley earned the win for Gastonia, pushing his record to 3-0 on the season.

Tapia´s homers came early for Gastonia, as he hit his sixth of the season in the second inning, a laser shot to right field. In the fourth, he lifted a more majestic shot to left field, cutting the Lexington lead to 5-3.

A five-run fifth was highlighted by Rayder Ascanio, as the designated hitter launched a three-run shot into the parking lot of Caromont Health Park, giving Gastonia a 8-5 lead.

A four run eighth put the Legends out of reach of Gastonia, as Gastonia has won eight of the first nine meetings with Lexington this season.

Reece Hampton and Jaylen Smith earned multi-hit games, as Smith also scored twice and stole a pair of bases.

Tapia´s multi-homer game is the seventh for the Honey Hunters, as Jack Reinheimer, Joseph Rosa, Zach Jarrett, Jake Skole, Luis Castro and Stuart Levy have all visited Mashtonia twice in a game this season.

Gastonia will travel to York, PA and High Point, NC for a six game road trip beginning Tuesday.

York 6, Staten Island 5