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Atop League
After Opening Homestand |
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May 16, 2002 Ducks Fly to 7-1 Start Before Leaving the Nest
The fog that rolled in last week might as well have been a cloud of dust as the Long Island Ducks left the league behind. They continued their winning ways against the Nashua Pride and the Pennsylvania Road Warriors last week to sit on top of the Atlantic League with a 7-1 record after hitting their way to a record five straight victories to begin the 2002 season. Ducks Edge Pride 10-9 for a perfect 4-0 start On May 7, Darrell Whitmore, now hitting 10 for 16 (.625) went 3-for-4 with three RBI as the Ducks defeated the Nashua Pride 10-9 in front of 5,401 fans at Citibank Park. The Ducks scored at least seven runs in all four games. Long Island scored three in the eighth inning comeback, with Francisco Morales adding an RBI double to help power the win. Kevin Baez scored on a wild pitch in the inning. Reliever Hut Smith (1-0) picked up the victory while closer Ryan Halla gained his first save of the season by escaping a bases-loaded jam in the ninth. Ducks Punish Pride 8-2, Remain Undefeated Francisco Morales went 2-for-5 with 4 RBI and a home run as the Long Island Ducks defeated the Nashua Pride 8-2 on May 8 at Citibank Park. The Ducks 5-0 start is a franchise record. The Ducks scored first in the third inning on a P.J. Williams run-scoring single to take a 1-0 lead. Later in the fifth, a two-run double by Francisco Morales and a two-run single by Kevin Baez added all the Ducks would need. Ron Frazier (1-0) earned the victory for the Ducks in relief of Greg Mix, who left the game in the fifth inning with elbow soreness. Al Drumheller (0-1) took the loss for the Pride, allowing one run on five hits in four innings of work. Two errors by the Ducks ruined the shutout. Fog Suspends Game Tied At 6-6, To Resume June 28th Sometimes weather is even bad for Ducks! The May 9 game versus the Nashua Pride was suspended due to fog in the eighth inning with the score tied at six. The game will be resumed Friday, June 28 prior to the regularly scheduled game. The took an early 3-2 lead when Quincy Gibbs smacked an RBI-single and later scored on a throwing error by Pride catcher Jose Reyes in the third inning. After the Pride tied the game, an RBI-single by P.J. Williams in the bottom of the seventh gave the Ducks a temporary lead until T.J. Staton homered for Nashua in the top of the eighth, tying the game at six. In the bottom of the eighth, a fly ball by Francisco Morales got lost in the outfield due to the fog, necessitating the suspension of the game. Morales wound up on third base where the Ducks will have a runner when the game resumes. Road Warriors hand Ducks first loss of season The Ducks had their five-game winning streak halted on May 10 by the Pennsylvania Road Warriors. The Ducks had their opportunities to score, but struggled to make the big hit as they stranded seven runners on base in three innings. Rusty Meacham (1-1) was the losing pitcher, allowing four runs — although only two were earned — in his six innings of work. A three run homer by Wilfredo Quintana provided the big blow for Pennsylvania. Ducks turn tables on Road Warriors with 7-4 win On May 11, the Long Island Ducks and Pennsylvania Road Warriors played to a 7-4 final again. This time the score was reversed as the Ducks avenged their first loss of the season. Francisco Morales and Aaron Ledesma did the damage again, each driving in two runs in the fifth inning. For the game, the two combined for five runs and six RBI. Ledesma had his best game of the season, going 3-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored. Francisco Morales drove in three more runs to lead the Atlantic League with 11 RBI. Paco Martin crossed home plate twice and continues to lead the league with nine runs scored. Newly-acquired starter Jason Ryan picked up the win in his Ducks' debut, striking out five and allowing just three hits in five innings of work. Ducks pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts, equaling the season high. Closer Ryan Halla tossed a perfect ninth inning, to gain his second save of the season, striking out two of the three batters he faced. Extra Inning Win on Mother's Day The Ducks completed their opening homestand on May 12 with an eleven inning, 9-8 victory over the Road Warriors. Jeremy Dietrick drove in the winning run in the 11th to end the four hour marathon, which also included a rain delay of over an hour before the first pitch. The Ducks flew to an early 5-2 lead with a three-run first and single runs in the third and fourth innings. The Road Warriors battled back to take a two-run lead into the bottom of the ninth. Leftfielder Darryl Whitmore, who is hitting over .500 on the season, singled up the middle to tie the score and send the game into extra innings. Both teams scored a run in the tenth, setting the stage for Dietrick's dramatic hit. Justin Davies began the 11th inning with an infield single and stole second base. Following a strikeout and ground out, Dietrick's single into right sent the remaining Mother's Day crowd home happy. The team begins a 10-day, nine-game road trip on Tuesday, May 14 before returning home on May 24 against the Somerset Patriots.
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