|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
Home
Sweep Home |
|
May 26, 2002 Doing Their Homework As game time approached the sky went from patches of blue to heavy overcast. But that didn’t stop the Ducks’ from cleaning up on the Somerset Patriots with a 3-2 win in a game that looked like it was going to be a pitchers’ duel all the way. Patriots starting pitcher, Robert Dodd’s strike out of Francisco Morales in the fourth inning was his fifth of the game and tied him for the lead in the Atlantic League this year at 25. By the time he left the game in the seventh inning he had struck out 9, a single game record for him this year. Ducks’ starter Rusty Meacham kept up with Dodd until he got into trouble in the eighth inning. Both pitchers left with the score tied 2-2. Patrick Lennon got the first run on the board leading off with a blast over the fence in the second inning. It was his fifth home run this season and gave the Ducks the lead. Compared
with Saturday’s standing-room-only crowd, the 6,117 fans had to take
shelter on the concourse to catch the action during spouts With two outs in the top of the third inning, Patriots shortstop Rich Saitta hit a double and scored on a single down the left field line by Billy Hall to tie the score. Unlike the night before, the game was a battle of fly balls, which was probably beneficial to both teams considering the wet grass caused a few late starts and slips. The sixth inning looked like it might be trouble for the Ducks. Hall led off with a stand up double across first base. Then a dribbling bunt by Emiliano Escandon was mis-played by Meacham who threw the ball away to third base to cut off the runner, Hall. The problem was, third baseman Kevin Baez was backing up the catch and there was no one covering third. Hall scored and Escandon was in scoring position. The Ducks saved the inning, throwing out the runner at home and followed it up with an inning ending double play. The Ducks got their break in the eighth inning. Tom Caputo, who was pinch running for Patrick Lennon, scored on a single by PJ Williams to put the Ducks ahead. The bases were loaded with an intentional walk to Jeremy Deitrick when Kevin Baez hit a popped up bunt that was caught by Patriots pitcher Kirk Griffin. Griffin attempted a throw to third for the final out but it went wild into left field and the return throw was equally wild --- two more Ducks runs scored. But the Patriots appealed, arguing that Williams had not tagged up after the catch and the runs (and errors) were deleted. The final score remained 3-2. Ducks reliever Kirk Griffin earned the win, retiring five of the seven batters he faced, allowing only one hit and giving up one walk. Batting note: Lead off batter Justin Davies has now reached base in 19 consecutive games, getting a single and walk today. Blast Off (Saturday Night) Ducks’ pitcher Jim Bullinger garnered the first complete game by a pitcher in the Atlantic League this year with a stunning 10-1 victory over the Somerset Patriots. Bullinger showed no signs of leaving the game and retired 15 batters in a row, 16 of the last 17 of the game. He allowed only 4 hits, gave up no walks and had 5 strike outs in a game that saw 14 ground-ball outs by Ducks’ fielders. The victory took place before a 2002 record crowd of 6,472 fans. (note - at that pace the one millionth fan will enter the park in less than 10 games) The Patriots took the early, if brief lead, in the top of the second with a lead off double by DaRond Stovall. He advanced to third on a sacrifice fly by Will Pennyfeather and came home on a sacrifice by Mike Glavine. It looked like it might be a repeat of Friday’s error terror for Jeff Berbliner when a two base error on a grounded by Patrick Lennon in the second inning set up the first Ducks’ run of the night. With Lennon on second a single up the middle by Pete Paciorek scored Lennon and tied the game. Paciorek later scored on a single by Wady Almonte, giving the Ducks’ all the lead they needed. In the third inning the Ducks loaded the bases on walks when Paciorek got his second hit of the night, a three RBI triple to the fence in center field. He scored on a single by PJ Williams and the Ducks’ were ahead 6-1. The Ducks scored again in the sixth inning on Patriots’ reliever Derek Gaskill. Despite a diving catch by Patriots’ second baseman Emiliano Escandon, his throw to first was too late and Williams was on base with a single. Williams stole second and made it to third on a fielder’s choice. Kevin Baez walked and Justin Davies loaded the bases when he got hit by a pitch. A double down the third baseline by Morales brought in three more Ducks’ runs. A pair of back-to-back doubles by Adonis Harrison and Morales in the eighth inning completed the scoring bringing in the tenth Ducks’ run. Batting note: First baseman Pete Paciorek didn’t have as bad a road trip as the rest of the team. With Saturday’s 2 for 4 showing, he raised his batting average from .091 to .231 in the last 10 days. Pitching note: Bullinger’s complete game was his first since 1997 when he played for Montreal, and his longest game since an 8 inning outing against Camden last year. Opps, Patriots Drop the Ball – Ducks Bounce Back (Friday Night) After a disappointing road trip the Ducks appear happy to be home again Friday night defeating the Patriots 8- 4. Although starting pitcher, Greg Mix, who won on opening day for the team had to leave the game after only two pitches, reliever Ron Frazier held the Patriots to two runs in fur inning. Frazier recorded the win as the home stand began again in Central Islip. The road trip was almost the reverse of the team’s first home stand, taking the Ducks from a 7:1 season to 9:8. And while it seemed the Ducks’ luck was bad, losing Mix to a re-aggravated forearm injury, the Patriots had their own problems. Third baseman, Jeff Berblinger’s four errors in the first two innings set the stage for a Ducks’ victory. By the end of the second inning the Ducks’ lead 6-1, with the help of a two run double by Patrick Lennon. Patriots pitcher Ron Davis held on despite the four unearned runs, but the team was unable to overcome the Ducks’ lead. Two more runs in the eighth inning seal the Patriots’ fate.
Click
here to add comments or request info
|
