Dramatic Comeback Win for LI Ducks

Bryant Nelson Delivers Game-winning Pinch Hit

By Brian Bohl

August 11, 2007

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY— The records insisted last night’s game between the Ducks and Newark was a matchup of first and second place clubs.

But both bullpens wasted late-inning leads, leading to seven runs in the final two innings combined. Ugliness aside, Bryant Nelson ensured the Ducks didn’t waste a chance to pull ahead further in the North Division, delivering a pinch-hit, game-winning double in bottom of the ninth for a dramatic 9-8 victory at Citibank Park.

Down by one to start the bottom of the ninth, Carl Everett singled up the middle off Newark closer Jason DiAngelo to start the rally. Ray Navarrete placed a sacrifice bunt attempt in front of the plate, reaching safely after catch John Pachot’s throw sailed wide of first. Another single loaded the bases with no outs, prompting a conference on the mound.

The discussion didn’t work, as Nelson—batting for Rob Cafiero—lifted DiAngelo’s slider into the right-centerfield gap to plate the tying and game-winning runs. Despite allowing five runs in the final two innings, the Ducks improved their winning streak to four and increased their advantage over Newark to six games in the North Division.

“I was watching the whole inning, and he [DiAngelo] couldn’t throw a fastball for a strike,” Nelson said. “The first pitch he threw me was a slider. I knew he was going to throw another one because that was the only pitch he could get over.”

“I didn’t want to do too much since there were no outs. I didn’t want to hit into a double play, so I just wanted to stay in the middle of the field. Luckily, it fell for a hit,” Nelson concluded.

Manager Dave LaPoint added his version of the comeback: “The biggest thing is that we don’t strike out a lot. We put the ball in play and give ourselves a chance. There’s enough team speed where we don’t hit into double plays. We always give ourselves a chance.”

Nelson’s heroics negated what would have been a frustrating loss. Since Joe Valentine secured the primary setup position, the Ducks possessed one of the best late-inning relief tandems along with closer Danny Graves. The two didn’t even have a chance to protect the lead last night, as John Riedling and Travis Wade surrendered five late runs.

Carl Everett belted his fourth home run in five games, breaking a 3-3 tie with a three-run shot in the fifth. Dionys Cesar tacked on what looked to be an insurance run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh, allowing LaPoint to turn a 7-3 lead over to the bullpen.

Ben Grezlovski opened the eighth by walking the 7^th and 8th hitters in the bears lineup, setting up John Pachot’s run-scoring single. Marcus Nettles then legitimized the rally, lining a RBI single to bring in the second run and forcing LaPoint to summon Travis Wade. A single and a groundout loaded the bases with one out, though Wade gave up the lead after Keith Reed pulled a two-run single in the hole at short to complete the four-run rally and tie the game.

“That [the bullpen woes] is probably from lack of work,” LaPoint said. “Johnny [Riedling] came off an injury and hadn’t pitched in two days. We haven’t been able to get them in there as much as we want to. It’s tough with a 12-man pitching staff. We’ll find out who wants that seventh inning. We’re trying to find who has the stuff,” he explained.

Wade was given a chance to atone for his mistake in the ninth, being entrusted to keep it tied. The righty promptly surrendered a solo home run to right by Jose Herrea, drawing boos from the announced crowd of 6,330.

That drive took the crowd out of the game brief, but Nelson said first base coach Buddy Harrelson offered encouragement in the dugout before the last at-bat, reminding the Ducks of their propensity to rebound quickly. That motivational speech worked, as the Ducks won their 23rd come-from-behind win.

“Bud was walking up and down the dugout saying ‘we’ve been here before. We know we’re going to do it,’” Nelson said. “We didn’t have any doubts going in that we would get an opportunity to win a game, especially when the leadoff man got on base. It was pretty much over after that.

“We just chip away. We have such a veteran team that knows to stay within themselves and don’t press when things get tough,’ Nelson added. ‘That big inning will come if we [are] patient.”

Facing a Bears offense ranked first in the eight-team league, John Halama survived a shaky third inning to record a quality start. Newark, the first-half North Division winner, entered the contest with a collective .297 batting average. Ramon Castro lined a two-run double in the third, followed by Keith Reed’s RBI single to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Halama regrouped after that inning, allowing just three more singles before exiting after six innings with a no-decision.

Jose Offerman was again a crucial part of the offense after being the catalyst during a 3-1 win on Friday. The former Met finished 2-3 with a run scored and a RBI that game. For an encore, he lifted a two-home homer off Robertson in the third for the first Duck runs of the evening.

Consecutive singles from Jamie Pogue and Offerman started the four-run rally. Pete Rose Jr. followed a fly out by bringing home Pogue with a single. That brought up Everett, who hit his 21st home run that jumped off his bat and cleared the left-centerfield wall almost instantly. The laser barely had enough height to get over the top of the fence, though it led to the switch-hitter notching 78 RBIs for the league’s best mark.

Newark starter Jerome Robertson barely had time to whip around to watch the laser leave the park, which hovered just above the ground while rocketing off the bat. The ball was elevated just enough to clear the top of the left-centerfield wall that broke a 3-all tie.

“It’s not fair a man can hit a ball like he does,” LaPoint said of Everett. “You don’t see straight line drives go out to that part of the ballpark. He’s just a strong man and he’s on fire right now.”

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