Game Recap
DUCKS ARE LIBERTY DIVISION CHAMPIONS
(Waldorf, MD, Sept. 25, 2011) –The Long Island Ducks defeated the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 9-8 in Game Four of the Liberty Division Championship Series on Sunday afternoon at Regency Furniture Stadium. The Ducks clinch the Liberty Division title by winning the series three games to one and advance to the Atlantic League Championship Series for the second time in franchise history.
GAME VIDEO: Jon Hunton strikes out Christian Lopez to secure the Liberty Division Title
GAME AUDIO: Freddie Thon hits the game-winning RBI double in the ninth
GAME AUDIO: J.R. House and Ray Navarrete hit game-tying homers in the seventh and eighth
POSTGAME VIDEO: Ducks Players talk about winning the Liberty Division Title
POSTGAME VIDEO: Manager Kevin Baez, Founder/CEO Frank Boulton, and President/General Manager Michael Pfaff talk about the Liberty Division Title
Long Island took the early lead in the first inning off Blue Crabs’ starter Nick Green, but four runs by the Southern Maryland in bottom of the first off Ducks’ starter Valerio De los Santos put the Crabs ahead. RBI singles from Kennard Jones and Ray Navarrete in the second made it 4-3, but the Blue Crabs scored two more in their half on a sac fly by Brian Barton and a RBI single by Travis Garcia.
A run-scoring single by Kody Kirkland in the fifth extended the Blue Crabs lead to four, but the Flock responded with three in the sixth to make it a one-run ballgame. Run-scoring walks by Dan Lyons and Kennard Jones along with a run-scoring double play ball off the bat of Navarrete put the Ducks behind 7-6.
The Quack Attack then tied the game with a solo blast by J.R. House in the seventh, but Travis Garcia went deep in the seventh to put the home team back ahead. However, Ray Navarrete crushed a game-tying solo blast in the eighth and Freddie Thon roped a RBI double to right in the ninth to give the Ducks the win.
Bubbie Buzachero (1-0) got the win after one and two-thirds scoreless innings in relief. Jim Ed Warden (0-1) took the loss, allowing the go-ahead run on two hits in the ninth inning. Jon Hunton recorded his second save of the playoffs with a scoreless ninth, striking out two, including Christian Lopez to end the game.
Thon led the Ducks with three hits, while Jones and Navarrete each picked up two RBI.
The Ducks begin the Atlantic League Championship Series with Game One on Wednesday night. Game time is slated for 6:35 PM, with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 5:35. Following the game, all fans in attendance will be treated to a Grucci Fireworks Extravaganza.
Tickets for the game are available by visiting the Bethpage Ballpark box office, going online to www.liducks.com, or calling 631-940-TIXX. Fans can follow all the action online at www.liducks.com by clicking the Watch Live icon on the homepage, with Michael Polak and Chris King calling the play-by-play. Streaming video and audio will be provided by iBN, the Internet Broadcast Network.
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GAME DATE: 09/25/2011
Long Island Ducks 9 AT Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 8
YTD YTD
L Island AB R H BI AVG S Maryland AB R H BI AVG
K.Jones LF 4 1 2 2 .357 A.Godwin CF,RF 4 2 1 1 .389
R.Navarrete 2B 5 1 2 2 .250 D.Espinosa 2B 2 1 1 0 .438
L.Ford CF 5 0 0 1 .154 B.Barton DH 3 0 0 1 .222
J.Rodriguez DH 5 0 0 0 .067 T.Garcia 3B 4 3 4 3 .333
J.House C 5 1 2 1 .313 C.Benjamin 1B 3 1 0 0 .231
M.Padgett 3B 3 1 1 0 .333 B.Harrison RF 4 0 0 0 .000
K.Binick PR 0 0 0 0 .500 J.Owens CF 1 0 0 0 .500
E.Monzon 3B 1 1 1 0 .500 K.Kirkland LF 4 0 2 3 .273
M.Esquivel RF 4 1 0 0 .000 T.Townsend SS 4 0 1 0 .143
F.Thon 1B 4 2 3 1 .357 C.Lopez C 4 1 0 0 .357
D.Lyons SS 4 1 2 1 .600
40 9 13 8 33 8 9 8
L Island 1 2 0 0 0 3 1 1 1 - 9 13 0
S Maryland 4 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 - 8 9 1
2B--F.Thon (1), D.Espinosa (3), T.Garcia (2). 3B--K.Jones (1).
HR--R.Navarrete (2), J.House (1), A.Godwin (1), T.Garcia (1). RBI--K.Jones
2 (4), R.Navarrete 2 (4), L.Ford (2), J.House (1), F.Thon (1), D.Lyons
(1), A.Godwin (2), B.Barton (3), T.Garcia 3 (4), K.Kirkland 3 (4).
HP--K.Kirkland (1). SF--B.Barton (1). SH--D.Espinosa (0), B.Barton (0).
SB--K.Binick (3), D.Espinosa 2 (3), T.Garcia (1), K.Kirkland (1).
E--T.Townsend (2).
LOB--L Island 9, S Maryland 10. DP--T. Townsend(SS) - D. Espinosa(2B) - C.
Benjamin(1B).
YTD
IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
L Island
V.De Los Santos 0.2 4 4 4 1 1 1 41.98
C.McCoy 4.0 4 3 3 3 3 0 5.25
J.Monti 1.1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00
T.Walker 0.1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8.40
B.Buzachero (W,1-0) 1.2 0 0 0 3 2 0 0.00
J.Hunton (S,2) 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1.91
9 9 8 8 8 10 2
S Maryland
N.Green 5.0 9 6 6 2 1 0 8.40
J.Waddell 0.0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4.67
E.Morlan 1.2 1 1 1 2 0 1 1.62
B.Moore 0.1 0 0 0 0 1 0 6.18
C.Manning 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
S.Palazzolo 0.2 1 1 1 0 0 1 3.50
J.Warden (L,0-1) 1.0 2 1 1 0 0 0 3.50
9 13 9 9 5 2 2
WP--E.Morlan (1). HB--T.Walker (1). SO--J.House, D.Lyons, D.Espinosa,
B.Barton 2, B.Harrison, J.Owens, K.Kirkland, T.Townsend 2, C.Lopez 2.
BB--K.Jones, M.Padgett, M.Esquivel, F.Thon, D.Lyons, A.Godwin, D.Espinosa
2, T.Garcia, C.Benjamin 2, T.Townsend, C.Lopez. BF--V.De Los Santos 7 (7),
C.McCoy 19 (19), J.Monti 4 (4), T.Walker 4 (10), B.Buzachero 8 (17),
J.Hunton 3 (15), N.Green 27 (27), J.Waddell (14), E.Morlan 7 (15), B.Moore
(26), C.Manning (11), S.Palazzolo 3 (9), J.Warden 5 (10). P-S--V.De Los
Santos 30-18, C.McCoy 68-44, J.Monti 18-10, T.Walker 19-9, B.Buzachero
30-14, J.Hunton 10-9, N.Green 92-55, J.Waddell 7-3, E.Morlan 22-11, B.Moore
4-3, C.Manning 3-2, S.Palazzolo 5-5, J.Warden 17-11.
T--3:24. A--1854
Umpires: Plate Ump - Matt Beaver, Field Ump #1 - Mark Facto, Field Ump #2 - Hank Himmanen, Field Ump #3 - Eric Diaz
