Crazy comeback puts Ducks one win from first championship
Published on September 25, 2004 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Long Island Ducks News Release
(Central Islip, N.Y., Sept. 25, 2004) â Another night, another wild one-run championship game at Citibank Park. This one is different, however, in that it puts the Long Island Ducks on the brink of a championship. Three runs in the final two innings completed an amazing Ducks comeback and secured a 5-4 win and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five championship series.
Doug Jennings put the Ducks on top early with a mammoth two-run blast to right in the first inning. The score would remain 2-0 until a Ryan Jones RBI single off Long Island starter Matt Beech cut the lead in half in the third. Camden took the lead in the fourth on a two-run double by Chris Wakeland to make it 3-2 and manager Don McCormack had seen enough, lifting Beech at the end of the frame in favor of Julian Heredia.
Heredia gave up one run, a sixth inning homer to Wakeland, on three hits in a two-inning stint. At the end of six, Long Island trailed 4-2. After setting the Ducks down in the seventh, Camden starter Kevin Dougherty exited after allowing two earned runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out six.
Down by two with six outs left, Long Island began to rally in the eighth. Kimera Bartee coaxed a leadoff walk from reliever Evan Thomas, last night's loser, and Doug Jennings followed with a single to right. With none out and runners on the corners, Pat Lennon struck out looking. From there things got wild, as Jason Johnson flied to deep center to score a tagging Bartee from third. On the play, Jennings broke to second early thinking the ball was going to drop. When Dwight Maness reached the ball and caught it for an out Jennings stopped at second and made his way back hastily to first. Despite his hustle he was called out by second base ump Clark Davis, who said Jennings failed to re-tag second on his way back to first. The run counted and Long Island moved to the ninth inning down by one, 4-3.
After Andy Shibilo and Jamie Brewington kept Camden off the board in the top of the frame, the Ducks came to bat in the bottom of the ninth to face closer Todd Rizzo with Citibank Park rocking. A leadoff walk to Rusty McNamara and a bunt single by Matt Garrick put runners on first and second with none out. In a move reminiscent of the August 9 playoff clincher in Bridgeport, Luis Rodriguez was inserted into the game as a pinch runner for Garrick and just like August 9, "The Machete" would score the winning run to bring down the house. A Kevin Baez singled and an error by Rizzo sent the tying run home and advanced Rodriguez to third. For the second
consecutive night, Justin Davies played the hero, singling off the glove of third baseman Brad Strauss to drive home Rodriguez for a 2-0 Ducks series lead.
The best-of-five Atlantic League Championship Series shifts to Camden for Game Three on Sunday night at Campbell's Field. First pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m. in a contest that will be broadcast live on WLIE Radio (540-AM) with Chris King, David Weiss and Mike Graham describing all the action from Central Islip. A live streaming broadcast will also be available by logging on to www.liducks.com and clicking on the radio icon. In addition, inning-by-inning updates will be posted on the web site's front page. Long Island lefty Bill Pulsipher (1-0, 2.84) takes the hill for Long Island and will be opposed by Camden right-hander Lincoln Mikkelsen (1-0, 1.13).
The Long Island Ducks, 2004 Atlantic League North Division Champions, are in their fifth anniversary season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and play their home games at Citibank Park. For further information, call (631) 940-3825.
Atlantic League Stories from September 25, 2004
- Crazy comeback puts Ducks one win from first championship - Long Island Ducks
- Game one goes to the Ducks - Camden Riversharks
- Davies single in 11th nails down important first game win for Ducks - Long Island Ducks
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