Ducks have a pulse
Published on September 22, 2004 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Long Island Ducks News Release
(Central Islip, N.Y., Sept. 22, 2004) â With the stakes high and their backs to the wall, the Long Island Ducks turned to lefty Bill Pulsipher in Wednesday night's Atlantic League North Division Playoff contest at Citibank Park.
Down 1-0 in the series, Long Island faced elimination, but felt confident going into battle with their ace on the mound. Pulsipher (1-0) responded in the Ducks 3-2 win, scattering six hits and two earned runs over 6.1 innings of work to become the winning pitcher in Long Island's first playoff victory in franchise history. The former Met phenom threw 111 pitches in the outing, 71 for strikes, and walked one while striking out four. After allowing the game's first run on a sac fly in the third, Pulsipher retired 10 of the final 14 batters he faced before being relieved by Jordan Zimmerman in the seventh.
By that time, the Ducks owned a 3-2 lead, thanks to a single run in the bottom of the third and two more in the following frame. The first scored on a bases loaded walk to Pat Lennon, knotting the game at one. In the fourth, Long Island plated two more runs on an RBI single by Kevin Baez and a sac fly by Rusty McNamara.
After Jordan Zimmerman and Joe Cotton closed out the Nashua attack in the seventh inning, Ducks manager Don McCormack elected to bring in closer Bill Simas for a six-out save. Facing the heart of the Pride batting order, Simas came up big. After retiring Dante Bichette on a fly ball to center, he got Carlos Rodriguez to ground into a 6-4-3 double play following a single by Glenn Murray to end the eighth. In the ninth, the former White Sox closer retired the first two batters before allowing a single to pinch-hitter Marcos Sanchez. With a runner on first and two outs, Simas struck out Chris Petersen to end the contest.
The Ducks win sets up a decisive Game Three on Thursday night at Citibank Park. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. in a contest that will be broadcast live on www.liducks.com with Chris King, Mike Graham and David Weiss describing all the action from Central Islip. Lefty Lance Davis takes the hill for Long Island and will be opposed by Nashua right-hander Denny Harriger. Plenty of great tickets for Ducks playoff action remain available by calling 1-888-332-5600, by logging on to www.liducks.com and clicking on the tickets icon, or by visiting the Citibank Park box office.
Atlantic League Stories from September 22, 2004
- Riversharks advance to championship series - Camden Riversharks
- Ducks have a pulse - Long Island Ducks
- Surf season ends with 9-4 loss to Camden - Atlantic City Surf
- One on One with Keith Maxwell of the Newark Bears - Newark Bears
- Surf drop opening game of playoffs - Atlantic City Surf
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