AtL Staten Island FerryHawks

FerryHawks Walk off in Nightcap for Double Dip Split

June 3, 2022 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Staten Island FerryHawks News Release


STATEN ISLAND, NY- After dropping game one of the doubleheader to Lancaster, 7-3, the FerryHawks outlasted the Barnstormers in the nightcap, 4-3, in eleven innings to win the series two games to one. The eleven-inning marathon in game two was the longest game of the season for both Staten Island and Lancaster.

Game 1: Lancaster 7, Staten Island 3

The Barnstormers wasted no time grabbing the lead in Thursday's first game, plating four runs in the top of the first inning against RHP Eric Mariñez. Kelly Dugan garnered his league-leading 22ndextra-base hit by doubling in B.J. Boyd just three batters deep for a 1-0 lead. After a Colton Shaver fielder's choice brought in run number two, Andretty Cordero's single to right brought in Dugan to make it 3-0. The final first inning run scored on a Trace Loehr sacrifice fly, capping the four-run seven-batter inning.

Angel Aguilar responded in the home half of the first by blasting his team-leading fifth home run of the season off of Oscar De La Cruz. The solo blast would be the FerryHawks only run until the sixth inning.

After scratching across two more runs in the second inning, the Barnstormers received a solo blast off the bat of Cordero, giving them seven runs in the first three innings for a 7-1 advantage.

De La Cruz (2-0) twirled six innings in his second start of the season, allowing just two earned runs and two hits. He coughed up an RBI double to Ricardo Cespedes before completing the sixth inning.

Mariñez (0-1) lasted two innings, giving up seven runs (five earned) in his spot start. Jose Velez, Joe Kuzia, and Connor Law combined to throw five scoreless innings in relief.

The game ended on a run-scoring fielder's choice off the bat of Aguilar in the bottom of the seventh, with Joseph Monge touching home before Ben Ruta was tagged out at third, ending the game 7-3.

Game 2: Staten Island 4, Lancaster 3 (11 innings)

Lancaster picked up where they left off in game one, scoring in the top of the first in game two. Kelly Dugan provided again, singling into right field to push home Boyd to make it 1-0. That tally would prove to be the only earned run allowed by Eddy Reynoso in his first start of the season for the FerryHawks.

Staten Island responded in the see-saw contest by tying the game in the second inning against Barnstormers pitcher Chase Johnson. John Nester's one-out groundball to third base snuck underneath the glove of Ed Reichenbach, pushing Nester to second on the E-5. Ricardo Cespedes followed with an infield single, also to Reichenbach, setting the table for DH Mariel Bautista. His line-drive single to right field scored Nester and tied the game 1-1

Nester and Cespedes helped the FerryHawks vault in front in the fourth inning, helping to scratch across another run. Brandon Wagner's one-out walk preceded a single from Nester. With runners on the corners, Cespedes laid down a bunt which not only scored Wagner, but resulted in a single.

Staten Island's 2-1 lead held for half an inning before the Barnstormers tied the game in the fifth inning. Singles by Devon Torrence and B.J. Boyd eventually brought Dugan to the plate with two on and two outs in the one-run game. Dugan drove Reynoso's 2-2 pitch to deep right field, prompting a nice running catch by Cespedes. Home plate umpire Fred De Jesus immediately indicated catchers interference on the play, though, allowing Dugan to first to load the bases for Colton Shaver. Shaver's groundball to shortstop was plucked by Reyes and led to a rundown between third and home to try and nab Torrence. The Barnstormers left fielder managed to avoid multiple tags and scored on the play to tie the game at 2-2, while everyone else advanced 90 feet.

Reynoso lasted five innings in his team-leading 15thappearance of the season, striking out four with two walks.

With the game tied 2-2 after seven, Staten Island and Lancaster entered extra innings with a placed runner on second base to start each half inning. Despite the aid of having a runner start in scoring position, neither the FerryHawks or Barnstormers mustered a run in the eighth or ninth innings.

With Victor Capellan on the mound and Boyd starting as the runner on second, Barnstormers centerfielder LeDarious Clark executed a successful sacrifice bunt to get Boyd to third. Dugan broke the 2-2 tie by doubling off the top of the right-field fence, giving Lancaster a 3-2 advantage.

The FerryHawks answered right back, extending the game with a bottom of the tenth inning tally. Alfredo Reyes attempted to start the inning with a sacrifice bunt, but his efforts were foiled by Lancaster who managed to gun down the lead runner Javier Betancourt at third base. Reyes would steal second base during a Joseph Monge strikeout and move into scoring position with two outs for Ben Ruta. The FerryHawks left fielder hit a slow roller to the right side that squeaked through for an RBI single, tying the game at 3-3.

After escaping the top of the eleventh inning unscathed, the FerryHawks had another chance to earn their second walk-off win in the home half of the eleventh. With Angel Aguilar placed on second base, Brandon Wagner's bunt successfully pushed Aguilar to third base. The Barnstormers elected to intentionally walk both Nester and Cespedes to load the bases with one out for Mariel Bautista. Facing Cole Aker, Bautista hit the first pitch he saw into medium-range left field, proving plenty deep for Aguilar to tag and score the winning run.

Capellan (2-2) tossed the tenth and eleventh innings, giving up just the tally in the tenth.

Aker (0-1) managed two outs in the eleventh before the Bautista walk-off sacrifice fly.

Staten Island (9-27) starts a three-game series with the Long Island Ducks on Friday at Fairfield Properties Ballpark. RHP Matt Solter goes for the FerryHawks against Ducks RHP Joe Iorio with first pitch at 6:35 PM. The FerryHawks Pregame Show starts at 6:20 PM on the SI FerryHawks YouTube stream.

Postgame Notes: FerryHawks have won three of the last four games...Second series victory in franchise history...neither team scored more than one run in an inning in game two...Alex Katz extended has not allowed a hit or run since 5/16 (5 appearances, 7.1 innings)...Williams Ramirez has not allowed a run in six appearances (7.2 innings)

Check out the Staten Island FerryHawks Statistics



Atlantic League Stories from June 3, 2022


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