Opening nights are supposed to be special, but Mother Nature had other ideas.
the right field wall. (Photo credit: James B. Teese)
The Friday, May 28 game between the Long Island Ducks and Lexington Legends at Fairfield Properties Ballpark was to have been the first contest of a four game series ending on Memorial Day. The game, scheduled for a 6:35 p.m. first pitch was called a rainout by 8:00 p.m.
The series progressed from rainout to shut to a pair of grand slams – including one for the walk-off win to give the Ducks a 3-1 record and their first series win of 2021.
Hector Sanchez and Steve Lombardozzi – with the Game Four walk-off — each smacked grand slams to ensure the sweep of Monday’s doubleheader. The team split Saturday’s doubleheader forced by the inclement weather.
“Yeah. That was awesome,” admitted second baseman Lombardozzi of his game-winning heroics.
Describing the critical at-bat, the switch-hitting Lombardozzi recounted: “I was saying to myself…‘He’s gotta come to me.’ He’s got bases loaded and he can’t put me anywhere.”
“He’s the one’s gotta make the pitch. I was just kinda looking for something up, not a homer… but a base hit scores two. I got a good pitch and was able to hit it out of the park.’
Monday Twin-bill
The Ducks swept the single admission doubleheader against the Legends, rallying to defeat the Legends 4-3 in the opener before waddling off with a 5-2 win in nine innings during Game Two. Both games were scheduled for seven-innings to allow for the Flock to leave on a ten-hour drive to their next series in West Viginia.
Lexington took a 2-0 lead in the second inning of game one on Roberto Baldoquin’s two-run single to right field off Ducks starter Joe Iorio. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Tillman Pugh in the fourth inning made it 3-0.
It stayed that way until the bottom of the fifth when, after a walk and two singles, Hector Sanchez crushed a grand slam over the right field fence off Legends starter Liam O’Sullivan, giving the Ducks a 4-3 lead, which was the final score.
The dinger by Sanchez was the first home run for the catcher, and the first of the season for the Ducks.
Iorio took a no-decision after lasting four innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on one hit and five walks while striking out two. Devin Raftery (1-0) picked up the win after pitching a scoreless inning in the fifth. Michael Tonkin recorded his first save of the season with a scoreless seventh inning, striking out one.
Skipper Pleased
Reacting to the dramatic walk-off win, Manager Wally Backman said “I don’t want to have to win that way all the time, but you know [the team] showed some character in the first four games.”
“I’m pleased with our hitting and pitching been pretty good, perhaps too many walks, but I feel good about what we got,” he said.
“We have some things said to improve on…but it’s tough after the year off,” he added.
Walk Off Win
The Ducks struck first in game two on back-to-back doubles in the third inning by Sal Giardina and Jesse Berardi. Lexington tied the game in the top of the fourth on a sac fly to left.
There was no more scoring until the top of the ninth when a sac fly to left by Ben Aklinski scored Jake Romanski to give the Legends a 2-1 lead.
The Ducks loaded the bases in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the ninth, when Lombardozzi won it with the walk-off grand slam over the right field wall.
Neither starter factored into the decision. Vin Mazzaro pitched three and two-thirds innings for the Ducks, giving up a run on two hits and four walks while striking out three, while Chris Reed (1-0) collected the win despite allowing a run on two hits and two walks over two innings with two strikeouts.
Saturday Split
The Ducks and Legends split a day/night doubleheader on Saturday at Fairfield Properties Ballpark to begin the 2021 season, with the Ducks shutting out the Legends 5-0 in the opener before falling in the nightcap 9-8. Both games were seven-inning contests.
Starter Akeel Morris tossed four scoreless innings for the Ducks, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out six, but he did not factor into the decision. Jose Cuas (1-0) picked up the win with a scoreless inning of relief.
The Legends led 9-3 going into the bottom of the seventh before the Ducks plated five runs to close within 9-8. An RBI single by Jackson, a three-run double by Sal Giardina and an RBI double by Hector Sanchez closed the gap to one, but the tying run was stranded on base.
Mike Bolsinger (0-1) suffered the loss, yielding three runs on four hits and three walks with two strikeouts over two innings.
Road Trip and Back
Long Island hit the road Monday night for the first time to arrive for a three-game series starting Tuesday against the West Virginia Power.
The Ducks return home on Tuesday, June 8, to begin a three-game series against the High Point Rockers. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m.
It’s the first Triple Play Tuesday of the season! If the Ducks turn a triple play in u game, one lucky fan will win $25,000.
