DUCK WEATHER, DUCK WIN

Long Island Topples Lancaster, 4-2, on Rainy Night

The Long Island Ducks used a two-run homer by Kirk Nieuwenhuis and solid pitching to defeat the Lancaster Barnstormers, 4-2, Tuesday evening at Bethpage Ballpark.

It was the fifth straight win for Long Island against the Barnstormers this season, all by three runs or fewer.

Nieuwenhuis’ opposite field blast, his fifth homer of the season, followed a two-out walked issued to L.J. Mazzilli by Jake McCasland (1-5) in the first inning.

That home run erased an early 1-0 lead for Lancaster.  Michael Martinez led off the game with a single to center and advanced to third on a double dropped down the left field line by Dan Gamache.  Caleb Gindl got the run home with a sacrifice fly.

The Barnstormers were able to tie the game against Alec Asher (2-0) in the top of the fifth. With two outs, Darian Sandford lined a single to right center.  Martinez came up and lifted a pop fly into the waning twilight.  Mazzilli, the second baseman, never saw it, and shortstop Vladimir Frias’ last ditch effort to save the play came up short.  The speedy Sandford came all the way around to score on the single, knotting the game at 2-2.

Again, the Ducks came back to score.  With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Frias grounded a single up the middle.  He took third on a line drive base hit to right center by Matt den Dekker and came home on Steve Lombardozzi’s force play ground ball.

Hector Sanchez chased McCasland with a ground rule double to lead off the Ducks’ sixth. David Washington followed with a single off Matt Marksberry, and the run scored when Ramon Cabrera grounded into a double play.

The Barnstormers, who got the leadoff runner on base six times in the game, had a chance in the eighth, playing in a steady shower.  Dan Gamache doubled to left.  Joe Terdoslavich and Josh Bell walked around a pair of outs, but, after falling behind Anderson De La Rosa, 3-0, Vin Mazzaro came back with a strikeout to end the threat.

Josh Lueke pitched the ninth for his first save.

Lancaster and Long Island tangle again on Wednesday night.  Kyle Davies (2-1) will take the hill for Lancaster against lefty Darin Downs (0-1).  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, starting at 6:15.

NOTES:  Lancaster has allowed runs in the bottom of the inning six of the last seven times it has scored…De La Rosa extended his hitting streak to seven; Martinez has hit in six in a row…The Barnstormers have gone the first five games of the road trip without a home run while allowing five.