Staten Island 6, Long Island 3

(Staten Island, N.Y., May 25, 2023) – The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Staten Island FerryHawks 6-3 on Thursday afternoon in the finale of a three-game midweek series at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park. 

Long Island took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning against Staten Island starting pitcher Christian Capuano thanks to a Daniel Murphy RBI base knock that drove home Adeiny Hechavarria after Hechavarria reached on a two-base error committed by centerfielder Mitch Piatnik who dropped a fly ball. Staten Island tied the game at one in the home half of the frame versus Ducks starter Stephen Tarpley on Kevin Krause’s run-scoring single that plated Jeffrey Wehler. 

The Flock went back out in front 2-1 in the third courtesy of an RBI single from Alex Dickerson which scored Boog Powell. The FerryHawks knotted the game at two in the fourth when Cristian Santana launched an opposite-field solo home run to right. The visitors went back out in front 3-2 in the fifth as Sam Travis plated Hechavarria with a run-scoring base hit. Staten Island took the lead for good one-half inning later as the home team scored for times to give the game its final score of 6-3, highlighted by RBI singles from Santana and Luis Castro, and a run-scoring double from Mikey Edelman. 

Patrick Quinn (1-0) picked up the win in relief after tossing a scoreless inning on one hit and one walk allowed. Tarpley (1-1) suffered the loss, surrendering six runs (five earned) on nine hits (one home run) across five and one-third innings pitched, walking two and striking out a season-high eight. Capuano registered a no-decision, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits in five innings of work, walking two and striking out five. 

Travis led the way offensively with his second three-hit performance of the campaign while also driving in a run. 

Long Island returns home on Friday, May 26, to begin a four-game series with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with the Fairfield Properties Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders). The Ducks will be kicking off their 2013 Championship 10th Anniversary Series, and the first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Ray Navarrete Oversized Baseball Cards. Navarrete himself will be in attendance to throw out a ceremonial first pitch and sign autographs. It’s also a Tap Room Friday and Grand Slam Friday at the ballpark! Tickets for the game, and all Ducks games, are available by visiting the Fairfield Properties Ballpark box office, calling (631) 940-TIXX or CLICKING HERE.

Gastonia 8, Frederick 3

Gastonia looked to sweep Frederick for a third time this year and to go undefeated on their six-game road trip on Thursday afternoon.

The Honey Hunters did just that, and were aided by Carlos Franco’s lefty bat and Ian McKinney’s left arm.

They scored seven unanswered runs, four of them coming in the eighth, to come back for the second straight game and beat the Question Marks by a score of 8-3.

Franco, the cleanup hitter, came to the plate five times.

He either produced or scored a run in four of those five plate appearances.

The first run Franco produced was all set up by Jack Reinheimer in the top of the fourth inning.

The Honey Hunters leadoff hitter saw that Starlin Castro was playing back, so he laid down a bunt along the third-base line. And it was a perfect bunt, as he reached first on the infield single.

Reinheimer then stole his 13th base of the year, which is the most in the Atlantic League. He advanced to third on a fly ball to right hit by Zach Jarrett, and scored on a Franco sacrifice fly to center field.

The sac fly tied the game at one in the fourth.

The next time Franco came up to the plate, his fly ball didn’t stay in the yard.

He drilled a no-doubter to straight-away right field, and admired the ball sailing over the fence before starting his home-run trot.

Franco’s two-run homer came in the seventh, and it tied the game 3-3 against Frederick.

When he came to the plate in the eighth, Franco worked a walk and then came around to score the last of four runs plated in the frame by the Honey Hunters.

Franco scored on a booming two-run double the opposite way hit by Steven Sensley, who went 2-for-3 with a walk on Thursday.

Just as he produced the first run Gastonia scored, Franco was also responsible for the eighth and final run – another sacrifice fly hit to center.

The sac fly scored Reinheimer and was the seventh straight run scored by the Honey Hunters to give them an 8-3 lead in the ninth.

Reinheimer scored three times – two via Carlos Franco sac flies.

The second time he crossed home plate was off J.C. Escarra's RBI two-bagger hit down the left field line.

That was the first of the four runs scored in the eighth, and it gave the Honey Hunters a 4-3 lead that they didn’t relinquish.

Reinheimer’s three runs gives him a total of 31 on the year, and he’s still atop the league in that category.

Jarrett, who came home on Franco’s home run and Sensley’s double, has 24 runs scored – which is the second most in the ALPB.

Southpaw Ian McKinney had a great performance for Gastonia on Thursday.

He retired 13 of the first 14 batters he faced.

The one batter who reached was Raudy Ready, who hit a lazer of a home run that just got over the left-field wall to make it 1-0 Frederick in the second.

After the stretch of 13 in 14 batters, McKinney faced Wilson Garcia and Leobaldo Cabrera in a tie game in the fifth inning.

Garcia singled and then Cabrera hit a fly ball 341 feet the other way to right field that just got over the fence for a two-run homer.

Cabrera’s eighth long ball gave his team a 3-1 lead, which was given up a couple innings later.

McKinney only gave up the three runs – on the two home runs – in seven innings of work.

He walked only one batter and struck out 10 – the most any Gastonia pitcher has fanned in a single game this season.

Aside from a couple mistakes, McKinney was almost perfect in the seven frames, and he got the win to show for it.

David Richardson and Bryan Blanton each threw scoreless innings to close the door on Frederick and help complete the three-game sweep.

Gastonia improved to 18-6 overall after going a perfect 6-0 on the road trip.

The Honey Hunters are now 9-0 against the Question Marks this year, as Frederick fell to 8-17.

Gastonia will now come back to CaroMont Health Park for a 10-game home stand.

Up first is a four-game series against the Lancaster Barnstormers, the reigning Atlantic League Champions.

First pitch on Friday is at 6:35 p.m.

York 7, So. Maryland 5

(May 25, 2023 – York, Pa.):  The York Revolution scored twice in the seventh and four more in the eighth to come from behind for a thrilling 7-5 victory over the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in front of 5,824 fans on Baseball in Education Day at Wellspan Park on Thursday afternoon. The win is the second straight for the Revs who take the rubber game in the series, having also now won three of their last four.

The scoring got started early as KC Hobson led off the top of the second by lifting one over the high wall in right field for his fifth home run of the season to give the Crabs a 1-0 lead.

York answered in the bottom of the second as Nellie Rodriguez doubled down the left field line and was replaced by designated pinch runner Trey Martin who scored on a Jacob Rhinesmith RBI single past Hobson at first, tying the game at 1-1.

Southern Maryland seized an early advantage, scoring three times in the third. Jack Sundberg led off the inning with a single and stole second base. Revs starter Tom Sutera retired the next two hitters, but a walk to Hobson brought up Isaias Quiroz who hit a seeing-eye single through the left side of the infield plating a run. Both runners advanced on a throwing error from the outfield, and Ryan Haug blooped a double down the left field line to score two more as the Crabs suddenly led 4-1.

Sutera got through five innings of work, allowing four runs but only three earned on seven hits. He walked three and struck out three, and worked scoreless, hitless ball over his final two frames.

Southern Maryland starter Ian Kahaloa was outstanding, retiring the final 12 Revs to greet him and not allowing a base hit after the second. He gave up just three hits, one run, a walk and struck out four in six innings on the day.

Will Carter came up big after getting in trouble with two walks in the sixth, striking out Sundberg and Michael Wielansky to strand two runners, while Tasker Strobel escaped a two-out bases loaded pickle in the seventh.

Issac Mattson, unscored upon in 10 outings on the season, came in for the Crabs in the bottom of the seventh. After getting the first out of the inning, Mattson surrendered a walk to Rhinesmith. Troy Stokes Jr. ripped an RBI double to left field off the Arch Nemesis, bringing home Rhinesmith to pull within 4-2. Jhon Nunez drilled a base hit to left center driving home Stokes Jr., shrinking it to a one-run deficit at 4-3.

Victor Capellan pitched the top of the eighth for York and yielded soft contact but three hits and an RBI ground rule double on a fly ball down the right field line by Braxton Lee as Southern Maryland inched ahead, 5-3.

The Revs battled back in their half of the eighth as Alejandro Rivero doubled down the third base line with one out off of Mattson, and Rodriguez singled softly to right center putting runners at the corners. That set the table for Rhinesmith who ripped a double down the right field line to plate Rivero and cut the deficit to 5-4, chasing Mattson (0-1) for closer Andre Scrubb who also entered play without an earned run allowed on the season. Scrubb jumped ahead of Stokes Jr. who, down 0-2 in the count, sent one the other way for a base hit to right field scoring Rodriguez and Rhinesmith who slid under the tag safely for the go-ahead run. Nunez was hit by a pitch and Drew Mendoza delivered a double down the left field line scoring Stokes Jr. as the Revs went up 7-5 going to the ninth in dramatic fashion.

Blake Rogers made quick work for his third save, setting down the Blue Crabs 1-2-3 in the ninth to secure the big victory.

Notes: The Revs improve to 12-12, pulling within two games of Southern Maryland and three games of first place Long Island in the North Division. The win snaps a streak of four straight series defeats. York improves to 7-2 in games decided by two runs or fewer. The Revs also improve to 7-5 in games in which the lead changes hands, while claiming their second victory of the season when trailing after the seventh or eighth inning of play. It is their second “last at-bat” victory of the season. The comeback from down three runs matches their biggest of the year. York improves to 7-5 in home games. The Revs have drawn more than 5,000 fans three times in the first 12 home games after reaching that mark just three times all of last season. Thursday’s crowd came within 67 fans of matching the biggest Baseball in Education Day crowd in stadium history and came within 44 fans of matching a season-high. The win is the 899th in the managerial career of York skipper Rick Forney. The save is the 45th of Rogers’ pro career. The Revs tied a season-high with five doubles. Stokes Jr. went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI, capping a series in which he was 6-for-11 with three doubles and five RBI. The Revs travel to Charleston to face the Dirty Birds to kick off a seven-game road trip Friday night. York lefty Denson Hull faces Derrick Adams in the opener at 6:35 p.m. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK, 989woyk.com, The New WOYK app, and FloBaseball.TV beginning at 6:15 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.

Lexington 3, Charleston 2