Charleston 6, Southern Maryland 4
(Charleston, WV – July 6, 2024) – The Dirty Birds win game one of the second half of the season in walk-off fashion. The score was tied at four runs with Delino DeShields, Jr. on third base and Keon Barnum at the plate with two outs. Barnum hit the 3-2 fastball over the left field wall to end the ballgame.
Charleston’s Mason Fox earned the win after pitching a scoreless ninth inning. That marks the right-handed relief pitcher’s second win of the season. Jonathan Soto, the Dirty Birds designated hitter, hit his second home run of the series and drove in three runs.
The Dirty Birds start the second half 1-0 as they search for a playoff spot. The series finale against Southern Maryland is tomorrow at 4:05pm.
Long Island 8, Hagerstown 6
(Hagerstown, Md., July 6, 2024) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars 8-6 on Saturday night in the middle game of a three-game series at Meritus Park.
Long Island took a 3-0 lead in the first inning against Hagerstown starting pitcher Mike Kickham by way of back-to-back RBI doubles from Frank Schwindel and Chance Sisco and an RBI base hit off the bat of JC Encarnacion. The Flying Boxcars got to within 3-1 in the bottom of the frame versus Ducks starter Daniel Corcino on a Welington Dotel RBI two-base hit. The Flock made it 4-1 in the second on Ivan Castillo’s solo home run to left field and jumped out to a 6-1 advantage in the third thanks to a pair of Hagerstown errors and an RBI single from Zach Racusin.
After the Flying Boxcars got to within 6-3, the Flock took a 7-3 advantage in the fourth on a Jackie Bradley Jr. solo tater to the opposite field in left center. Leading 7-5 in the eighth, Castillo was at it again as the infielder belted his second solo home run on the evening and third of that variety in the series this time from the left side of the batter’s box as it cleared the right field fence with ease to provide Long Island with a huge insurance run and an 8-5 cushion. Down a pair of runs in the last of the ninth, the Flying Boxcars had two in scoring position with one man down, but Ramon Santos registered consecutive strikeouts of Demetrius Moorer swinging and pinch-hitter Blake Berry looking to collect his fourth save in as many appearances on the mound.
Corcino (3-4) picked up the victory after allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits in five innings pitched, walking three and striking out six. Kickham (4-5) suffered the loss, giving up seven runs (four earned) on nine hits over four innings of work, walking one while striking out three.
Castillo and Bradley Jr. had three hits apiece, with Schwindel, Encarnacion and Racusin all chipping in with two-hit performances.
The Ducks and Flying Boxcars wrap up their three-game set on Sunday night. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. at Meritus Park. Fans can follow all the action live on FloBaseball by CLICKING HERE. Left-hander Mike Montgomery (2-2, 4.35) gets the start for the Ducks against Flying Boxcars righty Yeudy Garcia (Season Debut).
Long Island returns home on Tuesday, July 9, to begin a three-game set with the York Revolution. 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). As fans exit the ballpark following the game, Ducks staff members will be handing out coupons for a special offer from Francesco’s Trattoria East Islip. It’s also a Triple Play Tuesday, and if the Ducks turn a triple play during the game, one lucky fan will be a grand prize winner of $25,000. 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.
Staten Island 11, York 1
(July 6, 2024 – York, Pa.): The York Revolution have made a habit of leaving the opposition in the dust with one sided victories but were given a taste of their own medicine in the second half opener on Saturday night at WellSpan Park, falling to the Staten Island FerryHawks by an 11-1 score.
York grabbed an early lead in the first. The Revs got a leadoff knock from Matt McDermott who was erased immediately on a double play. Donovan Casey made sure the inning was not wasted, however, hitting his third home run in as many nights, parking his 11th of the year to left center for a solo home run.
Staten Island loaded the bases against York starter Aaron Fletcher with one out in the second inning, but the lefty struck out both Andres Noriega and Jordan Howard to strand all three, keeping York at a 1-0 advantage as he struck out the side in the inning.
Luis Castro started what would become a killer night with a two-out, two run home run to right center in the third inning, putting the FerryHawks on top 2-1.
Staten Island added a run on a throwing error in the top of the fourth, and things got chippy shortly thereafter when Jordan Howard got tangled up with second baseman Kobe Kato on a fielder’s choice that ended the inning. The Revs took exception to the contact and trailed to that point, 3-1.
After Nate Scantlin was plunked to start the top of the fifth, Castro, Joe Dunand (RBI), and Ben Norman knocked three straight one-out singles. With two outs, a bases loaded walk to Andres Noriega plated a second run to put the FerryHawks up 5-1. Fletcher finished the inning by punching out Howard for a career high ninth strikeout as he struck out the side for the second time.
Castro’s day continued with a two-run blast to left center field with two outs in the sixth, chasing Fletcher (5-3) from the game with a 7-1 score.
York could not find an answer for FerryHawk starter Christian Capuano (7-3) who allowed just one run over seven frames while punching out five, pulling into a tie for the league lead in wins with teammate Aaron Leasher and York’s Ethan Lindow.
Noriega and Howard went back-to-back with a pair of solo shots off reliever Tom Sutera in the seventh, and two more scored against Will Stewart in the eighth on a Dunand single and a Norman double, putting the FerryHawks up 11-1. Staten Island scored in six consecutive innings from the third through the eighth with two-run frames in five of those six innings including all four innings from the fifth through the eighth.
York infielder Alexis Pantoja pitched a 1-2-3 top of the ninth for York, holding Staten Island scoreless for the first time since the second inning in his fifth career pitching appearance (third scoreless) and third appearance with York (second scoreless).
York will send Jon Olsen (6-0, 2.84) to the mound in Sunday’s rubber match opposite of Staten Island’s Cam Hill (0-2, 8.62) at 2 PM. The day features Princess Character Appearances, AAA Member Appreciation Day, and Sunday Funday by Weis Markets. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
Notes: York’s one run marked its fewest scored in a game since June 9; the Revs entered the game with 480 runs scored on the season, leading the league by 80 runs, while on pace for a league record at 7.6 runs per game. The 11 runs are the Revs’ most allowed in a game in exactly one month (June 6 at Charleston). They had posted a 2.94 staff ERA on their six-game winning streak that was snapped Saturday night. The four home runs allowed are a season high and their most allowed in a game in almost a year (four vs Spire City on July 12, 2023). Casey has homered in three straight and has an RBI in eight consecutive games, 11 of his last 12, and 16 of his last 18 games; he leads the league with 76 RBI in 61 games played on the season. McDermott has hit safely in six straight, 13 of 14, 17 of 19, and 26 of his last 29 games. Jacob Rhinesmith lost a 13-game hitting streak on which he batted .474. Rudy Martin Jr doubled twice, extending his current hitting streak to 10 games. Fletcher suffered his first loss since June 1; the Revs had won each of his previous five starts with Fletcher earning victories in two of those. One night after striking out 13 Hawks, Revs pitching registered 14 strike outs, their most in a game since posting a season-high 18 punch outs on May 11 vs Gastonia.
Lancaster 5, High Point 3
The team known as the “Second Half” Stormers picked up a 5-3 win in the opener of the latter stage of the season behind seven strong innings from Noah Bremer Saturday evening at Truist Point.
Lancaster’s ace right-hander yielded nine hits and two runs over those seven frames in improving to 7-3 on the season. Bremer walked one and struck out four, dealing his sixth straight quality start.
Jack Conley put Lancaster on the board with a two-run homer in the top of the second off Jonah Scolaro (2-1). Scolaro had been reactivated from the injured list earlier and the day and lasted four innings.
High Point did everything but tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. Colin Moran led off with a double to left center and held his ground as Quincy Latimore beat out a scratch single toward third baseman Trace Loehr. Connor Owings drove a ball to deep left center which Chris Proctor could not reel in, but the Rockers were conservative on the bases with Moran beating a throw home and Latimore holding at second. Clayton Mehlbauer was robbed of a bloop hit on a diving catch by Shawon Dunston, Jr., and Brian Parreira’s ground ball on the right side hit Owings for the second out. Bremer got D.J. Burt to bounce back to the mound, ending the threat.
Mason Martin stretched the lead with a solo home run in the top of the fifth, and Chris Proctor made it 4-1 with a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth.
A leadoff double by Parreira led to a run in the bottom of the seventh. Ben Aklinski opened the bottom of the eighth with a single off Ted Stuka, moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on Jack Conley’s throw into center, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Fritz Genther. Quincy Latimore followed with a single to chase Stuka. Phil Diehl took over. His bad pickoff throw moved Latimore to second. Owings was retired on a 3-1 ground out, and Mehlbuaer struck out, stranding the tying run at third.
Chris Proctor reached to open the ninth when High Point failed to convert a grounder to first baseman Evan Edwards into an out. Jack Conley singled Proctor to third, and Lancaster produced an insurance run on a sacrifice fly by Loehr.
Matt Swarmer (0-1) will start for the Stormers on Sunday afternoon at 4:05. Fans may tune into FloBaseball at 4:00 as Lancaster attempts to sweep the series.
NOTES: The win was Lancaster’s first of the season in a two-run game…Martin has nine extra base hits in his last six games…Dunston had two more doubles and has four extra base hits in the series…Bremer tied for the league lead with his seventh win.
Gastonia 4, Lexington 3