Pluck-A-Couple-Ducks

(Central Islip, N.Y., Aug. 29, 2012) – The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Camden Riversharks 5-3 on Wednesday night in the final game of a three-game series at Bethpage Ballpark.

Camden took an early 2-0 lead in the first against Ducks starter Bobby Blevins on a sac fly to right by Brian Burgamy and a RBI single to right by Eduardo Perez. The Ducks grabbed a run in the second on Shawn Williams’ RBI groundout off Riversharks starter Eddy Camacho to cut the deficit to one.

Long Island then jumped in front 3-2 in the fourth on Josh Johnson’s two-out two-run single to right with the bases loaded. It stayed that way until the ninth when the ‘Sharks scored three to take a 5-3 lead. Burgamy’s RBI double, a sac fly by Raul Padron and a run-scoring single from Perez did the damage.

Neither starter factored into the decision. Blevins tossed five innings, yielding two runs on five hits with four strikeouts, and Camacho pitched six innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out four. James Houser (2-0) got the win after tossing a scoreless eighth inning, and Armando Benitez (2-1) suffered the loss, surrendering three runs on three hits in the ninth. Leo Rosales earned his second save with a scoreless ninth.

Burgamy's Blast Beats Bluefish, Bad Bullpen Battles, Bemusedly...

Brian Burgamy's three run homer in the seventh gave the 'Sharks a 7-3 lead, and for once, the bullpen didn't blow it. Camden held on to win 8-4, avoiding a series sweep by the Bridgeport Bluefish and snapping a three game losing streak in the process.

Mike McGuire got the start for the 'Sharks this morning and pitched fairly well, surrendering three runs on four hits in seven innings of work. He walked two and struck out four.

Camden scored three times in the first inning off Bridgeport's Brad Thomspon, getting consective, two out doubles from Burgamy, Pedro Feliz and Raul Padron. An Eduardo Perez RBI single capped the offensive outburst before Jake Eigsti grounded out to end the inning.

But the Bluefish answered right back in the second. Joey Gathright's sacrifice fly scored James Simmons to get Bridgeport on the board, and Brad Boyer launched a two run homer to right that tied the game 3-3.

Danny Santiesteban broke the tie in the fourth with an RBI double that scored Eigsti, and the 'Sharks caught a break in the fifth inning, when a combination of heads up defense and bad base running caused Bridgeport to hit into a 7-4 double play.

McGuire's departure in the seventh brought on the much maligned Riversharks bullpen. But despite our numerous prayers for rain, and both of them surrendering a couple hits, both Josh Walter and Leo Rosales got through two innings of relief relatively unscathed, surrendering just one run. Jake Eigsti's sac fly in the eighth added a bit more insurance for Rosales, who shut the door on the Bluefish in the ninth and sealed the win.

Delwyn Young's Batting Average Dips Way Down To .833, Sharks Win 4-3

Returning to the line up for the first time since a bout of food poisoning sent him to the hospital for nearly a week, Delwyn Young promptly sent the third pitch he saw from Patriots starter Sean Green into orbit. It was the first of two dingers for Young, who finished the night going two for three with two RBI.

The Riversharks scored a run in each of the first four innings of tonight's game versus the Somerset Patriots. All but one, Lloyd Turner's RBI single in the second that scored Eddy Perez, came off solo homers. Young led off the second with another blast that made it 3-0, and Perez led off the fourth with his seventh homer of the year to put Camden up 4-0.

It would be just enough.

Keith Weiser got the start for the 'Sharks tonight and pitched pretty well, only allowing one run on four hits while striking out six. But things looked grim in the seventh, when with one out, and Spencer "No Lead Is Safe" Steedley on the mound, Joe Holden doubled to center, and Dan Hennigan followed up with a single. First and third with one out and the hero of last night's walk off win, Dan DeGeorge, coming up.

Luckily, Steedley got DeGeorge to ground to second. Unluckily, the 'Sharks couldn't complete the double play, getting only the force at second, and letting Holden score from third. But the defensive play of the game came next, when with Yunesky Sanchez batting, Raul Padron prevented any further damage when he caught Hennigan trying to steal for out number three.

Somerset got one more in the eighth when Corey Smith homered off Leo Rosales. John Lujan came on to pitch the ninth, and made a heads up defensive play of his own, throwing out Yusef Carter at second when Holden tried to bunt him over. The Patriots had two men on with two outs, but Lujan got DeGeorge to ground out to end the game and pick up his 22nd save of the year.

Another Day, Another Bullpen Meltdown, 'Sharks Lose 10-3

Ryan Harvey was having a bad night.

The 'Stormers designated hitter had struck out swinging in each of his first three at bats. With his team leading 4-3 in the seventh inning, Harvey was at the dish again, with two men on, staring at an 0-2 count from 'Sharks reliever Spencer Steedley.

If you've followed the misadventures of the Camden Riversharks bullpen at all this season, you already know how this story ends.

Harvey drilled Steedley's next pitch to the base of the centerfield wall, scoring Blake Gailen and Tommy Everidge, and putting the 'Stormers up 6-3. Lancaster went on to score three more times in the inning, on RBI singles from Francisco Hernandez and Bridger Hunt, to take a 9-3 lead into the eighth. They went on to win 10-3.

Let's back up a minute. The 'Sharks, suddenly finding themselves with a hole in their starting rotation due to Sean Jarrett's DL stint, and with their tired bullpen in shambles, need pitching help in the worst way possible.

The worst way possible, for those unaware, is the nightmare trifeca of Spencer Steedley, Josh Walter, and Zach Hammes, who combined have been scored on more times than Sasha Grey in estrous.

So it was with some relief that I learned Eddy Camacho, late of the "Venezuelan Visa Problems" episode, was stepping in to a starting role. Camacho indeed had problems earlier in the season finding the strike zone, but as of late had pitched well when needed. He went five innings tonight, giving up three runs on eight hits while striking out four. Not dominant, but he battled, and he wasn't the main problem.

Neither was the 'Sharks offense, with their fourteen hits, thought they had major trouble driving in runs tonight. And while Jake Eigsti's 0 for 4, grounding into two inning ending double plays performance was frustrating, you've gotta find solace in Chris Walker's 3 for 5 night, or Pedro Feliz' solo shot in the fourth that tied the game.

No, the main problem, as it has been for the entire second half so far, is the bullpen. More specifically, Steedley, Walter and Hammes. Steedley and Walter's ERA's are the team's worst, at 6.29 and 6.30. As long as these three clowns are our only 'pen options, the 'Sharks might as well pack it in and hope for a better 2013. Compare that to Leo Rosales, who at 1.13 has the team's BEST ERA. Or Lujan, and his 20 saves. Heck, even Blake King is pitching better. Change is needed, but sadly, it seems the options are few.

In Which The 'Sharks Blow Another Lead, And The Writer Loses His Shit

 Iggy Suarez' two out single in the bottom of the 10th scored Aaron Bates, and the Sugarland Skeeters capped a remarkable five run comeback with a 6-5 victory over the Riversharks tonight at Constellation Field.

Camden led 5-1 in the 8th, andOH I CAN'T WRITE THIS RECAP,OK?? LOOK, JOSH WALTER AND ZACH HAMMES STINK. THERE"S NO GETTING AROUND THE FACT THAT SINCE BERGMANN WAS PICKED UP OUR BULLPEN HAS GONE TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET. EDDY CAMACHO AND LEO ROSALES COMBINED FOR SEVEN GREAT INNINGS, THEN WALTER AND HAMMES CAME IN AND SHIT ALL OVER THEIR EFFORTS. JESUS CHRIST, THE NEW GUY DELWYN YOUNG GOES THREE FOR THREE, EDDY PEREZ GOES THREE FOR FIVE WITH TWO RBI, MATERA AND EIGSTI BOTH HOMER, AND IT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH!!!!

LOOK AT THIS CLUSTERFUCK OF AN EIGHTH INNING:

Bottom of 8th	Sugar Land Skeeters
Pitching Substitution	38 Josh Walter subs for Leo Rosales.
#16 Octavio Martinez	Called Strike
Defensive Substitution	8 Danny Santiesteban subs for Steve Doetsch at Right Field.
#16 Octavio Martinez	16 Octavio Martinez advances to 1st (single)
#4 Dominic Ramos	Ball, 4 Dominic Ramos advances to 1st (hit by pitch), 16 Octavio Martinez advances to 2nd (4)
#11 Ofilio Castro	Foul, Called Strike, Foul, 11 Ofilio Castro advances to 1st (error by the second baseman), 4 Dominic Ramos advances to 2nd (11), 16 Octavio Martinez advances to 3rd (11)
#10 Bubba Bell	Called Strike, Swinging Strike, 10 Bubba Bell advances to 2nd (double), 11 Ofilio Castro advances to 3rd (10), 4 Dominic Ramos Scores Earned (10), 16 Octavio Martinez Scores Earned (10)
Pitching Substitution	28 Zach Hammes subs for Josh Walter.
#25 Jason Lane	Ball, Ball, Ball, 25 Jason Lane advances to 1st (walk)
#31 Josh Pressley	Ball, Foul, Ball, Ball, 31 Josh Pressley advances to 1st (walk), 25 Jason Lane advances to 2nd (31), 10 Bubba Bell advances to 3rd (31), 11 Ofilio CastroScores Unearned (31)
Offensive Substitution	23 Matt Hagen runs for Josh Pressley at 1st base.
#34 Aaron Bates	Ball, Swinging Strike, Ball, Ball, 34 Aaron Bates advances to 1st (walk), 23 Matt Hagen advances to 2nd (34), 25 Jason Lane advances to 3rd (34), 10 Bubba Bell Scores Earned (34)
#19 Steve Moss	Ball, Called Strike, Called Strike, 19 Steve Moss putout (strike out swinging) for out number 1
#2 Iggy Suarez	Called Strike, 23 Matt Hagen putout (5) for out number 2, 2 Iggy Suarez putout (5-3 DP) for out number 3
Runs: 4, Hits: 2, Errors: 1, LOB: 2

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?? THE FIRST THING HAMMES DOES IS WALK A GUY ON FOUR PITCHES!! HE THEN PROCEEDS TO WALK THE BASES LOADED. IT'S A MIRACLE THE SKEETERS DIDN'T SCORE 40 RUNS!!

SO THE GAMES TIED AND HEADED TO EXTRAS. IN THE TOP OF THE 10TH, THE SHARKS LOAD THE BASES WITH ONE OUT BUT CAN'T GET A SINGLE RUN OUT OF IT!!

THE SKEETERS, ON THE OTHER HAND, GET A TWO OUT TRIPLE FROM AARON BATES!! FUCKING SPENCER STEEDLEY!! I'M GOING TO MAKE A SIGN FOR THE BULLPEN THAT SAYS 'ABANDON ALL LEADS, YE WHO ENTER HERE' GAAAcjfa;lfa lvrilr98 lfdkhviv nI ALkhfl nhfiQH aslSHFAlFH lFHD aslFalf hfhlofHOIRHOIHoiHoidJW

[Ed. Note - Apparently, Jim knocked himself out banging his head on the keyboard. 'Til next time, True Believers.]

Sensei K.Reese Shows No Mercy

Kevin Reese threw five and two thirds innings of shutout baseball, and the 'Sharks offense got clutch hits from Paddy Matera and Eduardo Perez in tonight's 5-0 victory over the Somerset Patriots. 

Reese, who has not allowed a run in his last two starts, steps into a more prominent role in the pitching rotation thanks to the recent departure of righty Ricky Brooks, who was picked up by the Colorado Rockies yesterday.

The Riversharks started the scoring early when a Pedro Feliz double in the first scored Perez to make it 1-0. Perez launched a two run homer in the third to extend the lead to 3-0, and Matera's two RBI single in the ninth was the nail in Somerset's coffin.

The bullpen combo of Leo Rosales, Spencer Steedley and Zach Hammes allowed no runs and only one hit in three and a third innings of relief.

'Sharks Survive Late Rally, Beat Revs 6-5

The York Revolution scored twice in the ninth inning to cut the 'Sharks lead to a single run, but closer John Lujan struck out Ramon Castro for out number three, sealing the victory for Camden and earning Lujan his league leading 15th save.

Ricky Brooks got his sixth win of the season, but the righty battled all game, giving up a towering solo home run in the first to Castro that put the Revs up 1-0 right away.

Camden tied the game in the bottom of the first when a Pedro Feliz sac fly scored Chris Walker

Brooks got into more trouble in the third when an RBI single by Andres Perez plated Scott Grimes. Chris Nowak then grounded into an around the horn double play that scored Castro, but Brooks retired Michael Hernandez to escape the inning with the Revs up 3-1.


The 'Sharks took the lead back in the bottom half of the inning, a sac fly from Raul Padron scored Lloyd Turner, Alvin Colina's double off the wall scored Brian Burgamy, and Steve Doetsch singled in Colina to make it 4-3. 


Camden got two more runs in the fourth when another Feliz sac fly scored Patty Matera, and Colina singled to scored Burgamy. 


Brooks exited after five innings, giving way to the bullpen. Leo Rosales, Josh Walter and All Star Zach Hammes retired the Revs in order over the next three innings of work, setting the table for Lujan. 


Notes: Lloyd Turner exited the game in the third inning, Paddy Matera replaced him at second base. 

Q: Who The Hell Is That Guy Wearing Bergmann's #27 Jersey?? A: It's Leo Rosales

Rosales graduated from Reseda High School in 1999. He attended California State University, Northridge and was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 20th round (581st overall) of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft. 


He spent 4½ seasons in the Padres system. On July 27, 2007, he was acquired by the Arizona Diamondbacks for outfielder Scott Hairston. He had been out with a right hand injury since June 5, 2007, when the Arizona Diamondbacks acquired him.

He played in the winter of 2007 in the Mexican Pacific League with the Naranjeros de Hermosillo.
Rosales made his Major League debut on June 15, 2008, for the Diamondbacks.