Ducks rally falls short, lose to York
Long Island Ducks pitcher Bob Zimmerman pitches against the York Revolution in the first inning of Game 3 in the Atlantic League Championship series. (Sept. 30, 2011) Credit: Chris Dunn
The Long Island Ducks rallied but couldn't withstand another late offensive eruption, falling 9-6 Friday night to the host York Revolution in Game 3 of the best-of-five Atlantic League Championship series.
After the Ducks scored five runs in the fifth inning to tie it at 5, the Revolution regained the lead in the sixth and then pulled away in the final innings before 4,934 at Sovereign Bank Stadium in York, Pa. The Revolution now hold a 2-1 series advantage.
York will host the series' remaining games. Game 4 will be played Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and, if necessary, Game 5 will be 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.
John Rodriguez's double had scored Javier Colina and Lew Ford to tie at 5 for the Ducks. But York regained the lead, 6-5, in the sixth when Scott Grimes' two-out single scored Jose Herrera, who had singled to lead off the inning.
The Revolution extended the lead with two runs in the seventh. Ramon Castro hit a solo homer off reliever Jeremy Hill and Herrera singled following Vince Harrison's double to make it 8-5. Bryant Nelson's solo homer in the eighth gave York a four-run lead.
Matt Esquivel scored on an error in the ninth to pull the Ducks within 9-6.
Nelson and Salvador Paniagua each had two RBIs for the Revolution. Castro and Herrera each went 3-for-4. Matt DeSalvo struck out four in three hitless innings of relief to earn the win. Starter Jino Gonzalez had allowed four runs on four hits and three walks and was pulled after four innings.
Colina was 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run, Rodriguez went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and Esquivel (2-for-3) drove in two and scored two runs for the Ducks. Bob Zimmerman started and allowed five runs, six hits and two walks and struck out five in five innings. Jason Monti took the loss, allowing a run in the sixth inning.
