Ducks advance to Atlantic League Championship Series with win over Blue Crabs

The script is always different but, lately at least, the result remains the same. The Ducks will play for another Atlantic League Championship.

They punched this season’s ticket by defeating the host Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 5-4 in the winner-take-all third game of the North Division Championship Series Wednesday night. They will face the Lexington Legends in the Atlantic League Championship Series, which begins Friday night at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip. The Ducks will host the first two games of the series – Game 2 is Saturday night – before heading to Lexington, Kentucky, for the remainder of the best-of-five series.

The Ducks lost to Southern Maryland Monday night to fall behind in best-of-three North Division Championship Series, but won the final two in Southern Maryland to earn their fifth straight Atlantic League Championship Series berth. They won in 2019 and are vying for their fifth title in franchise history.

Ducks reliever Rob Griswold pitched two scoreless innings to earn the save. He worked around an error in the ninth that put the tying run at first base, inducing Zach Collier to hit into a game-ending double play.

Ducks starter Joe Iorio allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out four, walked three and earned the win.

It was no easy task for the Ducks, who faced Blue Crabs starter Daryl Thompson on two days’ rest. Thompson, who pitched for the Reds in 2008 and 2011, led the Atlantic League in both wins (16) and ERA (3.20) in the regular season. Fortunately for the Ducks, Thompson on extremely short rest was not quite as dominant as he was all summer. He allowed four runs (three earned) and seven hits in five innings. He didn’t strike out a batter and walked one.

The Ducks took a 4-0 lead in the third, but the Blue Crabs cut it to 5-4 in the sixth.