Crabs Smashed by Ducks

By Brian Bohl on August 17, 2008

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY — A good night for most teams is when the offense bats-around in an inning.

The Ducks lineup is so hot, it nearly scored-around in the seventh last night. Once again, the bats carried lackluster pitching. Carl Everett erased a one-run deficit by ripping a grand-slam in the seventh, propelling the Ducks to a nine-run inning and an impressive 12-5 victory over Southern Maryland.

Everett’s 22nd homer epitomized the lineup’s emerging juggernaut status. The Ducks cracked the double-digit run total for the third straight contest and are in position to sweep Southern Maryland Sunday evening.

Eight of the nine Ducks scored in the seventh. Edgardo Alfonzo made two outs in the frame, the only batter not to reach base or cross the plate. Damian Rolls extended his hitting streak to 21 games in the inning, as the Ducks took the second straight game of the three game set and moved 2 ½ games up on the Blue Crabs for the Liberty Division lead.

“We knew going into this series that we had to play all nine innings in order to beat them” manager Dave LaPoint said.

Southern Maryland actually looked to be in control thanks to a sixth-inning rally. Alay Soler started strong for the Ducks before tiring in the inning. The former Mets right-hander allowed a leadoff homer to James Shanks but struck out Atlantic League RBI-leader Patrick Osborn.

Two consecutive singles preceded Curtis Pride’s two-run double. Solar finished the inning before exiting with Southern Maryland nursing a 4-2 lead that was extended in the top of the seventh when Clint Johnson added a RBI single.

Considering the Ducks have scored 32 runs the past three games, the three-run hole represented a minor impediment to the club’s eighth win in 10 games.

“We know if we have our starting nine in there and our pitchers throw well, we have a good chance of winning day-in and day-out,” Rolls said. “We take it pitch by pitch. With the lineup that we have, if we put together good games, there’s a good chance we’re going to win in the end.”

Jamie Pogue, who reached base safely in all four of his plate appearances, started the seventh with a leadoff double and advanced to third on Kevin Haverbusch’s single.

Blue Crabs manager Butch Hobson called on Kenny Baugh to relieve starter Ryan Bicondoa to face Nook Logan, who promptly added the first of his two RBIs in the inning, plating Pogue. Alfonzo lined out and Pete Rose Jr. walked, loading the bases for Everett.

Baugh got ahead 0-1 before leaving a fastball over the heart of the plate. Everett didn’t miss, pulling the fastball to right-center that left the bat like a laser, putting the Ducks ahead 7-5.

“They had a pitcher knew to the league who didn’t know Carl and what he can hit,” LaPoint said. “Carl’s a pretty smart hitter. He watched the at-bats of the other guys, knew what to look for and got it. He’s been carrying us for awhile, too.”

The barrage didn’t end there. Back-to-back walks set up Rolls, who was 0-3 before that point before extending his hitting streak via a run-scoring single. Pogue reached on an error and Haverbusch hit a two-run single before Logan’s sacrifice fly capped the scoring.

“Before the seventh inning, I said, ‘let’s get them with the bloops,’” LaPoint said with a laugh. “We were hitting the ball hard all night and had nothing to show for it. We got a couple of breaks there. We are a momentum team. If a couple of guys get hits, everyone feels confident.”

Rose added his eighth homer of the season thanks to a solo shot in the fifth. The Ducks only other run before the outburst came in the first, when Everett doubled home Alfonzo. Everett finished 3-5 with three extra-base hits while Vic Darensbourg picked up the win by virtue of good fortunate. Darensbourgh allowed a run on two hits in one inning but was the pitcher of record during the seventh.

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