“Ron had a very good season in the Atlantic League last year,” says Bluefish general manager Todd Marlin. “We are happy to bring him aboard and expect him to be a valuable addition of our lineup.”

The North Carolina native is in his 10^th year of professional baseball and second in the Atlantic League. Last season with the Camden Riversharks, he batted .336 with 28 doubles and set career highs with 18 home runs, 93 RBI, 134 hits and 224 total bases. The 27-year-old has spent seven years in the Toronto Blue Jays organization reaching as high as Double-A on three separate occasions. He has also spent time in the Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations. Ron has 77 home runs, 508 RBI, 227 doubles, 22 triples and 33 stolen bases in 861 minor league games.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

Bluefish starter Dan Reichert pitched a gem but was outdueled by his counterpart Tim Harikkala.  There were twelve total hits in the game with the Revolution scoring the lone run in the top of the second inning.  Reichert (6-6) threw a complete game allowing just one unearned run scattering seven hits and no walks, while fanning seven.  The Bluefish bats were unable to start anything offensively as Harikkala (2-1) threw eight innings allowing no runs on four hits and one walk, striking out nine.  Bob Zimmermann pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his first save of the season for the Revolution.

Brandon Sing paced the Bluefish offensively collecting three of the team’s five hits.  Luis Lopez and Ryner Bautista collected the other two, both finishing 1-for-3, with Lopez drawing a walk in the first inning.

The Bluefish are on a three-day break for the Atlantic League All-Star festivities.  Pitchers Esteban Yan, Andy Weimer, and Matt Pike will join outfielder Brandon Sing and infielder Luis Lopez to represent the Bluefish in the contest.  Bridgeport heads on the road for a four-game series against the Newark Bears beginning June 25.  Fans can keep tabs on their hometown team by listening to the game live on www.bridgeportbluefish.com . The Bluefish return home June 29 to begin a three-game series against the Camden Sharks.  Tickets are still available by visiting the Harbor Yard box office, calling (203)-345-4800, or by visiting www.bridgeportbluefish.com and clicking the tickets icon.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

Despite the cloudy weather, Bluefish starter Esteban Yan shined bright as the star of the game. Yan (4-1) held the Barnstormers scoreless through seven innings allowing only three hits while striking out eight. The righthander continued his string of quality starts and has now given up only six earned runs in his last five starts.

The Bluefish offense broke out for four runs on eight hits, headed by a two-run third inning.  Tyrone Pendergrass and Adam Greenburg hit back-to-back singles to start the frame. Enohel Polanco laced a single into left field, plating Pendergrass. Greenburg later advanced home on a fielder’s choice by Luis Lopez, giving the Bluefish a 2-0 lead.

Bridgeport tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth as Luis Rodriguez led off with a double. Pendergrass drove a single to right to bring home Rodriguez.

Enohel Polanco had an impressive home debut with the Bluefish collecting an RBI single. Luis Rodriguez and Tyrone Pendergrass both went 2-for-4 on the night, accounting for half of the team’s eight hits. Pendergrass drove in one and one scored himself to help propel the Bluefish to victory.

The Bluefish and Barnstormers play the second game of their three-game series tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. Righthander Gary Knotts will be on the mound for the Bluefish, and will be opposed by Lancaster starter Eric Ackerman. Everyone in attendance will be able to experience “Winning Inning Wednesday” and have the chance to take home $10,000. Fans unable to make it to the ballpark can listen to the game live on www.bridgeportbluefish.com . Tickets are still available by visiting the Harbor Yard box office, calling (203)-345-4800, or by visiting www.bridgeportbluefish.com and clicking the tickets icon.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

Laughing like a kid in a candy store, Yan moves his arms in a swinging motion in front of teammate Luis Lopez with a gloating smile from cheek to cheek.  His pearly whites gleaming, Yan moves his legs up and down in a running motion to show how he kept running at full speed towards second base, continuously laughing about the first at bat of his career.

It was June 4, 2000 when Yan became the 77^th Major Leaguer to homer in his first at-bat and the first pitcher since Don Rose of the 1972 Angels when he blasted the first pitch he saw from New York Mets pitcher Bobby Jones in an interleague matchup at Shea Stadium.  Yan became the fourth AL pitcher all-time to homer in his first at-bat.

“I didn’t realize I had hit a home run until I got to second base,” said Yan.  “When I got to second base, I asked myself, ‘What am I doing? I have to slow down.’  I felt very excited after that.”

Yan went on to win the game as well, striking out three and giving up four runs and five hits in five innings pitched.  In his only other at-bat in his major league career, Yan hit a single in 2003 as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals.

His ability to split his personality from an intimidating pitcher to a jolly-minded teammate has helped Yan make his first season of Atlantic League baseball an enjoyable and successful one.

When asked about what Esteban Yan brings to the Bluefish, manager Tommy John jokes, “Weight. Girth. Smiles.”  John, now more composed after a good minute’s worth of laughing, says, “He’s just a hilarious guy.  He is always laughing in the clubhouse with the rest of the guys.”

Yan has been on a tear as of late, recording his fourth straight quality start in yesterday’s 3-2 extra innings victory over the Long Island Ducks.  On just 81 pitches, Yan allowed two earned runs on eight hits and one walk.  After giving up two runs in the first inning, Yan settled down and easily handled the Ducks lineup, the best hitting team in the Atlantic League.  Yan allowed just four hits over his last six innings.

“I’m feeling very good right now,” said Yan.  “I’m trying to do my best, and pitch as best I can to get back to the big leagues.  The only way you can do that is by pitching as much as you can.”

With the performance, Yan now has a 2.68 ERA in 47 innings pitched this season.  In his previous outing on May 29 at Southern Maryland, Yan pitched a complete game shutout on 99 pitches.  Against Lancaster on May 24, he fanned a season high eight batters in eight innings.

“He has a good fastball, maybe one of the better fastballs in this league,” said John.  “I think he would be a great closer because he is a two pitch pitcher.”

Yan has been both a starter and a reliever during his major league career.  In 217 major league games (118 starts), Yan has recorded 33 victories, 51 saves, and 553 strikeouts in 695 innings of work.

Even though he is set on being a starter for now, Yan has not shot down the opportunity of returning to the show as a reliever.

“Well, why not? I can get another opportunity to be perfect,” said Yan.

The last time baseball fans saw Yan at the highest level was in 2006 for the Cincinnati Reds, where he posted a 3.60 ERA in 14 games.  The following season, Yan played for the Hanshin Tigers of Japan’s Central League.  In Japan, Yan set the Nippon Pro Baseball record for balks in a season with 12.

“Those umpires are terrible.  They like to really key on foreign pitchers for balks.  He [umpire] tried to make me get out of games early by calling balks” said Yan.

Yan’s claim may be true, as in his 217 major league games he has only been called for two balks and hasn’t had a balk on American soil since 2002.

Now with the Bluefish, Yan is trying to catch the eyes of scouts to give him another shot at baseball’s highest level.

“To tell you the truth, but every day I had in the Major Leagues was the best moment in my life,” said Yan.

If no scouts find him, maybe Matt Groening will just put him in another episode of The Simpsons.

With another smile, Yan says about his appearance in the cartoon, “It was very nice.  It was good.”

“Enohel adds needed depth to our infield and brings a productive bat to the lineup,” says Bluefish manager Tommy John. “He is a veteran of the Atlantic League and we are happy he can bring experience to the club.”

Polanco is currently in his seventh season in the Atlantic League and 16^th of professional baseball. Last year in 22 games with Southern Maryland, he compiled a .289 batting average with 10 runs scored and five RBI. Prior to 2008, the 34-year-old spent seven seasons in the Mets, Cubs, Marlins, Indians and Rockies systems. His best season came in 1997, when he played for the Binghamton Mets (AA, Mets) of the Eastern League. The shortstop hit .300 and had a slugging percentage of .414, while scoring 34 runs. Polanco reached his highest level of affiliated ball in 2000, appearing in nine games with Calgary (AAA, Marlins) of the Pacific Coast League and in six games with Buffalo (AAA, Indians) of the International League.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

“We are very pleased to hear that Henry has received this honor,” says Bluefish general manager Todd Marlin. “He deserves this accolade for the work he performed on the field as a member of the Bluefish and we once again wish him the best of luck with the Rays organization.”

Mateo played 24 games for the Bluefish in 2009 before having his contract purchased by the Tampa Bay Rays organization. With Bridgeport, the switch-hitter posted an Atlantic League leading .416 batting average in 101 at-bats, while scoring 25 runs, recording a .473 on-base percentage and stealing seven bases. In 154 career games with Bridgeport, the 32-year-old owns a .333 batting average with 47 extra-base hits, 125 runs scored and 42 swipes. Mateo has played 190 games at the Major League level.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

“Jay has been an integral part of this team and a true leader for the past three years,” says Bluefish general manager Todd Marlin. “We are very glad to see him receive this opportunity and wish him the best of luck.”

Caligiuri played 37 games for the Bluefish in 2009, posting a .289 batting average in 135 at-bats, while driving in 19 runs and recording a team-leading .404 on-base percentage. In three seasons with the Bluefish, the 29-year-old batted .302 over 217 games, while collecting 53 doubles, 23 home runs and 145 RBI. Jay’s best season came during his Atlantic League debut in 2007 as a member of the Bluefish. The California native ranked fifth in the league with a .320 and posted career highs in doubles (33), extra-base hits (48), hits (129), runs scored (79) and RBI (78). Prior to joining Bridgeport, he spent six years in the Mets organization, reaching the Triple-A level once with Norfolk of the International League. In 704 career minor league games, the slugger owns a .266 batting average with 86 home runs and 405 RBI.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

After a hard fought battle between the two cross-sound rivals, the Ducks came away victorious in 11 innings. Long Island first baseman Victor Rodriguez began the frame with a leadoff double and later advanced to third base on an Estee Harris fly ball. John Pachot turned out to be the hero for the Flock, as he plated Rodriguez with a sacrifice fly to give Long Island the lead. Bill Simas shut the door on the Bluefish in the bottom half of the inning with a perfect frame to secure the win.

Bluefish starter Corey Lee excelled in his first Ferry Cup Series start of the year, allowing only two runs on nine hits, while striking out six over eight innings of work. Casey Hoorelbeke added two shutout innings of relief to keep the game within reach, before Matt Pike (1-2) suffered the hard-fought loss in 11^th.

Rayner Bautista proved to be the offensive star for the Bluefish by collecting two hits and scoring a run.

Jason Norderum (1-1) picked up the win for the Ducks by lasting two innings and allowing only two walks, while striking out two.

The Bluefish and Ducks play the final game of their three-game series tomorrow during a 10:35 a.m. matinee. Righthander Esteban Yan will be on the mound for the Bluefish, and will be opposed by Ducks starter B.J. LaMura. Everyone in attendance will be able to experience “Winning Inning Wednesday” and have the chance to take home $10,000. Fans unable to make it to the ballpark can listen to the game live on www.bridgeportbluefish.com . Tickets are still available by visiting the Harbor Yard box office, calling (203)-345-4800, or by visiting www.bridgeportbluefish.com and clicking the tickets icon.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

Long Island blew the game wide open in the seventh, scoring six runs. The go-ahead run came on a sacrifice fly by Alex Prieto, plating Estee Harris, while Matt Cavagnaro followed with an RBI triple. The Ducks would tack on two more runs before knocking out starter Kyle Jackson. Jackson (4-3) allowed six runs on eight hits, giving up one walk and striking out three over six and two-thirds innings of work. Reliever Franklin Perez came in for Jackson but faired no better, allowing a two-run home run to Ray Navarrete on the first pitch he threw.

Designated hitter Jay Caligiuri drove in the lone run for the Bluefish with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at one. Caligiuri finished the night 2-for-4 and now has seven hits in as many games. Newly acquired Rayner Bautista collected a hit in his first appearance with the Bluefish.

Ducks starter Julio Manon (1-1) went eight innings allowing only one run while scattering five hits with four walks and striking out five.

The Bluefish and Ducks play game two of their three-game set tomorrow with the first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m. The Ballpark at Harbor Yard gates open at 6:05 p.m. for Kid’s Eat Free Tuesday, courtesy of Stew Leonard’s. All kids (12 and under) will receive a free hot dog, bag of chips and 12 oz. fountain soda. Tickets are still available by visiting the Harbor Yard box office, calling (203)-345-4800, or by visiting www.bridgeportbluefish.com and clicking the tickets icon.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

“Ed has been an important part of this team and is well deserving of this opportunity,” says Bluefish general manager Todd Marlin. “We wish him continued success.”

Rogers played 33 games for the Bluefish in 2009, posting a .299 batting average in 127 at-bats. He also collected eight extra-base hits, 12 RBI and five stolen bases. The 30-year-old made his big league debut in 2002 for the Baltimore Orioles. He spent parts of three seasons in the Majors, getting the call again in 2005 and tasting big league action for a final time the following season with Baltimore. The infielder’s best season came in 2002 when he batted .261 and set career-highs in home runs (11), RBI (57), and extra-base hits (39) for Bowie (AA, Orioles) of the Eastern League.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

The 27 year-old from Monterey, California native rejoins the Blue Crabs after completing his college semester. Ramistella had to complete college this year as part of his original contract with the New York Yankees. Part of the contract was that the Yankees would pay for his college as long as it was completed by Spring of 2009, even if he was no longer apart of the organization. He was drafted in 2000 by the Yankees in the 35^th round.

In 104 games over 2 seasons in the Yankees’ system, Ramistella hit .256 with 8 homeruns and 47 RBI. He also had a stint with the Florida Marlin’s minor league system in 2004.

Ramistella came to the Blue Crabs in 2008 as part of the migration of players who came with Manager Butch Hobson from the 2007 Can-Am Champion Nashua Pride. In one season with Nashua, he hit .272 with 11 homeruns and 45 RBI in 89 games.

His best professional season came with the Chillicothe Paints of the Frontier League in 2005. He hit .317 with 20 homeruns and 73 RBI in 94 games. Ramistella also had 32 stolen bases and drew 42 walks. In 2006 with the Paints, he had 41 stolen bases and hit .283.

Ramistella had two walks and two runs scored on Sunday against the Bridgeport Bluefish in his first game back with the Blue Crabs. On Monday night, Ramistella hit a three-run homerun to push the Blue Crabs to a 7-4 win over York.

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs are a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, and located at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, Maryland.  Single-game tickets and mini-plans are currently on sale for the 2009 season.  The Blue Crabs can also help your group fundraise at no risk or up-front cost, by helping you sell hundreds of tickets to exciting Atlantic League baseball.  Please call 301-638-9788 or visit www.SOMDBlueCrabs.com for more details and to save your seat at the ballpark today!

A holiday near and dear to Burnside, National Donut Day, which occurs on the first Friday of June each year, will bring new meaning to Revolution fans this season.  If the Revs pitching staff throws a donut, or shutout, in Friday night’s game, then all fans in attendance will win free donuts for A MONTH at Maple Donuts.  The limit is one dozen per week for a month.  That translates to a possible total of 48 donuts per fan.

“I already have the ovens heated,” said Burnside.  “It’s positive reinforcement for those on and off the field.  We’re rooting for the shutout.  The idea of combining two great York traditions, winning Revolution baseball, and Maple Donuts, it doesn’t get any better than that.”

And what about the starting pitcher, Charlie?

“If he can deliver, let’s just say I hope he likes donuts.”

Revolution pitching led the league with eight shutouts last season, including one against Friday’s opponent, the Ducks.  The Revs are in search of their first donut of the 2009 season, and if it happens to occur on Friday night, all fans in attendance will share in the rewards.

First pitch of the National Donut Day game on Friday night is scheduled for 7 p.m.

All tickets for the 2009 season are now on sale.

The York Revolution Professional Baseball Club is a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Home games are played at Sovereign Bank Stadium, located at 5 Brooks Robinson Way, York, PA 17401. For more information, please call 717-801-HITS (4487), or visit the Revolution online at www.YorkRevolution.com.

“Rayner and Ryan have combined to play eight years in the Atlantic League and add experience to our roster,” says Bluefish manager Tommy John. “They will be key components in our lineup and we look forward to seeing the contributions they make.”

Bautista last played with York in 2007, where he set career-highs in hits (126), doubles (36) and RBI (64). Prior to 2007, the 30-year-old spent seven seasons in the Detroit Tigers organization. His best season came in 2003, when he posted a .286 batting average in 115 games at Double-A Erie of the Eastern League.  At Erie, Bautista had 114 hits, 44 runs, 18 doubles, 11 home runs and 48 RBI. The following year, Bautista made his first appearance at the Triple-A level with Toledo of the International League, appearing in 63 games as a shortstop/second baseman.

Radmanovich is entering his seventh season in the Atlantic League and 16^th of professional baseball. Prior to 2008, the 37-year-old spent ten seasons in the Twins, Mariners, Padres and Pirates systems until he began his Independent League career in 2003. His best season came in 1998, when he made his Major League debut and played in 25 games for the Seattle Mariners. The former Major Leaguer contributed 15 hits, two home runs and 10 RBI. In five seasons with Somerset, Radmanovich appeared in two Atlantic League All-Star games and drove in 279 runs while hitting 77 home runs.

In order to make room on the roster, the Bluefish have announced that infielder Wilson Batista has been placed on the disabled list.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

“Robert gives us another solid option out of the bullpen,” says Ducks manager Gary Carter. “He gave me some big innings in 2006 when I was managing the St. Lucie Mets and we’re looking forward to seeing him make an even greater contribution to the Ducks in 2009.”

Paulk is in the eighth season of a professional baseball. The Georgia native has spent the bulk of his minor league career in the New York Mets organization accumulating 32 victories with a 3.57 ERA in 226 games. His best season came in 2006 when he spilt time with Single-A St. Lucie, Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Norfolk when he went 8-2 with a 3.04 ERA in 40 games. Paulk was originally selected by the New York Mets in the 24^th round of the 2002 draft.

In order to make room on the roster, the Ducks announced that pitcher Dan Miceli has been placed on the inactive list.

The Long Island Ducks play their home games at Citibank Park and are in their 10^th Anniversary Season in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. For further information, visit www.liducks.com, or call (631) 940-3825.

“We are extremely proud that we have reached the 4 millionth fan mark in our 10^th Anniversary Season,” says Ducks principal owner Frank Boulton. “This milestone is a testament to our organization and how the community has embraced us. We have the best fans in all of baseball and we look forward to making sure that everyone has a great experience every time that they come out to the ballpark.”

Liquori spun the turnstile minutes before game time. In addition to receiving a commemorative “4 Millionth Fan” official Ducks jersey, Liquori received a Gary Carter autographed bat, a 3-day vacation at the Ginn Golf Resort in Florida and two round trip tickets to anywhere JetBlue flies, all courtesy of the JetBlue Challenge. He also tossed out a ceremonial first pitch.

The 39-year-old attended the game with his wife, Jen, and their three children Julia, Cameron, and Daniel. “I was completly stunned and excited,” says Liquori. “This is unbelievable and it’s truly a privilege. Our family has grown along with the Ducks over the years and this is a day I will never forget.”

The Long Island Ducks are in their 10^th Anniversary Season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. They have filled their ballpark to over 100 percent capacity for nine consecutive seasons and are one of the most successful minor league franchises in the country. For further information, please visit www.liducks.com or call (631) 940-3825.

The Fish’s offense showed up late as they were unable to overcome a tough deficit. The Bluefish scored two runs in the third inning to bring the game within a run but that was as close as they would get as Somerset was able to keep the Bluefish at bay. Luis Lopez went 1-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored. Charlie Lisk also enjoyed a successful day at the plate going 3-for-4 with a run scored.

Bluefish starter Kyle Jackson (4-2) suffered his second loss of the season allowing four earned runs on six hits and three walks, while striking out six over five innings of work. Ryan DiPietro came in relief and added two scoreless frames for the ‘Fish.

Josh Miller (4-2) was credited with the win after going seven innings and allowing five runs on eight hits and two walks. Elliott Ayala provided most of the spark for the Patriots by going 2-for-5 with a run scored and three RBI.

The Bluefish and Patriots play game three of their three game series tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. Lefthander Corey Lee will be on the mound for the Bluefish, and will be opposed by Patriots starter Jim Magrane. Fans can enjoy the third Thirsty Thursday promotion of the year, presented by Budweiser. Fans unable to make it to the ballpark can listen to the game live on www.bridgeportbluefish.com . Tickets are still available by visiting the Harbor Yard box office, calling (203)-345-4800, or by visiting www.bridgeportbluefish.com and clicking the tickets icon.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

The 6-2 right-hander spent the entire 2006 campaign as an Atlanta Braves reliever, coming out of the bullpen for all 82 of his major league appearances. But Ray was successful as a starter in the Mexican League last season and became one of the few shut-down Ducks pitchers this year, emerging as the staff ace following a 4-0 start.

Ray’s surge could be a ticket back to the big leagues. Cleveland signed the 35-year-old Wednesday, assigning him to the Indians Double-A affiliate. Ducks manager Gary Carter hinted last week that Ray’s Long Island stint could be short after the former Royal picked up his fourth win, tying him for second-most in the Atlantic League.

“We’re very happy and proud for Ken and wish him the best,” Carter said. “He’s been a vital part of our pitching staff this season, and we’re excited that he will have the opportunity to get back to the big leagues.”

Ray cracked the league’s top-10 in ERA, allowing just nine runs in 27 innings. In five starts, Ray struck out 26 and walked just three while hitting three batters. With the hit to the rotation, Carter said the Ducks could use left-handers Randy Leek and ex-Yankee Brad Halsey to shrug off slow starts.

Leek is 1-4 with an 8.13 ERA as the Levittown native battles mechanical issues while Halsey, the Opening Day starter, is 0-3 since winning the season’s first game. Former Montreal Expo and Baltimore Oriole Julio Manon got his first chance to replace Ray, allowing three runs (two earned) during his first start of the season in Wednesday night’s 4-2 loss to Southern Maryland at Citibank Park

“They’ve been off their games,” Carter said. “I’m sure they are hoping to turn things around because it’s not the Brad Halsey we know and the Randy Leek we know.”

Ray pitched six scoreless innings in the Ducks 4-1 win over Camden May 17, though a line drive injured his left (non-throwing) thumb in his final start for the Flock. Carter said the bruise shouldn’t have any long-term effect. Yet he also said the comebacker might have caused the Indians organization to hold off a few more days before signing him.

Cleveland could still try to turn Ray back into a reliever, though that move would make little sense considering most players and coaches equate the Atlantic League’s talent level favorably to Triple-A. Ray said he would like the chance to start in the major leagues and shrug off a typecast bestowed on him years ago.

“I’d like to have an opportunity in an affiliated organization to where they would give me an opportunity to start,” Ray said. “It just seems that everyone sees me as a bullpen guy. Hopefully, I can change that.”

The lineup’s depth also took a hit. Tabasco, a Triple-A team of the Mexican League, signed outfielder Raul Gonzalez, who led the Ducks in on-base percentage at .425. Gonzalez was batting .333 with 10 RBIs through 24 games, scoring 19 runs and belting seven doubles while adding one home run.

“I’m just trying to find the right combination right now,” Carter said. “We have the possibility of players coming in as replacements.”

The Bluefish were able to end the losing skid at home behind an impressive offensive performance. Ed Rogers went 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI, while Luis Rodriguez collected three hits, recording two RBI and a run scored. Tyrone Pendergrass also contributed for Bridgeport, by connecting on a two-run triple.

Bluefish starter Dan Reichert (3-4) found his groove against the Patriots as he picked up the impressive victory. The righthander allowed only one earned run on five hits and three walks, while striking out three over eight innings of work.

Jared Gothreaux (2-4) suffered the loss for the Patriots after lasting six innings and allowed seven hits, two runs, two walks, while striking out six. The Somerset offense was led by Josh Pressley who went 1-for-4 with the lone RBI for the Pats.

The Bluefish and Patriots play game two of their three game series tomorrow during a 10:35 a.m. matinee. Righthander Kyle Jackson will be on the mound for the Bluefish, and will be opposed by Patriots starter Josh Miller. Everyone in attendance will be able to experience “Winning Inning Wednesday” and have the chance to take home $10,000. Fans unable to make it to the ballpark can listen to the game live on www.bridgeportbluefish.com . Tickets are still available by visiting the Harbor Yard box office, calling (203)-345-4800, or by visiting www.bridgeportbluefish.com and clicking the tickets icon.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

“We’ll definitely miss Raul for his contributions both on and off the field,” says Ducks manager Gary Carter. “We wish him the best of luck and continued success.”

The 35-year-old has enjoyed five stops in the Major Leagues with four different organizations (Mets, Cubs, Indians and Reds), earning his first call-up in 2000 at the age of 26 with the Cubs. His finest Major League season came in 2003, when he hit two home runs and clubbed 21 RBI for the New York Mets. The outfielder played parts of eight seasons at the Triple-A level with the Mets, Pirates, Cardinals, Indians, Reds and Cubs organizations. He spent his early years in the Royals system, recording 10 or more home runs in a single season four times. Raul was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 17th round of the 1990 draft.

The Long Island Ducks play their home games at Citibank Park and are in their 10th Anniversary Season in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. For further information, visit www.liducks.com, or call (631) 940-3825.

“It’s great to see a player like Henry receive another chance at the big leagues,” says Bluefish general manager Todd Marlin. “He has been a staple in our lineup for the past two years and we wish him the best of luck.”

Mateo played 24 games for the Bluefish in 2009, posting an Atlantic League leading .416 batting average in 101 at-bats. He also scored 25 runs, while recording a .473 on-base percentage and seven stolen bases. In 154 career games with Bridgeport, the 32-year-old owns a .333 batting average with 47 extra-base hits, 125 runs scored and 42 swipes. Mateo has played 190 games at the Major League level.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

The Bluefish bats were awakened as manager Tommy John changed up his line up putting catcher Charlie Lisk in leftfield and outfielder Brandon Sing at first base. Henry Mateo impressed the fans once again with his bat by going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI. Brandon Sing also delivered batting in the clean up spot for only the second time this year. Sing went 1-for-3 with a run scored, two walks and a home run in the eighth inning.

Dan Reichert (2-3) earned his second win of the season after allowing eight hits, two earned runs, a walk and struck out five over six innings of work. Matt Pike followed Reichert’s exit, lasting an inning and allowing a walk and struck out one. Esteban Yan closed the door for the ‘Fish with a scoreless inning of relief.

Ryan Bukvich (2-2) took the loss for the Bears lasting three and one third innings allowing five hits, seven runs, five walks, and struck out three. Rob Mackowiak helped the Bears stay in the game by going 3-for-5 with a run scored, four RBI, and his first home run of the season.

The Bluefish and Bears play the rubber game of their three game series tomorrow beginning at 2:05 p.m. All fans in attendance will be treated to a pre-game autograph session beginning at 1:20 p.m. and following the game all kids and kids at heart will have the opportunity to run the bases like their favorite Bluefish players. Fans unable to make it to the ballpark can listen to the game live on www.bridgeportbluefish.com. Tickets are still available by visiting the Harbor Yard box office, calling (203)-345-4800, or by visiting www.bridgeportbluefish.com and clicking the tickets icon.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

“Shane adds a left-handed arm to our pitching staff,” says Bluefish general manager Todd Marlin. “His mix of experience in the Major Leagues and the Atlantic League will translate well to our team.”

Youman enters his eighth season of professional baseball, second in the Atlantic League and first with the Bluefish. Last year, the former Major-Leaguer split time between Reading (AA, Phillies) of the Eastern League and the Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League. In his Atlantic League debut, he started 13 games for the Barnstormers, recording four victories and 39 strikeouts in 63 innings pitched. The lefthander’s best campaign came in 2006 as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He began the year with Double-A Altoona of the Eastern League and recorded seven wins with a 1.51 ERA in 23 appearances (11 starts). His impressive performance earned him a call-up to Triple-A Indianapolis before making his Major League debut with the Pirates later in the year. In five appearances, including three starts with Pittsburgh, the 29-year-old posted a 2.91 ERA in 21 innings of work. After another brief stint in the minors, he would make his final appearance in the big leagues the following season.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

“Jake helps us add more quality pitching to our staff,” says Ducks manager Gary Carter. “We’re excited to have him on board.”

The Nevada native joins Long Island after spending the 2008 season with Frisco (AA, Rangers) of the Texas League and Camden of the Atlantic League. The right hander went 2-1 in four starts (including playoffs) against the Ducks in ‘08 and was a key factor down the stretch in helping Camden capture the 2008 Liberty Division championship. Prior to last season, Dittler had spent his entire career in the Indians system, posting 49 career wins and 591 strikeouts. The 26-year-old was selected by the Indians in the second round of the 2001 draft.

In order to make room on the roster, the Ducks announced that infielder Ron Davenport has been placed on the inactive list.

The Long Island Ducks play their home games at Citibank Park and are entering their 10^th Anniversary Season in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. For further information, visit www.liducks.com, or call (631) 940-3825.

Gary Knotts (0-1) got in trouble early and wasn’t able to recover in his first start of the season. Knotts lasted three and two-thirds innings allowing eight hits, nine runs, three walks and struck out one. Ryan DiPietro appeared in relief following Knotts’ exit and pitched two and one-third innings, surrendering only one hit, one walk, and no runs. Jonathan Plefka also appeared in relief for the Bluefish, allowing one hit and one walk, while striking out one over three innings of work.

The Bluefish were able to get runners on base, but unable to get them in. Henry Mateo continued his hot trend going 1-for-2 with two runs scored and three walks. Brandon Sing also continued his impressive hitting going 2-for-4 with two RBI, a walk, and a triple.

Oneli Perez (3-1) was credited with the win for the Bears. Perez went five innings allowing five hits, a run, three walks, and recorded five strikeouts. The Bears used five pitchers in the game including former big leaguers Keith Foulke who went one inning with two strikeouts and Armando Benitez who appeared in the ninth to close it out.

The Bluefish and Bears play game two of their three game series tomorrow beginning at 6:05 p.m. Fans unable to make it to the ballpark can listen to the game live on www.bridgeportbluefish.com. Tickets are still available by visiting the Harbor Yard box office, calling (203)-345-4800, or by visiting www.bridgeportbluefish.com and clicking the tickets icon.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

The noon game vs. Camden originally scheduled for 1 p.m. has been pushed up one hour, with first pitch that afternoon scheduled for 12:00 p.m.  Gates open at 11:00 a.m.  The night game vs. Bridgeport will be a 6:00 p.m. first pitch, rescheduled from Thursday’s rainout, and gates will open at 5:00 p.m.

“With all this rain we can at least be confident that the proverbial glass is half full,” said General Manager Matt O’Brien. “It’s overflowing at this point.  We’ve had to get a bit more creative with the scheduling.”

The Revs will introduce “Rev-o-nomics” at both games that day, the first of four games that the Revolution are offering $1 hot dogs, courtesy of Hatfield Quality Meats.  The normal Monday mayhem is also on tap for the afternoon game, as fans are guaranteed to see a live monkey, magic, or both.  Postgame Fireworks will follow the night game.

Thursday’s postponement was the fourth already at Sovereign Bank Stadium this season out of a possible 10 home dates, establishing a Revs’ rainy franchise record.  In 2007, the Revs had only five rainouts all season, three of which came at home.  Last season, six games were rained out, but only two of those occurred at Sovereign Bank Stadium.  The Bluefish do not make a return trip to York until the second half, and within Atlantic League rules, all first half makeup games must be played prior to the opening of the second half schedule on July 10.  The doubleheader is a logical move, as the Bluefish previously had off on Memorial Day, but will have just concluded a series in nearby Lancaster the day before.

Separate tickets will be honored for the noon game against the Riversharks, and the night game against the Bluefish.  Fans holding tickets to Thursday night’s rainout do not need to exchange tickets if they plan on attending the game at 6:00 p.m.  As with all official rainouts, tickets may be exchanged for any other Revolution home game in 2009 based on availability.  Exchanges can be made in person at the Apple Chevrolet Ticket Office.

All tickets for the 2009 season are now on sale.

The York Revolution Professional Baseball Club is a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Home games are played at Sovereign Bank Stadium, located at 5 Brooks Robinson Way, York, PA 17401. For more information, please call 717-801-HITS (4487), or visit the Revolution online at www.YorkRevolution.com.

Sing’s first two homers were two-run shots in the fourth and sixth innings off of Long Island’s B.J. LaMura.  The slugger’s final tune of the night came in the seventh inning when he hit a grand slam to leftfield off former Major-Leaguer Julio Manon, scoring Jay Caligiuri, Jesse Hoorelbeke and Luis Lopez.

After the Bluefish dropped game two of the weekend series, Sing led the ‘Fish to a series win on May 10 by going 3-for-4 with two RBI and a double.  The outfielder batted .545 during the series and knocked in 10 runs against the top team in the Liberty Division.

Sing is now in his 11^th season of professional baseball that has included stints in the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles organizations.  The 28-year-old spent eight seasons in the Cubs system after being selected in the 20^th round of the 1999 draft straight out of Joliet Township (Joliet, IL) High School.  Sing’s best season came in 2004 as a member of the Daytona Cubs (A, Cubs) when he led the Pacific Coast League with career highs in home runs (32), RBI (96), runs scored (86) and slugging percentage (.571).

Sing reached his highest level of professional baseball in 2006 as a member of the Iowa Cubs, appearing in 33 games.  To begin the season, Sing was joined by current teammate Adam Greenberg.  Sing would finish out the year at West Tenn (AA, Cubs) of the Southern League with 39 RBI while Greenberg appeared in 75 games for Double-A Jacksonville (Dodgers).

The six-foot-five-inch, 210-pounder brings the Bluefish 928 games worth of minor league experience and over 500 RBI in his career.

The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans, group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.

“We value each of our fans, and want to make sure that everyone has a chance to come out and enjoy Ducks baseball,” says Ducks general manager Michael Pfaff. “We’re happy to extend this opportunity and hope to see all the fans who couldn’t make it out to the games earlier in the season here at Citibank Park during our Unused Ticket Days.”

Ticket holders interested in exchanging their unused tickets can do so by visiting the Citibank Park Box Office. Tickets can be exchanged for games on May 26, May 27 or May 28 against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. All games begin at 6:35 p.m., with gates opening at 5:35 p.m. A one dollar fee per ticket will be applied to account for the Suffolk County surcharge on all tickets.

The exchanging of tickets must be done at the Citibank Park Box Office, and cannot be done over the phone or via the Internet.  For more information, please contact the ticket office at (631) 940-TIXX.

The Long Island Ducks play their home games at Citibank Park and are in their 10^th Anniversary Season in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. For further information, visit www.liducks.com, or call (631) 940-3825.

Tonight’s (Sunday, May 3) Meet & Greet event scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Ronkonkoma has also been postponed and will be rescheduled for a later date.

The Ducks host the Lancaster Barnstormers on Monday, May 4, at Citibank Park. Gates open at 5:35 p.m., with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. The first 5,000 fans in attendance will receive 10^th Anniversary 2009 magnet schedules, courtesy of the QuackerJack Foundation. Fans unable to attend can tune into the game live via streaming webcast at www.liducks.com, with Casey Lynn calling the action. Tickets to the game and all upcoming Ducks home games are available at the Citibank Park Box Office, by calling (631) 940-TIXX, or by logging onto www.liducks.com and clicking on the tickets icon at the top of the page.

The Long Island Ducks play their home games at Citibank Park and are in their 10^th Anniversary Season in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. For further information, visit www.liducks.com, or call (631) 940-3825.

Brian Adams (1-1) was rocky in the first inning, allowing three runs, but settled in to pitch five innings, scattering eight hits with five strikeouts. Paul Bush emerged in relief with three dominant innings, giving up just one hit and fanning four. Randy Leek (0-2) gave up six runs on 11 hits and took the loss of Long Island. Travis Minix pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his third save of the season.

Ray Navarrete opened the scoring for the Ducks with a no-doubter over the left field wall in the first. But the momentum would change along with the weather, as the bottom of the first inning was interrupted by a one hour, 26 minute rain delay. The Ducks added to their lead when play resumed on an RBI double by Johnny Hernandez to take a 3-0 lead after one.

Somerset struck back with runs in the second and third innings, before taking the lead with a two-run homer in the fifth from Matt Hagen. The Patriots padded their edge with two runs in the sixth on an RBI double from Sean Smith and run-scoring hit by Noah Hall.

The Ducks continue their homestand on Saturday when they host the defending league champion Somerset Patriots. Game time is 7:05 p.m., and the Citibank Park gates open at 6:05 p.m. Righthander and Long Island native B.J. LaMura makes the start for Long Island against Somerset’s Jared Gothreaux. Following the game, all fans in attendance will be treated to a Grucci Fireworks Extravaganza, courtesy of New York Community Bank. Fans unable to attend can tune into all the action on WNYG 1440 AM or online at www.liducks.com, with Ducks radio voice Chris King and David Weiss calling the play-by-play.

The Long Island Ducks play their home games at Citibank Park and are in their 10^th Anniversary Season in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. For further information, visit www.liducks.com, or call (631) 940-3825.

In six seasons, Blitstein has made 101 appearances, including 81 starts. The 6’2” hurler owns a 40-27 career record with a 3.34 earned run average and has exhibited tremendous control, walking just 123 batters in 592 innings pitched. In his professional career, Blitstein has thrown 12 complete games, 6 six of which were shutouts.

The Burbank, California native was a 39th-round draft pick by the Houston Astros in 1999 but took a four-year break after the 2000 season to attend college. Blitstein came back to professional baseball with the San Diego Surf Dawgs of the Golden League. While in San Diego, he was a teammate of former Bears outfielder Rickey Henderson and led the team to the inaugural league championship with a 10-3 record and 2.93 earned run average.

Blitstein has also made stops with Lincoln of the American Association, Winnipeg of the Northern League, and Laguna and Tijuana of the Mexican League. In 2006, he made a brief appearance in the Atlantic League pitching for the Atlantic City Surf.

The Bears play their home games at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium, conveniently located off Route 280, across the street from the Newark-Broad St. train station, and just minutes from Route 78 and the New Jersey Turnpike. For ticket information please call 1-866-55-4BEAR or visit the Bears website at www.newarkbears.com.

Randy Leek stole the show as the Ducks took the series finale. The victory completes the three-game sweep of Southern Maryland and places Long Island three-and-a-half games ahead in the Liberty Division. Leek (9-2) went the distance for the Ducks by allowing only five hits and one walk, while striking out seven in the shutout victory. Blue Crabs starter Jon Connolly (3-4) suffered the loss after giving up four runs on 10 hits in six and one-third innings of work.

First baseman Kyle Nichols provided the punch for the Ducks offense by collecting three hits, including two doubles and driving in three runs. Kevin Haverbusch connected on his 10th home run of the season with a solo shot in the eighth inning and Nook Logan also contributed by clubbing two hits, scoring twice and swiping his team-leading 19th stolen base.

The Ducks continue their season-long ten night homestand on Monday with a doubleheader against the Somerset Patriots. First pitch of the first game will take place at 6:05 p.m. Gates open at 6:00 p.m., and the first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive a mini football, courtesy of Regent Sports. Fans unable to attend can catch the game live via streaming webcast at www.liducks.com, with Ducks radio voice Chris King and Mike Solano calling the action. Tickets to the game and all upcoming Ducks home games are available at the Citibank Park Box Office, by calling (631) 940-TIXX, or by logging onto www.liducks.com and clicking on the tickets icon at the top of the page.

The Long Island Ducks play their home games at Citibank Park and are in their ninth season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. For further information, visit www.liducks.com, or call (631) 940-3825.

“We’re glad to have Fonzie back for the second half of the season,” says Ducks general manager Michael Pfaff. “His leadership and talent will be a welcome addition to our ballclub.”

The 34-year-old Alfonzo spent 12 seasons in the big leagues, playing eight of those years with the Mets. Known for his stellar defense and timely hitting, Fonzie became a favorite of the Shea Stadium faithful. His grand slam in the ninth inning of Game One of the 1999 National League Division Series, his second homer of the game, helped propel the Mets to victory, and eventually to their first postseason series win since 1986… In 2000, an All-Star campaign highlighted by a .324 batting average, 24 homers, 40 doubles and 95 RBI, helped lead the Mets to their fourth National League pennant.

In 1,506 Major League contests, Alfonzo hit .284 with 282 doubles, 146 home runs and 744 RBI. He collected 1,532 hits, and struck out only 617 times in nearly 5,400 at-bats. He is a career .295 minor league hitter, with more than 300 RBI in 551 games.

The Long Island Ducks play their home games at Citibank Park and are in their ninth season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. For further information, visit www.liducks.com, or call 631-904-3825.

Most of the scoring was done early, as the teams traded multiple-run frames. Carl Everett’s two-run homer in the first kicked off the scoring, but Mike Just knotted it with a two-RBI single in the second. The Ducks regained the edge a half-inning later, but the Bears went ahead to stay with three in the third. Ramon Castro doubled home two in the fourth to make it a 7-4 contest. The Ducks scored twice in the sixth to cut the deficit to one, but could not get the tying run home.

Cory Willey came out of the pen to escape the sixth inning jam, getting two strikeouts with the tying run at second base to preserve the lead. J.J. Trujillo shut out Long Island over the final two and one-third innings of the ballgame to earn his eighth save of the year. Starter Mike Bumstead (9-5) got the win with five and one-third innings of works, allowing six runs – five earned – on 10 hits. Clint Nageotte (0-3) was dealt the loss, leaving the game after three innings after being struck by a line drive off the bat of Jose Herrera. Nageotte gave up five runs on eights with two strikeouts.

The Ducks continue their series against Newark on Wednesday with a 7:05 p.m. contest. The Citibank Park gates open at 6:05 p.m. Fans unable to attend the game can tune into all the action live via streaming webcast at www.liducks.com, with Mike Solano calling the play-by-play. Tickets to the game and all upcoming Ducks home games are available at the Citibank Park Box Office, by calling (631) 940-TIXX, or by logging onto www.liducks.com and clicking on the tickets icon at the top of the page.

The Long Island Ducks play their home games at Citibank Park and are in their ninth season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. For further information, visit www.liducks.com, or call (631) 940-3825.

Tickets for the all-day music festival are on sale now at www.somdbluecrabs.com, at the Regency Furniture Stadium box office or by calling 301-638-9788. Ticket prices are $25 for students (already SOLD OUT), $42.50 for field general admission and $55 for seating bowl general admission. A portion of the proceeds from the concert will benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, an organization which has helped in the fight against breast cancer since 1982.

The gates to the festival will open at 2 p.m., with a performance by the John Luskey Band beginning at 2:15 p.m. The festival will conclude with a pair of performances by artists who have combined to record four #1 hits, and 15 top ten’s. An award-winning country mystery star with five top ten hits, including one #1, will perform at 6:30 p.m., followed by Allan from 8:30-10 p.m.

Allan has produced 21 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including three that ranked number one: “Man to Man” and “Tough Little Boys” in 2003, and “Nothing On but the Radio” in 2004. Seven others have reached the top ten. Allan’s newest album, “Living Hard,” promises to push the edges of rock and country music, even by the standards already set by one of country’s most successful artists.

“The record has taken about a year to make,” he says, “and I think the whole thing reflects change. I think every record sort of reflects where I’m at, and I’ve made a ton of changes this year, just mentally and in how I’m approaching everything.”

Allan attributes the change in his music to the audience, saying it was audience driven. He is proud of the resulting edge in the new album, and hopes that the fans will enjoy it as well. Allan’s newest single, “Learning How to Bend,” is now being played on country music stations everywhere, as well as on CMT.

Luskey is a Southern Maryland native who wrote his first song at the age of 13. He has been playing for 20 years, and is joined by bassist Jack Bannister and drummer Dwayne Taylor. Luskey has released two CD’s titled “My Country” and “My Country II,” and has received awards from the John Lennon Songwriting Contest for the song “Honky Tonk Rhythm,” as well as from Billboard Magazine for “When She Cries” and “King of the World.”

SwampDaWamp, an exciting band with an incomparable sound, will follow Luskey at 3:30 p.m. SwampDaWamp is made up of six musicians: Gig Michaels (lead vocals & acoustic guitar); David Lee (drums); Michael Hough (guitar & vocals); Keith Inman (guitar); Mike Huffman (keyboards, B3 & vocals); and Cody Bennett (bass). The band debuted in 2007 with their self-titled CD, and the album was named one of the top-23 albums of 2007 by Eartaste.com.

Following a brief intermission, Shooter Jennings will take the stage at 5 p.m. Jennings may be best known for his family lineage, but he has carved out a place in the music industry by his own merits, having released four albums, including his newest work, “The Wolf.” Jennings’s hit single “The Fourth of July” reached as high as #26 on the charts in 2005, and Shooter even appeared as an actor on CSI and in the movie, “Walk the Line,” which chronicled the life of Johnny Cash. Shooter played the role of his father – the great Waylon Jennings – in the film.

The Southern Maryland Country Music Festival will be the second major concert at Regency Furniture Stadium. Rock legends REO Speedwagon will perform on August 11. Tickets are ON SALE NOW for both events, as well as all remaining Blue Crabs home games in 2008, and can be purchased at www.SOMDbluecrabs.com, at the Regency Furniture Stadium box office or by calling 301-638-9788

The total number of fans through the turnstiles since June 27 totals 39,117, an eight game average of 4,890. That number includes a crowd of 6,288 on Saturday, July 5 against Lancaster, which was the largest crowd of the season in Downtown York, and the third largest in the history of Sovereign Bank Stadium. For the homestand, the Revolution drew over 5,000 fans five times.

The recent outstanding fan support has raised the total number of attending Revolution fans to 145,872 through 35 home games this season, raising the average crowd to 4,168 fans per night at the Downtown ballpark. That number is 600 more fans a game than the next closest team in the Atlantic League.

“We’re thrilled with the way our fans have embraced our team, and the show we put on,” said O’Brien. “Things are going well, our ballpark is becoming more and more of a meeting place for York, and our team has played very well of late. We look forward to the crowds continuing to grow this season and beyond.”

Revolution Director of Ticketing Joe Charles agreed. “I think we’ve struck a great balance between quality baseball and entertainment. Revolution tickets are in a higher demand than ever before. It’s exciting to see the same faces at the ballpark night after night that support us, and just as exciting to be greeting a lot of new faces lately as well,” said Charles.

The York Revolution’s second half home opener is Monday, July 21 against the Bridgeport Bluefish at 7:07 p.m. That opens a six-game homestand lasting through Sunday, July 27. There are 35 home dates remaining this season, and tickets may be purchased by logging on to YorkRevolution.com, or by calling 717-801-HITS.

The York Revolution Professional Baseball Club is a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Home games are played at Sovereign Bank Stadium, located at 5 Brooks Robinson Way, York, PA 17401. For more information, please call 717-801-HITS (4487), or visit the Revolution online at www.YorkRevolution.com.

This season for York, Totten appeared in four relief appearances going 0-1 with a 7.94 ERA in five games. He was signed by York on Saturday, June 14, 2008, after beginning the season in the Minnesota Twins organization at Triple-A Rochester of the International League. There he was 0-2 with a 5.79 ERA in 28 innings, over 16 games which included four starts.

In 2007, Totten split time between Triple-A Ottawa of the International League, and Double-A Reading of the Eastern League in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. Originally drafted by the Dodgers in the fifth round of the 2000 draft, he was with that organization from 2000 through 2006, going as high as Triple-A Las Vegas in the Pacific Coast League. 2008 is Totten’s 10th professional season.

“Nook gives us another solid bat in the lineup and solidifies our outfield,” says Ducks manager Dave LaPoint. “We’re excited to have him on our club and look forward to his contributions on the field and in the clubhouse.”

A third round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers in 2000, Logan made his Major League debut with Detroit in 2004. He hit .278 with eight steals in 47 games while getting his first taste of the big leagues. The following season, he appeared in 129 games with the Tigers, swiping 23 bases on 29 attempts, and connecting for 5 triples. The speedster hit .300 with the Nationals in 2006, and holds a career average of .268 with 56 stolen bases in four big league campaigns. The Mississippi native’s finest minor league season came with Erie (AA, Tigers) of the Eastern League in 2003, where he collected seven triples and a career-high four home runs and 38 RBI with 37 stolen bases. He swiped a career-best 67 bags with Single-A West Michigan (Tigers) of the Midwest League in 2001.

In order to make room on the 25-man roster, the Ducks announced that outfielder Kevin Haverbusch has been placed on the inactive list.

The Long Island Ducks play their home games at Citibank Park and are in their ninth season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. For further information, visit www.liducks.com, or call (631) 940-3825.

Soler (1-0) pitched six innings, allowing just two runs – one earned – on three hits with seven strikeouts. York starter Aaron Myette struggled through four and two-thirds innings, giving up nine runs – six earned – on 10 hits with four walks. Clint Nageotte, Abe Alvarez and Ryan Knippschild combined to allow just one unearned run over the final three innings in relief of Soler.

The Ducks broke the game open in the fifth innings, scoring six runs on five hits to build a 10-1 lead. P. J. Rose and Donaldo Mendez each had three hits and two RBI for Long Island, and Ray Navarrete connected for his 13th home run of the year. Jay Gibbons had a double and two RBI as well. York managed just five hits in the game, with Jason Aspito leading the way for the visitors with two knocks, including his ninth homer of the year.

The Ducks continue their series against York on Friday. Gametime is slated for 7:05 p.m., with the ballpark gates opening at 6:05 p.m. Following the game, fans will be treated to a Grucci Fireworks Extravaganza, presented by Pulte Homes. Fans unable to attend can still catch all the action live on 1440 WNYG AM, 107.1 WLIR FM, or via streaming webcast at www.liducks.com, with Mike Solano calling the play-by-play. Tickets to the game and all upcoming Ducks home games are available at the Citibank Park Box Office, by calling (631) 940-TIXX, or by logging onto www.liducks.com and clicking on the tickets icon at the top of the page.

The Long Island Ducks play their home games at Citibank Park and are in their ninth season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. For further information, visit www.liducks.com, or call (631) 940-3825.

However, help is on the way in the form of Franklin Gracesqui. The big, six-foot-five left-hander with a live arm is about to be added to Newark’s stable of pitchers.

Gracesqui has been in professional baseball since 1998 as a 21st round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in that year’s amateur draft.

Since then, the Dominican Republic native posted fairly impressive numbers in the minors. In 362 career minor league innings, his 382 strikeouts stand out as an indicative stat of his pitching style.

He also made it to the majors in 2004 with the Florida Marlins who had claimed in two years prior in the Rule 5 Draft. He earned seven relief appearances with the team and picked up one save. He pitched in Japan last year for the Chunichi Dragons posting a 3-0 record with a 2.35 ERA.

Gracesqui was signed ten days ago, but has been recovering from an emergency appendectomy he had earlier in the spring. This has delayed his debut with the Bears.

After the Bears 10-4 win on Long Island on Saturday night, pitching coach Steve Foucault mentioned that he’d already been on the mound three times. He’d thrown a bullpen session that day and was scheduled for a simulated game on Tuesday in Newark.

“If all goes well and we think he’s ready to face hitters in a real game, we’ll activate him on Friday [at home against Long Island],” said Foucault.

Foucault spoke highly of the 27-year-old’s stuff as well as his pitching motion.

“He’s got a great fastball,” he said. “I’m just guestimating, but he’s throwing between 88 and 90 MPH probably, and he’s got a slider and a change-up that look good too and he’s mechanically pretty sound.”

Gracesqui is already familiar to a couple of Newark Bears. He was teammates with outfielders Keith Reed and Val Majewski during a stint in the Baltimore Orioles organization. He also played in the Dominican League with right fielder Jose Herrera.

Gracesqui is listed as the probable starter for Saturday, June 14th against the Long Island Ducks.

The Ringwood resident will begin his third season pitching in a Bears uniform.

Last season with Newark, Carlos tied for the Bears team lead in wins (8), led the team in games started (21) and innings pitched (133.2); and was third in the league in complete games (2). Mirabal was an integral part of last season’s championship run for the Bears until he was sidelined by a shoulder injury in September.

The product of Fairleigh Dickinson University has had extensive professional baseball experience overseas, with three seasons in Taiwan and six seasons with the Nippon-Ham Fighters of Hokkaido, Japan. His best season came in 2003 with a 16-win campaign for the Fighters.

“We’re excited to welcome Carlos back to the Bears family,” says Assistant General Manager of Baseball Operations Jim Cerny. “He adds a much needed veteran presence to our staff and we look for great things from him the rest of the way.”

The 6’2”, 196 pound pitcher was originally signed as a free agent by the Yankees in 1995. In 1996, he pitched for the Altoona Rail Kings of the now-defunct North Atlantic League before pitching overseas.

Additionally, RHP David Pellegrine has been traded to the Kansas City T-Bones of the Northern League to complete an earlier trade.

Bears ticket information may be obtained by calling 1-866-55-4BEAR and by logging on to the team’s official website, www.newarkbears.com

Carl Everett led the way for the Ducks with a 3-for-4 night at the plate, highlighted by two home runs and four RBI. Everett also scored three times. Estee Harris punched home two with a double down the right field line, and picked up a third RBI on a sac fly. In between the two sluggers, Ray Navarrete went 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Steve Kent (2-2) went six and two-thirds innings for the win, allowing four runs on nine hits. Ben Grezlovski finished the game with two and one-third innings of scoreless relief, notching four strikeouts. Steve Kelly (3-3) took the loss, giving up six runs on eight hits over five innings.

The Ducks conclude their three-game series against Somerset on Wednesday. First pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m., and the Citibank Park gates open at 5:35 p.m. The first 1,500 fans to the ballpark will receive orange caps, courtesy of LIU-Brentwood. Fans unable to attend the game can tune into all the action live via streaming webcast at www.liducks.com, with Mike Solano calling the play-by-play. Tickets to the game and all upcoming Ducks home games are available at the Citibank Park Box Office, by calling (631) 940-TIXX, or by logging onto www.liducks.com and clicking on the tickets icon at the top of the page.

The Long Island Ducks play their home games at Citibank Park and are in their ninth season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. For further information, visit www.liducks.com, or call (631) 940-3825.

Atlantic League Independent : What differences do you see between professional baseball on this level versus other “minor” leagues?

Brett Prinz: There’s not much difference between Independent League baseball and Triple-A. You don’t have as many prospects just coming through the ranks up here; you know, guys who’ll just swing away. There are a lot of guys playing here who have experience, especially major league experience. So in that way, it’s sort of more chal-lenging here.

ALI: What’s it like playing for Sparky Lyle?

BP: It’s great. I mean he’s a legend. The stories you get to hear are great. He talks a lot about what it was like to play during his time and how the game has changed and stayed the same. He pretty much deals more with the position players than the pitchers. He lets Brett (Brett Jodie- pitching coach and director of baseball operations who signs all Patriot players) handle the pitchers. Sometimes we’ll talk about what pitch I should have thrown in a particular situation or what pitches I should use in certain situations. But he mostly lets me do my own thing.

ALI: What are you best pitches?

BP: My fastball and slider.

ALI: What are you doing here?

BP: [Laughing] Good question, I don’t know. Actually, I played last year in the Pirate organization and ended up getting released.

ALI: So what happens after that? Do you have an agent who tries to find you a team?

BP: Well no, but once you’re released, your name gets circulated around the Indepen-dent League teams and Brett (Jodie) gave me a call and asked me if I wanted to pitch for the Patriots. So I said yes and here I am.

ALI: What are your professional goals?

BP: I’d love to get back to the major leagues. I mean that’s everybody’s goal. It would be great to get out of here, but I’m o.k. if I don’t. I’ve accomplished a lot in my baseball career. I have had the chance to play baseball on the major league level for the team I grew up rooting for (NY Yankees), I have a World Series ring, played for some other great professional organizations, and now I’m playing for Sparky Lyle. So it’s been great. I’m happy with what I’ve done.

ALI: What are your plans after baseball?

BP: I want to teach and coach baseball.

ALI: What do you want to teach?

BP: I want to teach high school history and coach baseball back in Arizona where I live. My mom was a teacher and I think I can help kids in the classroom and on the playing field.

ALI: Thanks so much, Bret. Do you think you’ll pitch today? (He earned his league leading 11th save last night vs. Camden).

BP: No problem. If we have the lead in the ninth I’ll probably get the chance.

“We look pretty good this year,” said outfielder Keith Reed, one of the few holdovers from last season. “We lost a couple of real big bats in the middle of our lineup, but we got some new guys coming in that look like they can really hit. We can definitely give it another run.”

“We’re aggressive,” said pitcher Will Cunnane. “This is a very aggressive team, we swing and we swing hard, and that’s the name of the game, its time to play ball and let it rip.”

Indeed, a few new offensive pieces have been added to the puzzle this season. The biggest new name would have to be former major league first basemen Randall Simon.

Simon brings a lot of major league experience to the table as he is a veteran of 16 years to professional baseball. His best season came in 2002 while with the Detroit Tigers. He posted a .301 batting average with 19 home runs and 82 RBIs.

“He’s going to bring a lot of power to our lineup and leadership to our club,” said manager Wayne Krenchicki. “We look forward to getting him here.”

Another new offensive weapon will be infielder Mike Just, a Woodcliff Lake, N.J. native, who will be the table-setter this season. He is a dangerous hitter capable of getting on base at any time, as evidenced by his 5-for-5 performance against the Somerset Patriots in an exhibition game. Just was in camp with the Houston Astros camp, but was cut despite a fantastic spring performance.

“He’s a real scrappy-type kid,” said Krenchicki. “He gets on base and makes things happen and he’s local so it’s a good fit for us. He’s going to create some havoc from the lead-off spot.”

With Simon, Just, Herrera and former Pittsburgh Pirate Bobby Hill, the offense appears to be in excellent shape, but has a daunting task in trying to repeat the offensive production of a year ago.

“If we hit even close to the way we did last year, it will be a miracle” said Krenchicki. “When you hit .302 as a team it says a lot about the talent you have. It was a lot of fun watching that team, if we can get near that level, I’ll be happy.”

On the mound, there is plenty of experience with Will Cunnane and Al Levine. Cunnane is a veteran of 16 years in professional baseball, and he is looking to prove that he still has the talent left to get back to the majors.

“I had two years off because of surgery.” said Cunnane. “I didn’t like it one bit, I really needed to get back on the field and do this again. I want to get back to the big-leagues.”

Levine is another pitcher that brings plenty of experience and leadership and even has a World Series ring on his finger. He won it all as a reliever with the Anaheim Angels in 2002.

The pitching staff also boasts plenty of young arms with pitchers like David Pellegrine, Patrick Stanley, Rich Scalamandre, Josh Fields, and Matt Sweeney. The rotation and bullpen has a good mix of young pitchers and veterans and should be in fine shape for the 2008 Atlantic League season.

The spirits are high in Newark and the atmosphere is a mixture of excitement, anxiousness and confidence for the up-coming year. The Bears are ready to defend their title, and just may be successful in doing so.

“We’ve made some changes,” said Krenchicki. “But it is because we had so many players that made professional clubs out of spring training. When you have as good a ball club as we had, you’re going to lose a lot of players, because the players that play so well here usually won’t be back.”

The Bears open their season on Friday, April 25th in Long Island against the Ducks. Their home-opener is Tuesday, April 29th when they welcome the Bridgeport Bluefish.