By Michael Heilman

The Long Island Ducks are the 2019 Atlantic League Champions after defeating the Sugar Land Skeeters 8-4 Sunday night at Constellation Field, this is the Ducks fourth championship in franchise history.

The top of the first inning started with Skeeters pitcher Mike Hauschild walking Ducks shortstop Vladimir Frias, who then stole second base. The next batter up for the Ducks was second baseman Steve Lombardozzi, who would bunt a sacrifice to move Frias to third base. Hauschild would then hit designated hitter Lew Ford and walk left fielder L.J. Mazzilli to load the bases. After a mound visit, Hauschild would walk catcher Hector Sanchez to force in a run and put the Ducks up 1-0.

The Skeeters then tied the game up 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning with designated hitter Denis Phipps solo home run out to left field.

Hauschild continued to struggle, allowing singles to both Lew Ford and L.J. Mazzilli with nobody out to start the top of the third inning. Ducks catcher Hector Sanchez would then hit a sacrifice bunt to move Ford and Mazzilli to second and third base. The next batter up for the Ducks was the third baseman Deibinson Romero, and he would break the tie hitting a line drive single out to left field to bring home both Ford and Mazzilli to put the Ducks in the lead 3-1.

The Ducks Steve Lombardozzi started the top of the sixth inning hitting a single to center field, and he then stole second base. Hauschild then walked Lew Ford before Ducks catcher Hector Sanchez hit a sharp line drive single to bring Lombardozzi home to extend the Ducks lead 4-1, this would be it for Hauschild as the Skeeters brought in Ricardo Gomez. The Ducks then added one more run in the inning with a Deibinson Romero sacrifice fly to score Ford and take a commanding 5-1 lead.

Skeeters right fielder Zach Borenstein started the bottom of the seventh inning hitting a ground ball single to third base. After Ducks pitcher Vin Mazzaro struck out shortstop Jason Martinson, the Ducks made a pitching change bringing in Joe Iorio for Mazzaro. Borenstein then stole second base, but Ducks catcher Hector Sanchez would make a throwing error allowing Borenstein to go to third base. Skeeters catcher Cody Stanley then hit a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing Borenstein home to cut the Ducks lead 5-2.

After the Skeeters made a pitching change to start the top of the eighth inning, Ducks first baseman David Washington hit a line-drive single to left field before stealing second base. Ducks right fielder D’Arby Myers was next, and he would move Washington to third base on a fly out to right field. The next batter for the Ducks was Center fielder Daniel Fields, and he would get a run back for the Ducks with a sacrifice fly to left field to bring Washington home and increase the Ducks lead 6-2.

Skeeters center fielder Rico Noel started the bottom of the eighth inning hitting a line-drive single to left field. After Skeeters Wynton Bernard struck out, the Ducks made a pitching change bringing Cody Mincey in for Joe Iorio. Noel then stole second base only to advance to third base on a Hector Sanchez throwing error. Mincey then walked Skeeters second baseman Anthony Giansanti, who then stole second base. Mincey then walked Denis Phipps to load the bases with one out. The Skeeters then cut the Ducks lead in half 6-3 when Skeeters first baseman Alberto Cordero grounds into a force out to score Noel, but Phipps was out at second base. Mincey would then throw a wild pitch allowing Giansanti to score to put the Skeeters within two runs on the Ducks 6-4.

Designated Hitter Lew Ford started the top of the ninth inning for the Ducks hitting a single to right field. The Ducks would then put the game away on a Deibinson Romero two-run home run to put the Duck up 8-4. Cody Mincey was able to strike out the side to officially crown the Ducks as Atlantic League champions. Ducks pitcher Vin Mazzaro was the winning pitcher going (6.1 IP, 6 H, 2, R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO).

The Ducks close out the 2019 season, winning both the first and second half Liberty divisions with an overall record of 86 wins and 54 losses. To quote legendary Yankees manager Joe Torre “Competing at the highest level is not about winning. It’s about preparation, courage, understanding, and nurturing your people and heart. Winning is the result.” The Ducks checked mark all of the boxes.