Ducks Advance to 4th Consecutive Championship Series With 3-2 Win Over High Point

After a dominant outing on the mound, pitcher Seth Simmons said what everyone else was likely thinking after watching the Ducks complete the sweep of the High Point Rockers. “We’re the best team in the league, that’s what it really boils down to,” said Simmons.

Simmons gave the Ducks their third straight quality start in the series, tossing seven strong innings, and only allowing one run on four hits while striking out ten. The Flock established a quick lead in the bottom of the 1st when catcher Hector Sanchez lined a 2-run single up the middle to give them a 2-0 lead. The score stayed that way until the 5th, where Tyler Ladendorf drove in a run with a groundout to short. Rockers starter Joe Van Meter and Simmons traded zeros until the bottom of the 8th when Steve Lombardozzi gave Long Island a big insurance run with a sacrifice fly.

Up 3-1 in the top of the 9th, manager Wally Backman turned to closer Cody Mincey to try and send the Ducks to the championship. Rockers outfielder Quincy Latimore didn’t make it so easy though, launching a solo homer to left to cut the Ducks lead to 3-2. Mincey then settled down and set down Myles Schroder, Michael Russell, and Tyler Ladendorf to set off the celebration at Bethpage Ballpark.

The Long Island Ducks will now head to the ALCS for the fourth consecutive season and are the only franchise in Atlantic League history to achieve that milestone. This is also the seventh championship appearance in nine seasons under GM Michael Pfaff.

The ALCS will start on Tuesday at Bethpage Ballpark, with the Ducks taking on the winner of the Freedom Division Championship Series between the Sugar Land Skeeters and York Revolution. Sugar Land currently leads that series 2-1.