Game 4 Recap: Aquatic Ducks Weather Hurricanes, Ducks 2, Hurricanes 0

HOMA: 7IP, 1H, 3BB, 9K, 0ER
CASTLE: 2-3, 2B, 1R



The South Oakland Ducks of the North Side (4-0) weathered the tropical storm that was the Warrendale Hurricanes (1-2) on Saturday evening, staying within the eye of the storm to escape with a 2-0 victory. Nick Homa pitched the complete game for the Ducks, allowing only one hit while striking out nine and walking three.

Both the Ducks and the Hurricanes stranded several runners on base, and the Ducks had many players thrown out on the basepaths due to aggressive baserunning.

The game opened with the visiting Ducks hitting leadoff doubles by Castle and Dickey. The Ducks third hitter (and pre-season MVP, Jesse Smith) walked, and the cleanup hitter Dowling also doubled. Although three of the first four hitters for the Ducks doubled, South Oakland only plated one run in the first as one runner was caught stealing and another was thrown out at the dish. After the top of the first it was 1-0 Ducks.

Nick Homa started the bottom of the first by retiring the Hurricanes in order despite an error on the leadoff man. The Ducks executed a double play on the next batter and finished the inning with a groundout. The game was relatively quiet from this point forward, as both teams left runners on base and both pitchers pitched out of various jams. Homa struck out the side twice along the way.

The Quackers added an insurance run in the top of the sixth when Wojton led off with a broken bat single, pinch hitter Depot executed an excellent sacrifice bunt, and KT Murphy continued his clutch hitting with an RBI single. Murphy hung in on a rough 0-2 count and tomahawked a high and outside pitch to left field. Homa and the Ducks' defense retired the next six Hurricanes in order and the rest, as they say, is history. The Ducks are 4-0 and off to the best start in team history.

Bullet Points:
-The Ducks are now 11-2-1 in regular season contests.
-Skipper Theodore Jones continues to do his best to get all players in the game, and he prevailed yet again. Even in this hotly contested interdivison 2-0 matchup, Jones was able to provide at least an at-bat for each Duck.
-Even without team captain and South Oakland founder Ben Gwin, the Ducks were able to walk away victorious. Gwin is a huge leader on this squad and winning in his absence is encouraging. The Ducks and skipper Jones make full use of the entire roster to win games.
-Shortstop Castle had a solid performance. He went 2-3 at the dish, scored a run, and picked himself up for his first inning error with an immediately following 6-3 double play.
-Homa (2-0) was solid in his second start this season, and the first Duck pitcher to record multiple wins.
-KT Murphy continued his clutch hitting ways and is valuable as an EH/DH/PH.
-Ducks have no time to rest as they have a noon road contest against the Eagles on Sunday and a matchup with the expansion team Gray Bats at home Monday night.
-The Ducks know how to manufacture important runs. Depot displayed his willingness to be a team player with his superb execution with the sac bunt in the sixth.
-Dowling's debut behind the plate for the Ducks was successful.
-The Hurricanes played solid, but the Ducks were of course stronger on this day. I like the 'canes at this point. They weren't assholes and played fair.
-That homeplate ump was consistently sucky. And, the field ump (who obviously felt he had to keep up with the theme of mediocrity set by the plate ump) made a terrible call at second calling Rick Whalen out on that nutty 9-4-5-4 double play.
-This is the first post by KirkGibson/RolandThompsonGunner, and is no way on par with Ben Gwin standards, but every attempt has been made to adequately cover the game.

The QUACK PACK rolls again!