CENTRAL ISLIP, NY — The panic button remains untouched for now, but the warning signs are starting to show.

Two days ago, the Ducks enjoyed a six-game division lead and a pitching staff led by the Atlantic League’s potential ERA leader. But Randy Leek was plucked off the roster Thursday after the Blue Jays purchased his contract. Later that night, the fog rolled in and negated Ed Yarnall’s strong outing, burning another starter.

Couple with Donovan Osborne’s tired arm, and the Ducks were forced to start two relievers in both ends of last night’s twinight doubleheader. Mark Watson and Travis Wade both started for the first time this season, and the results were predictable. Camden bashed around the stopgap solutions, belting six home runs while sweeping the two seven-inning contests at Citibank Park.

Newark won earlier in the evening, closing the Ducks North Division to four games. That’s the slimmest margin since Aug. 9, and means the first-half champion Bears are suddenly threatening to make it a competitive race.

Watson made his first start in eight years when he took the mound in Game 1. The lefty probably wished he could have stayed in the pen after he tied a team record by surrendering five home runs in a 6-3 loss. Wade couldn’t even make it out of the fourth in the nightcap, giving up five runs (three earned) in 3 1/3 innings before Camden won, 5-1, in front of 6,501.

“Although it’s two losses, this will pay off a week from now,” LaPoint said. “Watson and Wade were able to give us some innings. We didn’t crush our bullpen. If we sacrificed two games to save us in the long run, then that’s OK.”

LaPoint said he expects Leek to return in time for the playoffs. With 22 games remaining in the regular season, the postseason isn’t the lock it appeared to be last week. The Ducks are riding a three-game losing streak entering tonight’s series finale, though they still possess a comfortable margin atop the standings.

Even if the Ducks drop into second place—which would require a complete collapse for a team with the Atlantic League’s best overall record— they would still be in contention for the wild card entry either York or Somerset. The Ducks claim a better overall record than either team, and should receive a boost if Osborne returns and LaPoint brings in a free-agent starter to bolster depth.

“We have something in the works where we’ll have another player next week, but I can’t tell you yet,” the manager said.

Watson, who last started while with the Cleveland Indians’ Double-A affiliate in 1999, tied Rusty Meacham’s dubious club record for most home runs allowed in a single game. Meacham also surrendered five dingers in a 2002 contest in Atlantic City.

Four of the blasts were solo shots, while Pete Shier added the lone two-run shot with his blast in the fifth that turned a tie game into a 4-2 lead. Ryan Lehr, Denny Abreu, Cristian Guerrero and Craig Paquette also sent Watson offerings out of the park, continuing a nightmarish season for the lefty.

“We’re not really doing anything different,” Watson said about the fast second-half start to the current funk. “We have a great team. We’re just staying after it and being aggressive.”

Estee Harris and Bryant Nelson made it close against Camden ace Mark Ion. Harris, a Central Islip native, belted his first homer as a Duck, making it 2-2 with two outs in the fourth. Nelson opened the scoring in the third, pulling a pitch into the second row of advertisements in rightfield.

“We never want to dwell on a game,” Harris said. “We always want to try and win the game even if a guy is making a spot start. We’re never going to take it easy or take anything off. We’re just looking [towards] tomorrow.”

Carl Everett added his team-leading 24th homer in the sixth, though it didn’t spark a comeback. Outside of the three solo jobs, Ion allowed just one single. He improved to 9-1 after recording the complete-game, surrendering just four hits in seven innings.

Wade wasn’t victimized by the long ball. Poor defense led to three errors and two unearned run in Game 2. Thing s got ugly for the Ducks on the game’s first pitch, as Jose Leon flubbed Denny Abreu’s ground ball. Matt Demarco drove him in with a RBI double before scoring on Dwight Maness’ single two batters later. Camden raced out to a 2-0 lead, which would be all Nate Buttenfield would need to win his first game of the season.

Paquette added his second home run of the evening in the fourth, when two errors on consecutive batters helped lead to three runs. Lehr followed Paquette’s homer with a single and advanced on a ground out. Shier sent a bloop single to right that went past Norm Hutchins, leading to two extra bases and another run.

Mike Crudale relieved Wade and induced Abreu to hit a routine pop up to shallow left. Everett came in but misjudged the ball, watching it fall to his left for an error that plated Shier and make it 5-0.

Ray Navarrete, who saw his 17-game hitting streak end in the opener, doubled in the fourth and scored on Hutchins’ RBI single in the fourth to prevent the shutout bid.

  E-mail this story |  Printer-friendly |  Discuss