At the ballpark on Friday the 13th for the final home series of the regular season, the Staten Island FerryHawks were the opponent. Whenever a team wins a division title there is always concern for a "hangover game" the next time out, on this night the Stormers didn't appear to be affected. The club played smallball and took a 2-0 lead in the first on a Damon Dues sac fly and a Gaige Howard RBI groundout. The visitors from The Big Apple took a 3-2 advantage in the sixth, in their half a Joe Stewart double tied it and Chris Proctor's RBI single put the Stormers back ahead 4-3. Isan Diaz's base hit in the seventh extended the lead, Stewart's leadoff home run in the eighth was the final tally in a 6-3 Stormer victory. Scott Engler (the second of five relievers) was the winner in relief of starter Matt Swarmer. On Saturday night over 8000 jammed into the ballpark for game #2, on this night the story was Staten Island's starting pitcher. Pablo Sandoval (aka "The Panda") was a two-time All-Star and a three-time World Series champion during a 14-year MLB career that included stops in San Francisco, Boston and Atlanta, he has spent all of 2024 with the FerryHawks as a third baseman/designated hitter. In his MLB career he made two relief appearances on the mound plus two more for the Hawks in '24, this night was his first-ever appearance as a starter. He kept the Stormers largely off-balance through five-and-a-third innings and got the victory in a a 6-2 Staten Island win. The Stormers scored on an error in the seventh and a Shawon Dunston home run in the eighth, Brady Tedesco took the loss. The game ended around 9:10 or so, as the big crowd settled back for the usual Saturday fireworks show I settled into my car and drove home. I spent thirty-five years living that life and I've always said there is only one way to watch a fireworks show: in the rearview mirror. Take care, thanks for reading.
