Sandberg gem leads Ducks past Lexington in Atlantic League win

Ryan Sandberg put Long Island in control from the start, and the Ducks turned that early edge into an 11-1 win over the Lexington Legends on Tuesday night at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip. Long Island broke through for three runs in the bottom of the first inning, and from there the opener of the six-game series never settled into a close game.

That opening frame was the kind of support that lets a starter work with the game on his terms. Once Long Island grabbed the 3-0 lead, Sandberg could settle into a rhythm with a cushion behind him, and the Ducks never had to chase the scoreboard. In Atlantic League baseball, where offenses can flip a game in a hurry, that kind of early separation changes everything for a pitching staff and a dugout trying to manage the rest of the week.

Sandberg’s outing carried extra weight because it was built on real rotation experience, not a spot start or a one-night spark. He opened 2026 in his second season with the Ducks and his fourth season in professional baseball. Last year, he made 19 appearances, 18 of them starts, and went 6-5 with a 3.83 ERA, striking out 73 batters and walking 44 in 91.2 innings. Those numbers fit the profile of a pitcher Long Island can trust to start a series with control rather than chaos.

The Ducks have already seen Sandberg handle a meaningful workload in league play. In Atlantic League action on Aug. 24, 2025, Cary Arbolida opened the scoring for Hagerstown with a first-inning solo home run off Sandberg, but Long Island answered with five runs on seven consecutive two-out hits in the sixth inning to take a 5-2 lead. That older result underscores why Tuesday’s opener mattered: when Sandberg gets enough support, Long Island can keep the pressure on without asking the bullpen to clean up a mess.

The 11-1 finish was the cleanest possible start to a six-game set, and it came with Sandberg setting the tone on the mound and the Ducks cashing in early.