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Brodin hits “waddle-off” homer, gets Clemens next
It is a big couple of days for North Thurston graduate Joash Brodin. On Wednesday, Brodin hit a three run “waddle-off” home run for the Long Island Ducks in their 6-5 win over the Somerset Patriots. Brodin also had a two run single in the seventh inning driving in five runs total for the Ducks in game one of a doubleheader. And in the nightcap, Brodin went 1-for-2 and drove in the Ducks only run in a 5-1 loss. You can see all of Brodin’s highlights in the video above from the team.
You can also see Brodin play on SportsCenter, ESPNEWS and ESPN3 Friday night when the Ducks travel to Texas to take on the Sugar Land Skeeters and seven time Cy Young Award winner. Clemens will be making his second start for the independent Skeeters as he explores the possibility of a comeback at 50 years-old. The game starts at 5:05 PM local time and SportsCenter and ESPNEWS will be cutting into their programming to show every inning that Clemens pitches.
It has been a wild ride of a season for Brodin who is with his second independent club this season after the London Rippers of the Frontier League folded on July 24th in the middle of their inaugural season. Brodin was hitting .370 and leading the Frontier League in batting when he became a free agent following the team’s dissolution.
He quickly had offers from other independent clubs and was on his way to Wichita of the American Association when he received a call from the Atlantic League’s Ducks, arguably the most successful team in the best league in the independent ladder. Brodin went from a league where no player is older than 28 years-old to a team that features former Major Leaguers Armando Benitez and Timo Perez. Adjusting to a higher level of play, Brodin started off slowly but quickly adjusted and is now hitting .283 with three home runs and 20 RBI in 35 games with the Ducks.
The level of play is not the only thing Brodin has had to adjust to. He went from playing in all red pajamas in front of just a handful of fans in a horrible situation in London to a beautiful ballpark on Long Island where they pack in over 5,000 fans a game. And no more road trips to Normal to face the Cornbelters. Instead, he hits the road for an opportunity to take his hacks against Roger Clemens in a game televised worldwide on ESPN.


