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 Lancaster Stormers

Solo Homers Undo Barnstormers

April 25, 2015 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


Home runs by Denny Almonte and Beamer Weems proved to be the undoing of the Lancaster Barnstormers on Saturday evening as the Sugar Land Skeeters took their third straight game, 2-1, at Constellation Field.

The Barnstormers are 0-3 on the season for the first time in franchise history.

Almonte drove an offering from P.J. Walters up into the railing of the picnic deck to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Initially, Almonte raced into third as the ball kicked back onto the field over Kevin Rivers' leaping attempt at the wall. The umpires quickly ushered Almonte home, tying the game at 1-1.

It was only the second baserunner off Walters (0-1), who had retired nine straight prior to the Almonte long ball.

Walters picked up the three outs in the fifth easily, but Weems got to him with a line drive homer to nearly the same spot, starting off the sixth, giving the Skeeters their first lead of the night.

Otherwise, most of the offensive opportunities belonged to the Barnstormers.

They left Tyler Bortnick stranded at third base in the opening inning when Kevin Russo made a fine running catch in center field on Brian Cavazos-Galvez' two-out pop fly.

Two innings later, Lancaster took its only lead of the series. Keith Castillo roped a leadoff single into right center. Matt Wright retired Lance Zawadzki and Yusuke Kajimoto on fly balls, but Bortnick kept the inning alive with a single to left. Blake Gailen cashed in on the chance with a smash off the glove of first baseman Travis Scott.

Even then, the Barnstormers got a tough break when the deflection off Scott's mitt hit first base umpire David Frame, keeping the play much closer to Scott. Castillo scored and Bortnick ended up at third on the RBI single. Gailen would steal second, but the inning ended when Cavazos-Galvez flied to left.

Gailen and Cavazos-Galvez opened the eighth with sharp singles, giving Lancaster the tying and lead runs on base. Robbie Weinhardt fell behind David Cooper, 3-1, but coaxed a 4-6-3 double play out of the Lancaster first baseman. He then struck out Henry Wrigley to end the threat.

Cory Van Allen (1-0) worked the sixth for the win, allowing a double to Cooper. Adrian Martin pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.

The series concludes on Sunday at 2:05 CDT. Matt Packer will take the hill for the Barnstormers against fellow lefty Dan Meadows. Fans may tune into 1390-AM, WLAN; 1390wlan.com or the I Heart Radio cell phone app, beginning at 2:45 EDT.

NOTES: Cooper has hit safely in all three games...Gailen is 4-for-7 in the last two games and is now one hit away from tying Aaron Herr for fifth on the Barnstormers' career list...Lancaster stole three bases in the game; the other two belonged to Kajimoto...The bullpen has yet to yield an earned run in 11 innings of work...Lancaster is 1-for-19 with runners in scoring position on the season.


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