Barnstormers Back Halama
Published on August 16, 2011 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release
In July, John Halama pitched the Barnstormers to within a game of clinching the first half.
On Tuesday night, with another complete game win over the York Revolution, he pitched Lancaster to within a game of clinching the War of the Roses.
The Barnstormers lefty went all the way Tuesday evening to beat York, 9-4, in the opener of a three-game series. Lancaster leads the Community Cup series, 9-7, and now stands just percentage points behind York in the Freedom Division's second half.
Halama allowed 10 hits and four runs while striking out three in a performance that, numerically, was nearly a match for his previous outing, a complete game loss to Somerset last Wednesday.
This time, however, he got the run support. It came early.
Gilberto Mejia led off the first inning with a single to center and stole second. Wayne Lydon took Shaun Garceua (3-6) into the right field corner for an RBI double. Lydon was able to swipe third and score when Tommy Everidge stroked his 31st double of the season into the right center alley. A ground out and a wild pitch scored Everidge as the Barnstormers staked Halama to a 3-0 lead.
Five more scored in the second inning. Lancaster loaded the bases on two walks and an error by Chris Nowak on a chopper by Mejia. Lydon drew another walk to force home a run. Matt Tupman and Mejia paraded across the plate on a bloop single to left by Everidge. Matt Watson single off Garceau's leg to reload the bases, and Travis Metcalf chased Garceau with a double to right center.
Lancaster's offense shut down, leaving the rest of the night to Halama (5-4). The lefty lost his shutout in the fifth. Bryant Nelson grounded a single into right and dashed to third on Vince Harrison's double inside the third base bag. Eric Eymann drove a run home with a long sacrifice fly to left center.
The sixth inning got a little rougher. Ramon Castro belted a double to left center. Nowak lashed a single into left to put runners at the corners. Castro scored when James Shanks looped a double down the right field line. Nelson's ground ball drove home the second run of the inning. York cut the lead to 8-4 when Harrison's ground ball deflected off Halama's glove and shortstop Iggy Suarez could not dig it out.
Lancaster iced the game as Metcalf singled home Watson in the bottom of the seventh.
Matt Wright (4-8) will take the mound against right-hander Corey Thurman (9-3) on Wednesday evening at 7:00. The game will be aired on Fox Sports Radio, 1490, WLPA and streamed live on sportsjuice.com and ibnsports.com.
NOTES: Halama tied Bridgeport's Matt Pike for the league lead with three complete games...Mejia stole his 33rd base, tying him for the third best season in Barnstormers history...Metcalf has a double in each of his three at bats with the bases loaded...Lydon has scored 19 runs in his last 12 starts...Tupman has hit safely in five straight.
Atlantic League Stories from August 16, 2011
- Revs Tripped Up Early In Loss At Lancaster - York Revolution
- Barnstormers Back Halama - Lancaster Stormers
- Seventh Heaven For The Ducks - Long Island Ducks
- Riversharks Shutout Bluefish - Camden Riversharks
- Crabs Shut-Out Patriots - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
- Patriots Shut out 3-0 by Blue Crabs - Somerset Patriots
- Riversharks to Donate $20,000 to Local Charities - Camden Riversharks
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