Barnstormers Blank Skeeters For First Win
April 26, 2015 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release
All of the elements came together for the Lancaster Barnstormers on Sunday afternoon.
Matt Packer twirled six shutout innings while Dan Coury and David Cooper combined to drive in five runs as the Barnstormers defeated the Sugar Land Skeeters, 6-0, in the finale of a four-game series at Constellation Field.
With the win, the Barnstormers avoided a sweep of the four-game series.
Packer (1-0) yielded only two hits, a double by Kevin Russo in the first and another by Patrick Palmeiro in the second. He walked one, hit a batter and struck out two while dealing 77 pitches. The lefty from Memphis, TN retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced on the afternoon.
Scott Gracey and Chad Beck each tossed a scoreless inning. A well-rested Jason Urquidez whiffed the side on only 13 pitches in the ninth to complete the whitewash.
The Barnstormers struck early off left-hander Daniel Meadows (0-1). Meadows, who did not allow an earned run in 13 1/3 innings against Lancaster in 2014, walked Yusuke Kajimoto to start the afternoon and immediately sent him to second on a wild pitch. The Lancaster second baseman remained in place on a groundout by Tyler Bortnick and Blake Gailen's infield single. He scored when Cooper stroked a single through the hole on the right side.
Kevin Rivers, who authored the only three-hit game by either side in the series, opened the second with a check-swing double inside the third base bag. Coury followed with a jolt into the playground screen in left center field for a 3-0 lead.
Lancaster struck again in the third with a walk and two singles chasing Meadows. Coury produced Cooper with the fourth run of the day on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly off reliever Derek Blacksher.
An unearned run scored in the fifth when Russo threw away a two-out grounder by Rivers. Doubles by Gailen and Cooper capped the scoring in the seventh.
Lancaster flies back home early Monday morning to open a three-game series at York's Santander Stadium at 6:30 PM. Right-handers Chuckie Fick and Mike McClendon get the starts. Fans may tune into 1390-AM, WLAN; 1390wlan.com or the I Heart Radio cell phone app beginning at 6:15.
NOTES: Packer has not allowed an earned run in 13 career innings against Sugar Land...Cooper hit safely for the fourth straight game...Gailen has three straight multi-hit games...The Barnstormers were 6-for-18 with RISP on Sunday after going 1-for-19 the first three games...The runs scored column ended up even at 9-9 for the series...Lancaster's team ERA dropped to 1.91 with Sunday's shutout.
Atlantic League Stories from April 26, 2015
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- Patriots Take Game One Late, Blue Crabs Bats Come Alive in Game Two - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
- Barnstormers Blank Skeeters For First Win - Lancaster Stormers
- Skeeters Suffer First Setback of Season, 6-0 - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
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- Patriots and Blue Crabs Split Doubleheader - Somerset Patriots
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