AtL Lancaster Stormers

Barnstormers Edge Skeeters In Series Opener

Published on June 17, 2014 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


The Lancaster Barnstormers had only one offensive spurt on Tuesday evening, but it was good enough to produce a 3-2 victory over the Sugar Land Skeeters in the opener of a crucial four-game series at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Lancaster retook first place by one game over York while Sugar Land dropped 3 1/2 off the pace.

With the Barnstormers trailing, 1-0, James Skelton whacked his career-high eighth home run of the season into the right center screen leading off the bottom of the fifth. One out later, Ben Francisco picked up a walk from Clint Everts (1-5). Andrew Clark picked up another with two outs. Sugar Land manager Gary Gaetti made an unusual switch going to left-hander Cory Van Allen to face Brock Kjeldgaard, and the Lancaster first baseman responded with a line drive single into left to score Francisco. Wilson Batista dropped a single into center to score the inning's third run before Van Allen got Lance Zawadzki on a called third strike to end the inning.

Dan Osterbrock (3-2) went 5 2/3 innings, yielding five hits, one of which was a Michael Rockett homer to right center in the second. The lefty walked only one and struck out two, leaving with a 3-1 lead.

Rockett touched Pete Andrelczyk for a leadoff home run to nearly the same spot in the seventh to cut the lead to 3-2. From there, Andrelczyk, Ross Peeples and Pete Parise were able to retire the next six batters before the Barnstormers handed the baseball to Jason Urquidez for the ninth.

Sugar Land designated hitter Nick Stavinoha greeted Urquidez with a single into left center to open the ninth. Taylor Harbin advance pinch runner Neil Medchill to second with a sacrifice, bringing up Rockett. The Skeeters center fielder could not extend a brilliant night which had not only produced the pair of home runs but also a home run-robbing catch against Ben Francisco in the seventh. Instead he struck out, and Urquidez retired Dominic Ramos on a routine grounder to third to close out the ninth. The right-hander earned his eighth save in his last eight appearances.

Lancaster sends submarine right-hander Shunsuke Watanabe (2-1) to the hill on Wednesday against former Barnstormer Matt Wright (4-5). Fans may tune into 1390-AM, WLAN; 1600-AM, WPDC. 1390wlan.com or the I Heart Radio cell phone app.

NOTES: The game was played in front of 6,121, the largest non-fireworks crowd of the season...Skelton maintained his .333 batting average at Clipper Magazine Stadium while only batting .083 on the road...Cole Garner went 3-for-4 in his return to the lineup after missing three days...Jerry Owens was 0-for-5 in his return to the lineup...Clark has now reached base on 12 of his last 15 appearances...Batista is batting .480 with runners in scoring position and has 20 RBI in 18 games with Lancaster.

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Atlantic League Stories from June 17, 2014


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