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Lancaster Stormers

Barnstormers Eliminated By York Onslaught

September 19, 2008 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


The Lancaster Barnstormers hopes to extend their post-season bid by one more day got crushed by 13 unanswered runs on Thursday evening as York convincingly clinched the second half title with a 14-5 victory at Sovereign Bank Stadium.

For 3 ½ innings, things were looking rosy for the Barnstormers. Mike Caruso had a pair of RBI singles, Gary Harris knocked in two with a bases-loaded single to right, and the Barnstormers built a 5-1 lead against Aaron Rakers (11-8).

It all crashed. York loaded the bases on two singles and a walk off starter Shane Youman in the fourth inning. Luis Taveras drilled a two-run single to right center, and Jose Enrique Cruz pulled York within a run at 5-4 with a sacrifice fly.

Ricardo Gomez, entering the game far earlier than usual, got the final two outs in the fourth inning but ran into trouble in the fifth. Kenny Perez greeted him with a ground rule double to left center, and Chris Ashby walked. Around a wild pitch and a stolen base, Gomez struck out the side to get out of the inning, protecting a 5-4 lead.

With Gomez having expended his arm, the Barnstormers were still faced with the need to get 12 outs. They held the lead for exactly one of those outs, a line drive rifled to third by Matt Dryer leading off the sixth against Nick Renault (7-8). Luis Taveras doubled to left center, and Renault walked Cruz and Keoni DeRenne in succession to load the bases. Kenny Perez, who had homered in the third singled to right, tying the ballgame.

Steve Kent came on and got Ashby to fly to shallow left for a second out. Jason Aspito then crushed a 2-0 pitch to right center for a grand slam, the 24th homer of the season for the Revolution right fielder.

Lancaster's last gasp of the season came in the top of the seventh. Singles by Matt LeCroy and Bryan Sabatella around a walk to Ian Bladergroen loaded the bases with one out. Lloyd Turner ripped a 3-2 pitch from Juan Padilla that appeared destined for left field. DeRenne, the 5'7" shortstop went as high as he could go, latching on for the second out, then threw behind LeCroy at third to complete the inning (and, effectively season) ending double play.

York went on to score five more runs in the seventh, including homers by Taveras and Ashby. The popping of the corks became a given.

NOTES: The War of the Roses is tied at 8-8...Turner, already tied for the league record with 12 triples, stopped at second on a gapper to right center in the fourth inning...Gomez extended his club strikeout record to 96 with three on Thursday evening...Harris now has 22 RBI in 15 games...He is 3-for-3 with eight RBI with the bases loaded... Lancaster will send Monte Mansfield (2-0) to the hill on Friday evening against Corey Thurman (11-8)...Game time is 7:07.

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