
Barnstormers hold off Bridgeport
September 4, 2009 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release
The Barnstormers did what they had to do in Bridgeport. Now comes the critical Long Island series.
Trey Hodges fired four-hit baseball for seven innings, and Cesar Suarez delivered a pair of RBI singles as Lancaster downed the Bluefish, 5-3, Thursday evening at Harbor Yard.
With the win, the Barnstormers' third in four games in Bridgeport, the Barnstormers remained five games behind Newark and 5 ½ behind Long Island in the race for the final two playoff spots in the Atlantic League.
In dealing his eighth quality start of the season, Hodges (4-4) allowed four singles while walking one and striking out six. After allowing a run in the first on a leadoff line drive single by Adam Greenberg, a sacrifice stolen base and force play grounder by Brandon Sing, the right-hander would go on to retire 17 of 18 batters through the sixth inning..
Gary Knotts (5-9) got all six batters he faced in the first two innings, but Anderson Machado doubled to left center starting the third. He moved to third on a wild pitch, and Jed Morris walked. Suarez beat out a chopper to third for an RBI single to tie the game. Lloyd Turner moved the runners up with a bunt. Jason Cooper brought Morris home with a grounder to first for a 2-1 lead.
Lancaster also did nothing until the seventh. Then, Machado picked up a one-out walk He broke for second, and a bad throw from catcher Luis Rodriguez sent him to third. Knotts got Morris on a pop up to short, but Suarez ripped a single into left for a 3-1 lead.
Hodges has to work through a problematic seventh. Sing led off with a ground single to left and moved to second on a wild pitch. Jesse Hoorelbeke's pop up to shallow left center fell for a second hit without Sing advancing. Rodriguez sacrifice the runners to second and third. Hodges escaped the inning with a strikeout of Colin Roberson and a fly ball to right by Enohel Polanco.
Lancaster tacked on two in the eighth. Cooper led off with a walk on 10 pitches and went to second on a one-out broken bat single by Biernbaum. Aaron Herr popped out, but Matt Watson came through with a single up the middle, scoring Cooper. The throw home eluded Rodriguez, and Biernbaum raced around to score as well for a 5-1 lead.
Bridgeport answered with two in the bottom of the eighth. Ryner Bautista greeted reliever Eric Ackerman with a double to left center. After Greenberg grounded out, Tyrone Pendergrass nailed a line drive to right center that skipped past a diving Michael Woods for a double. Sing skied a single down the right field line to score Pendergrass, cutting the lead to 5-3. Eddie Camacho replaced Ackerman and Hoorelbeke was able to extend the inning with a single up the middle. Camacho got a routine fly ball to right out of Rodriguez to end the inning.
Camacho retired the first two batters in the ninth, and Antonio Alfonseca struck out Ryner Bautista on five pitches for his 13th save.
Lancaster will send lefty Neal Musser (0-2) to the mound on Friday evening against right-hander B.J. LaMura (10-8) as the three-game series opens. Fireworks will follow the game. All fans are asked to dress in white to support Penn State football on the eve of the season opener. Tickets for the game are available at www.lancasterbarnstormers.com or by calling 717-509-HITS.
Atlantic League Stories from September 4, 2009
- Herr's blast keeps Lancaster going - Lancaster Stormers
- Patriots defeat Blue Crabs - Somerset Patriots
- Newark defeats Camden - Newark Bears
- Unused Ticket Days Added - Long Island Ducks
- Riversharks to Hold Bat Auction at Final Home Game - Camden Riversharks
- Barnstormers hold off Bridgeport - Lancaster Stormers
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