AtL Lancaster Stormers

Barnstormers lead early, hang on in Camden

September 10, 2006 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


It was a familiar pattern, just a bit more extreme.

The Lancaster Barnstormers streaked out to a 10-0 lead in their first five at bats on the Sunday afternoon, then had to survive a furious Camden comeback that brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth as the Barnstormers captured the rubber game of a three-game series, 10-7, at Campbell's Field.

With the victory, the sixth in the last nine games, the Barnstormers stayed within two games of the division-leading Atlantic City Surf. Camden fell four behind.

Jose Ortiz homered in the top of the first, starting a stretch where the Barnstormers picked up run in each of the first five frames against emergency starter Damian Myers (3-4). Keith Maxwell followed with a double, and Eric Crozier laced a single into right field for a 2-0 edge.

Travis Hake added a two-run single in the second after Camden second baseman Lino Connell lost track of the number of outs, getting only an out at first base on the preceding grounder by Reggie Taylor. Maxwell homered in the third for a 5-0 edge.

An RBI bloop hit by Taylor and a sacrifice fly by Hake pushed the lead to 7-0 in the fourth inning, and Lance Burkhart capped the scoring with a three-run homer in the fifth for what appeared to be a safe 10-0 cushion.

However, as was the case the entire weekend, Lancaster was completely stymied by the Riversharks bullpen, picking up only one his the remainder of the afternoon. And that allowed the 'Sharks to circle and close in.

Player-coach Brad Strauss doubled home two runs off Brian Whitaker (10-7) in the bottom of the fifth. Matt Demarco, who entered the game as a pinch hitter for an injured Pat O'Sullivan in the fourth, followed with a drive to left center on which Jutt Hileman made a spectacular diving catch for the second out with Strauss scoring to cut the lead to 10-3.

Ross Peeples worked a scoreless sixth inning, getting out of a bases loaded, one out jam. James Lira entered into the seventh inning and was touched by Demarco's two-run homer to right. Lira, in his second Barnstormers appearance, escaped further trouble on a double play grounder off Connell's bat.

Randy McGarvey led off the eighth with a single to left and was later forced on a ground ball by Strauss. Denny Abreu nailed a ground rule double into left center, and Demarco capped off his five-RBI afternoon with a single up the middle as Camden climbed to within three.

Closer Charlie Weatherby allowed a one-out ground single to Jason Conti in the bottom of the ninth. Connell grounded out, 4-3, but the Weatherby walked McGarvey on four pitches, bringing up Skrehot. The Camden shortstop worked the count to 3-1 before fouling off a pitch and flying to left field as Weatherby earned his fourth save of the week and 12th of the season.

NOTES: Lancaster won the season series with Camden, 12-6, taking seven of nine at Campbell's Field...Ortiz and Burkhart each hit his 15th homer of the season...Weatherby appeared for the 58th time this year...He is 2-2 with nine saves and a 1.65 ERA since July 7...The Barnstormers have now hit 75 homers in the last 45 games with at least one in 42 of those contests...More than half of Burkhart's hits this season (31 of 61) have been for extra bases...The Barnstormers resume play on Wednesday at 7:05 against the Road Warriors.

Check out the Lancaster Stormers Statistics



Atlantic League Stories from September 10, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central