Barnstormers Lose On Five-Run Eighth
Published on June 29, 2018 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release
The Sugar Land Skeeters struck for five runs on only two hits in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 9-4 victory over the Lancaster Barnstormers on Friday evening at Constellation Field.
Sugar Land now leads the division race by 1 1/2 games after taking four of the first five meetings in the weeklong series.
Courtney Hawkins led off the eighth inning with a ground single off Kevin Munson (3-2) and moved to second on a sacrifice by Anthony Giansanti. Kyle Kubitza was walked intentionally after Munson could not coax him to swing at a bad pitch on the first two offerings. Following a double steal, Denis Phipps popped out to second baseman Rico Noel.
That is when everything began to unravel. The Barnstormers opted to walk Albert Cordero to fill the bases and bring lefty Jared Lakind on to face left-handed hitting Alvaro Rondon. Sugar Land countered with seldom used Javier Betancourt, but the 23-year old infielder only need to stand and watched, drawing a four-pitch walk as the Skeeters grabbed the lead.
Stephen Johnson was summoned to face Barrett Barnes and walked him on five pitches to force home another run. Matt Chavez' bouncer to short was fumbled by Tyler Bortnick, and Colin Walsh capped the inning with a two-run single to right.
Lancaster had raced out to a 3-0 lead. Singles by Rico Noel, who then stole second and third, Blake Gailen and Ryan Casteel around a throwing error by Rondon produced two runs in the first. Bortnick drove home Nate Coronado with an unearned runs in the second for the three-run edge.
A leadoff walk to Hawkins in the second began to turn the tide. Hawkins went to second on a wild pitch and scored when Kubitza's sinking liner to right center skipped past Darian Sandford.
Sugar Land went ahead with three runs in the fifth. Reed walked Cordero and got one out before allowing singles to Barnes and Chavez. Huascar Brazoban became the first of the four Lancaster relievers to walk the first batter he faced, putting Walsh on to load the bases. Hawkins tied the game with a sacrifice fly, and Anthony Giansanti singled to left to break the deadlock before John Anderson retired Kubitza on a fly ball to left to end the inning.
Sandford's bloop single to left with two outs in the top of the seventh scored Coronado to tie the game.
The Barnstormers send Steve Johnson (3-3) to the mound against Dallas Beeler (5-1) on Saturday. Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 6:45 EDT.
NOTES: Noel's steals in the first inning were his 27th and 28th of the season...Gailen's first inning RBI gave him 50 for the year...John Anderson has not allowed a run in his last 11 1/3 innings...The nine walks allowed by Lancaster was a season high.
Atlantic League Stories from June 29, 2018
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