AtL Lancaster Stormers

Barnstormers Parade To Opening Win

Published on July 15, 2011 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


Lancaster's offense on Friday evening relied far more on the eyes than it did on the arms and legs.

The Barnstormers drew 10 walks and chipped in with a few timely hits en route to a 7-4 win over Bridgeport in front of 6,248 as the second half of the schedule got underway at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

In fact, three of Lancaster's run scoring innings opened with walks.

In the third, Pat Ryan issued walks to the first three batters. Iggy Suarez singled off the glove of third baseman Luis Lopez for the Barnstormers first hit to tie the game at 1-1. Brandon Jones grounded into a double play as the second run scored.

With the club trailing, 4-3, into the bottom of the sixth, it was another walk that led to the tying run. Tommy Everidge collected that base on balls against Ryan. Matt Watson followed with a line drive single into center to chase Ryan. Reliever Chris Rivera fired his first pitch to the backstop moving the runners to second and third, and Aaron Herr brought the tying tally across with a sacrifice fly into the right field corner.

Will Cunnane (4-2) walked Matt Tupman to get the Lancaster seventh started. Gilberto Mejia bunted up the first base line, forcing a rushed throw by Cunnane that bounced past first baseman Wes Bankston. A passed ball advanced runners to second and third, and Suarez walked to load the bags. Cunnane fanned Brandon Jones for the first out but walked Everidge to force home the go-ahead run. Watson greeted Julio Manon with a double inside the first base bag, scoring two more.

J.D. Durbin (3-1) allowed eight hits over seven innings to earn the win. Lopez singled home a run with a grounder up the middle two outs into the third inning, and Steve Moss gave the Bluefish a 4-2 lead with a two-out, two-run double over Adam Calderone's head in left in the fifth.

Evan Englebrook pitched a scoreless eighth to hold the lead, and Jonah Bayliss survived a leadoff walk in the ninth for his sixth save in six tries.

The two clubs meet again on Saturday evening. Esteban Yan (0-0 will start for Bridgeport against Lancaster right-hander Matt Wright at 6:30 with fireworks to follow. A limited number of tickets are still available. The game will be aired on Fox Sports Radio, 1490, WLPA and streamed on sportsjuice.com and ibnsports.com.

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Atlantic League Stories from July 15, 2011


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