AtL Lancaster Stormers

Barnstormers Prevail in Crazy Ninth

Published on July 27, 2010 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


A single at bat in the top of the ninth Tuesday evening produced the first ejection of the season of manager Tom Herr, a dropped pop up and finally a game-tying grand slam.

Even with all of that, the Lancaster Barnstormers were still able to notch the win, a 12-11 victory over the Newark Bears in front of 4,870 at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

The Barnstormers carried an 11-7 lead into the top of the ninth, and Eric Ackerman easily retired the first two Newark batters. Kennard Jones singled up the middle to keep the game alive for the Bears. Pablo Ozuna grounded a base hit through the right side to add a second runner. Ackerman walked Elijah Dukes to load the bases. That brought Daryle Ward to the plate - and baseball mayhem.

Ackerman worked ahead in the count to 0-2. The next pitch brought a check swing, and the appeal was turned down. Then a breaking ball was ruled high. Ball three missed badly inside and bounced off the backstop. The sixth pitch of the at bat was hit high in the air near home plate. Catcher Jed Morris got in position to make the catch, then mysteriously pulled away. The ball landed fair but bounced foul, giving Ward another pitch. The former National League took advantage of the extra life, rifling his 11th home run of the season onto the picnic deck at Clipper Magazine Stadium to tie the game. Soon after, Herr was ejected by plate umpire Matt Beaver for comments made from the dugout. Ackerman (1-0) settled down to strike out Brian Barton.

It did not take Lancaster long to manufacture the winning run. Morris drew a walk from Michael Nix (1-2) on five pitches to start the home ninth. Vic Gutierrez advanced Morris with a bunt, and Lloyd Turner produced the decisive tally with a single down the right field line.

The Barnstormers built a 5-0 lead early on a three-run homer in the first inning by Aaron Herr and two-run double down the first base line by Reggie Taylor in the third. Newark fought back against Ben Fritz, who had not allowed a hit over the first three innings, as Carl Everett grounded a two-run single into right field in the fourth.

Lancaster recovered one of those runs in the fifth on a two-out infield single by Michael Woods. However, the Bears pulled to within one run as Dukes slammed a three-run homer to right center with two outs in the fifth, following an error and an infield single.

Consecutive homers to right by Bryant Nelson to Woods stretched the lead to 8-5 in the sixth. Lancaster scored three more in the bottom of the seventh. Gutierrez produced one run on a sacrifice fly. Turner followed with an RBI triple to left for a 10-5 lead and scored on a single grounded up the middle by Nelson.

Newark inched closed with two runs in the eighth as Dukes and Ward reached on singles off Tim McNab. A throwing error and a pair of outs allowed the runs to score.

Lancaster will host Newark again on Wednesday evening. Jason Simontacchi (3-5) will get the nod for the Barnstormers against Ryan Glynn (2-0). Game time is 7:00.

NOTES: Lancaster is 8-1 at home in the second half and 7-2 in one-run games...Turner had only two hits off right-handed pitchers in July until his triple in the seventh...Octavio Martinez lost his 12-game hitting streak when he left the game with a groin injury in the fourth inning...He had been 0-for-2...Fritz set a new franchise record with 99 strikeouts in a season, topping Ricardo Gomez, who had 97 in 2008...The game was the first involving the Barnstormers since August 20, 2009 where both teams scored 10 or more runs (12-11 loss at Camden)...Ward's grand slam gives him five homers and 17 RBI in the 12 games of the season series...Lancaster leads that series, 9-3, having won the last six and eight of the last nine.

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Atlantic League Stories from July 27, 2010


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