Barnstormers Six-Run Second Produces Win
September 11, 2015 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release
In seven first half games at TD Bank Park, the Lancaster Barnstormers scored a total of six runs.
They matched it in one inning on Friday night.
The Barnstormers scored six two-out runs in the top of the second and cruised to a 9-3 victory over the host Somerset Patriots in Bridgewater, New Jersey.
With the win, Lancaster dropped its magic number for clinching the Freedom Division to five, pending the outcome of the regularly scheduled game between York and Southern Maryland.
Roy Merritt (0-1, 7-6) walked the bases loaded in the second. Tyler Bortnick drove a double deep into right center, scoring all three for a quick 3-0 lead. Kent Matthes rode a Merritt offering out of the yard down the left field line for a 5-0 lead, and Mike McDade drove another out on the same line to cap the six-run inning.
Meanwhile, Chad Beck (4-3) carried a no-hitter into the sixth. The big right-hander struck out Nate Spears for his sixth punchout of the game, but his effort began to unravel. Thomas Neal reached on a throwing error by shortstop Lance Zawadzki, and Michael Burgess lined a two-strike pitch out of the yard to right to end the shutout as well as the no-hitter.
The game grew more intense as Matt Fields followed with a single, and Pete Andrelczyk walked Mike Wilson to put the tying run into the on deck circle. Andrelczyk fought back to get Greg Hopkins on a fly to left and James Skelton on a topper to short, closing it out with the Patriots down by four.
McDade took care of that with a two-run homer lined to dead center in the top of the seventh to rebuild the sixth run lead.
Somerset did score one in the eighth, on a double by Burgess and a single by Hopkins. Again, Lancaster got that run back on a bases loaded walk to Zawadzki in the ninth.
The same two clubs meet on Saturday. Lancaster will send right-hander Madison Boer (3-2) to the hill against right-hander Mickey Storey (10-3). Fans may tune into 1390-AM, WLAN; rumba1390.com or the I Heart Radio cell phone app, beginning at 6:45.
NOTES: McDade became the fourth Barnstormer in history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game...The Barnstormers won their 10th consecutive series opener...Matthes was 3-for-5 and has hit safely in 10 straight (16-39, .410)...Beck beat Merritt for the second straight time, the last was with Merritt pitching for Sugar Land on August 15...Lancaster has reached 10 hits on all four games on the current road trip.
Atlantic League Stories from September 11, 2015
- Reyes' Big Night Helps Flock Swat Skeeters - Long Island Ducks
- Barnstormers Six-Run Second Produces Win - Lancaster Stormers
- Skeeters Fall Short in Series-Opener with Long Island, 9-8 - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Bluefish Announce Unused Ticket Days - Bridgeport Bluefish
- Blue Crabs Split Doubleheader with Lancaster - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
- Barnstormers Gain Split, Stay Five Ahead - Lancaster Stormers
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.
