Barnstormers Squeak Past Crabs, 3-2
Published on August 23, 2010 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release
Three Lancaster pitchers greedily held a lead on Monday evening as the Barnstormers won a squeaker, 3-2, in the opener of a three-game series over Southern Maryland at Regency Furniture Stadium.
The win put the Barnstormers in a second place tie with York. Both clubs are two games behind Somerset in the Freedom Division.
Wayne Franklin (1-2) allowed eight hits and the two runs over seven innings to notch the win. Pat Overholt pitched a perfect eighth inning, and Tim Hamulack survived a tough start to the ninth for his eighth save of the season as the Barnstormers knocked off the Blue Crabs, who own the Atlantic League's best record.
Dan Reichert (14-8) retired the first eight Lancaster batters before Joe Gaetti unloaded on a 2-1 pitch, hammering it to the back of the clubhouse roof beyond the left field wall for a 1-0 Lancaster lead.
Franklin got the first two outs in the bottom of the third on a 5-4-3 double play before Casey Benjamin cracked a solo homer to the deep right center field alley to tie the game. Eric Crozier, the next batter, went to the opposite field for his 19th homer of the season to grab a 2-1 lead for Reichert.
Lancaster got the lead back quickly. L.J. Biernbaum, in his first game since re-signing with Lancaster, picked up a leadoff walk on a full count pitch from Reichert. The Southern Maryland right-hander got routine fly balls out of Bryant Nelson and Aaron Herr, but Reggie Taylor roped a two-out single into center. Jeremy Owens raced in to keep Biernbaum at second but overran the ball, allowing Biernbaum to score and Taylor to take second. A single rolled up the middle gave Lancaster the lead.
Reichert, who went the distance, allowed only two more runners. Nobody advanced beyond first base.
Franklin survived a scare in the fourth inning as Christian Colonel led off with a single and moved up on a walk to Owens. Gaetti ran down a long fly ball to dead center by Christian Lopez for the first out of the inning, and Franklin breezed from there, retiring 10 straight until consecutive one-out singles by Rich Gainnotti and Jamar Hill in the bottom of the seventh.
Hamulack was summoned for the ninth. Owens struck out leading off, but the third strike eluded Octavio Martinez, and Owens beat the throw to first. Lopez stung a single to center, putting the winning run on base. Giannotti fouled off three straight bunt attempts to give Hamulack the first out, and the lefty blew through Hill and Benjamin on strikes to chalk up his eight save of the season.
Lancaster will send the club's leading winner, Josh Hall (11-5) to the mound on Tuesday evening against John Koronka (0-1). Game time is once again 7:05.
NOTES: The Barnstormers finally won their 10th one-run game of the second half on their sixth try...Mulhern has hit safely in five games and has driven in 14 runs in his last 12...The effort was Franklin's third quality start in four outings...Reichert struck out five to tie Lancaster's Ben Fritz for the league lead with 118.
Atlantic League Stories from August 23, 2010
- Ducks Roll Past Revs - Long Island Ducks
- Riversharks Fall Short In Extra Innings - Camden Riversharks
- Barnstormers Squeak Past Crabs, 3-2 - Lancaster Stormers
- Bridgeport Squeezes by Newark - Bridgeport Bluefish
- Despite Reichert's Complete Game, Blue Crabs Lose Series Opener - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
- 'Fish Hook Bears - Newark Bears
- Bridgeport Inks Major League Arm - Bridgeport Bluefish
- Breast Cancer Awareness Auction Begins - Long Island Ducks
- Patriots Blast Past Barnstormers - Somerset Patriots
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