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AtL Lancaster Stormers

Barnstormers Strike Early, Boil Crabs

August 25, 2010 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


The Lancaster Barnstormers seem to have found a cure for their recent skid. Just play the Atlantic League's best team.

The Barnstormers scored six times in the first three innings on Tuesday evening en route to a 9-6 victory over the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, the club's second straight win this week at Regency Furniture Stadium.

With this latest win, the Barnstormers pulled back to within one game of the division leading Somerset Patriots, who fell, 3-2, at Camden.

Lancaster was able to make hay early against left-hander John Koronka (0-2). The former Texas Rangers' lefty, who was released by the Barnstormers after just two appearances, continued to struggle with his control. He walked Lloyd Turner on four pitches to start the night. Vic Gutierrez followed with a two-run homer, his first of the season, lined out of the ballpark to left. Koronka walked the bases loaded with two outs as the inning continued, and Joe Gaetti drove in two more with a single that dropped in down the left field line.

An RBI single by Bryant Nelson in the second advanced the lead to 5-0 and chased Koronka out of the game. The Barnstormers would tack on another run off reliever Chris Hayes in the third on consecutive singles by Michael Woods, Octavio Martinez and Gaetti.

In the meantime, Josh Hall faced the minimum of 12 batters over the first four innings. Hall (12-5) ran into his first challenge in the bottom of the fifth when he walked Patrick Osborn and Travis Garcia on a total of nine pitches to start the inning. Jeremy Owens delivered both runners with a double inside the third base bag on a 1-2 pitch, slicing the lead to 6-2.

Hall escaped the fifth and the sixth, when he allowed back-to-back singles by Shaun Cumberland and Casey Benjamin to put runners at first and second.

The Blue Crabs inched closer in the eighth off Tim McNab. Cumberland drew a one-out walk and headed to third on a ringing single by Benjamin to right center. Eric Crozier lifted a double into the left field corner to drive Cumberland home, and Benjamin crossed the plate on a grounder by Osborn before McNab could end the threat against Garcia.

Three insurance runs by the Barnstormers in the ninth turned out to be needed. Turner drew his third walk of the game, moved up on a sacrifice by Gutierrez and came across when Nelson cranked a double into the right field corner. Nelson advanced on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch for an 8-4 lead. A walk to Ryan Mulhern extended the inning further, and the Barnstormers cashed in that run as Woods launched a triple over Hill's head in right.

Jeremy Owens reached on a dropped third strike to start the ninth inning, and Hill followed with a two-run homer to left. Ross Peeples was able to cut down the side in order from there to pin down the win.

Jose Sanchez (4-11) will get the start for the Barnstormers on Wednesday evening at 7:05. He will be opposed by Joe Newby (6-3), the author of eight no-hit innings against Newark earlier in the month.

NOTES: Gutierrez hit one homer last season...Lancaster is now 18-5 when Hall starts...Lancaster starters have a 2.35 ERA in the last four games...Hall tied Brian Whitaker for the second most wins in a season for the Barnstormers...Lancaster is 8-7 against the Blue Crabs this season and has taken five of eight at Regency Furniture Stadium...Southern Maryland has not lost a series since May, a streak that will end if the Barnstormers take one of the next two.

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