AtL Lancaster Stormers

Barnstormers Survive Scare, Win Fifth Straight

Published on May 7, 2014 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


For the second straight night, the Long Island Ducks did not roll over after an early deficit, but again the Lancaster Barnstormers prevailed.

Lancaster survived three runs by the Ducks with two outs in the bottom of the eighth on Wednesday evening to hold on for a 6-5 victory at Bethpage Ballpark. The win was Lancaster's fifth straight and gave them a three-game lead over the rest of the Freedom Division.

Heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Barnstormers led, 6-2. Fehlandt Lentini rode a pitch from Fu-Te Ni into the right center gap to open the inning. Ni retired the next two hitters, but Lew Ford drove in his fourth run of the series on a single to left, cutting the Lancaster lead to three. Adam Bailey launched a double to right center, bringing Ryan Strieby to the plate as the tying run.

Barnstormers' manager Butch Hobson countered the move by bringing right-handed sidearmer Brodie Downs into the game. Downs walked Strieby and gave up a two-run single to Cody Puckett before striking out Brian Peacock with the tying run at third base. Downs capped off the inning by getting ejected by plate umpire Richard Katz over the Strieby walk.

Pete Andrelczyk had a much smoother ninth, striking out two around a ground single by Chris McClendon to chalk up his fourth save of the year and second in two nights.

Cole Garner gave Lancaster a 1-0 lead off John Brownell (0-2) with a two-out RBI single in the first, scoring Yusuke Kajimoto from second base. Leadoff homers by Fred Lewis in the fourth and James Skelton in the fifth stretched the lead to 3-0. Lancaster added another run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Blake Gailen. Kajimoto was later gunned down at the plate on a perfect 7-5-2 relay on a double to left by Lewis.

Lance Zawadzki added the Barnstormers third homer of the night, a solo blast to right with two outs in the sixth for a 5-0 lead, but Adam Bailey's two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth trimmed the lead to 5-2.

Lewis, who was 3-for-3, punched a single just past the reach of shortstop Sergio Miranda to score Kajimoto with two outs in the seventh for what proved to be a necessary insurance run.

Chad Beck (1-1) tossed five shutout innings for the Barnstormers, allowing four hits and no walks. He struck out one.

The Barnstormers and Ducks wrap up the three games at Long Island on Thursday night before the two teams shift the series to Clipper Magazine Stadium on Friday. Lancaster will send lefty Clayton Tanner (0-0) to the hill against right-hander Bobby Blevins (1-0) on Thursday evening. Fans may tune into 1390-AM, WLAN; 1600-AM, WPDC; 1390wlan.com or the I Heart Radio cell phone app beginning at 6:15.

NOTES: Fourteen of Lancaster's 16 homers have been solo...Skelton has never hit more than seven home runs in a season but now has three in his last two games...The Barnstormers are a perfect 7-0 with Skelton behind the plate...Lancaster stole four bases in the game, one shy of the season high...The Barnstormers are 16 of 20 on steal attempts on the year...Lewis has reached base on five straight plate appearances and has a five-game hitting streak and RBI streak...Gailen has hit safely in 11 of 12...Zawadzki had his fifth two-hit game of the year...He has homered each night at Long Island.

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Atlantic League Stories from May 7, 2014


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