Duck walks trample Barnstormers
June 7, 2006 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release
The Long Island Ducks took advantage of ten walks and a lone Barnstormers error to end Lancaster?s six-game winning streak, 12-8, Wednesday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
With the rest of the Atlantic League washed out, Lancaster?s lead over Atlantic City in the South slipped to two games. Long Island now enjoys a two-game lead over Bridgeport in the first.
The top of the first inning got ugly in a hurry and put the Barnstormers in a huge hole. Mel Stocker rolled a ground ball to first baseman Manny Santana who kicked the ball loose from his glove and crawled after it into foul territory, unable to get the throw to Cam Smith (3-1) in time. Stocker stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Carlos Hernandez walked and also stole second before Erick Almonte nailed a double into right center scoring both runners.
Henry Rodriguez drew the second walk of the inning, and one out later, Dominick Ambrosini picked up another free pass to load the bases. Tony Schrager bounced a single through the hole on the left side to score two more for a 4-0 lead. Kevin Haverbusch walked to reload the bags. A single by Brad King scored a fifth run. The sixth scored when Stocker grounded into a force play.
Lancaster (22-11) jumped back into the game in its half of the inning. Reggie Taylor and Jose Ortiz produced consecutive two-out singles off Pat Ahearne (5-0) bringing Chris Van Rossum to the plate. The Lancaster right fielder then slammed his second homer of the season, halving the Duck lead.
Ortiz doubled home Travis Hake in the third to pull the Barnstormers within two, but Lancaster left seven baserunners over a span of four innings, unable to draw even.
Long Island finally extended the lead in the top of the seventh. Reliever Rob Henkel allowed three consecutive one-out singles to load the bases. He struck out Schrager, but Haverbusch greeted Charlie Weatherby with a double into the right field corner. Two runs scored, but the inning ended when Ambrosini was thrown out at the plate on a call with which the Ducks vehemently disagreed.
Four extra runs scored in the top of the ninth as Joe Dooley got to work off a six-week buildup of rust. Ambrosini drove in the first with a bases-loaded flare to center. The second scored when Brad King drew a walk to force in a run, and Stocker made it 12-4 with a ground single up the middle that scored two.
The runs were needed. Van Rossum doubled home Hake with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Santana launched a three-run homer before Todd Erdos was able to retire Lance Burkhart on a fly ball to center to end the game.
Atlantic League Stories from June 7, 2006
- Duck walks trample Barnstormers - Lancaster Stormers
- Patriots sign former major leaguer Jared Sandberg - Somerset Patriots
- Patriots and Bears rained out - Somerset Patriots
- Bears and Patriots rained out - Newark Bears
- Bluefish rained out - Bridgeport Bluefish
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