Ducks Walk Past Barnstormers
May 17, 2015 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release
The base on balls proved the undoing of the Lancaster Barnstormers on Sunday afternoon.
Barnstormers pitchers issued a season-high eight, including three in the top of the eighth, as Long Island rallied past Lancaster, 8-6, at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
The loss was the first for the Barnstormers on a Sunday afternoon this season after three consecutive wins.
Jon Griffin and Blake Davis opened the eighth inning with consecutive singles off Pete Andrelczyk (1-1), and pinch hitter Jose Morales walked to load the bases. Andrelczyk retired Erik Komatsu on a pop to short for the first out, but Dan Lyons walked to force home pinch runner Bryan Sabatella, tying the game at 4-4. Nate Reed took over to switch Reegie Corona to the right side of the plate and issued another walk for a 5-4 lead. Delta Cleary, Jr. struck out, and acting manager Rich Rundles went to Cody Eppley to face league RBI leader Lew Ford. Morales scored the inning's third run on a wild pitch, and Ford singled home two more for an 8-4 edge.
The Barnstormers failed to score in the eighth inning as they have done all season but came to life in the ninth against closer Ryan Kussmaul. Dan Coury walked and rode to third when Kevin Rivers barely cleared Komatsu's glove with a double to left. Tyler Bortnick knocked one home with a base hit into the right side hole. Pinch hitter Keith Castillo struck out, but Kussmaul walked Yusuke Kajimoto and Blake Gailen back-to-back to force in a run. Brian Cavazos-Galvez grounded to third with the bases loaded to end the game.
Rivers had staked Lancaster to a 2-1 lead with a solo homer in the fifth inning. In the seventh, the Barnstormers' left fielder doubled to right to tie the game and scored the lead run on Bortnick's base hit to left.
Ford and Reegie Corona each drove in three for Long Island. Bruce Kern earned the win, getting the final out in the seventh.
The series concludes on Monday evening. Matt Packer (2-0) takes the hill for Lancaster against right-hander Ian Marshall (2-0). Fans may tune into 1390-AM, WLAN; rumba1390.com or the I Heart Radio cell phone app, beginning at 6:45.
NOTES: Rivers is now 10-for-15 in the four Sunday afternoon games...Gailen's RBI in the ninth was his 210th as a Barnstormer, tying him with Lance Burkhart for fourth on the all-time list...He also stole a base in the game, his 61st as a Barnstormer, also moving him into a tie for fourth on the Barnstormers career list...Lancaster is a perfect 12-for-12 stealing bases in the series...The Barnstormers have been outscored, 14-0, in the eighth inning this season.
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