Four Lancaster Second Inning Runs The Difference
August 29, 2015 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Bridgeport Bluefish News Release
(Bridgeport, CT) - The Bridgeport Bluefish (25-24, 51-68) were defeated by the Lancaster Barnstormers (31-18, 59-60) 5-3 at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard on Saturday evening. Lancaster has now taken the first-three of the four-game series and continue to have the best overall record in the Second Half of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.
Bridgeport Starting Pitcher Brandon Bixler (0-1) suffered the loss, lasting five and two-thirds innings, surrendering four runs on five hits, walking two, striking out four, and throwing a wild pitch. Lancaster Starting Pitcher Nate Reed (6-7) earned the victory, tossing five and one-third innings, allowing three runs (two earned runs) on eight hits, walking two, striking out five while giving up a wild pitch. Marcus Walden fired a scoreless ninth inning, striking out two in registering his ninth save of the season.
Lancaster got on the board early with four runs on four hits off Bixler in the top half of the second inning to take a 4-0 lead on a run-scoring single by Kevin Rivers and a two-out, two-run double by Zach Collier, his first hit of the series. Rivers would later cross the plate with the fourth run on a balk by Bixler. Bridgeport cut the deficit in half in the fifth off Reed on an RBI infield single by Welington Dotel and a double steal of second by Dotel and home by Matt Wessinger to trim the Barnstormers lead to 4-2.
Lancaster would add an insurance run in the top of the ninth on a pinch- hit RBI base knock by Jerry Owens, giving the visitors a 5-3 cushion. For the second time in as many nights, Barnstormers Manager Butch Hobson handed the baseball off to Walden, who struck out the first two batters he faced. Dotel drew a walk to keep the game alive for the 'Fish, as Andres Rodriguez stepped up to the plate representing the tying-run. With the fans on their feet hoping for a dramatic comeback, Walden induced Rodriguez to ground out and the Second Half Freedom Division leaders were victorious over Bridgeport for the 11th time in 13 head-to-head meetings this season and improve to 30-4 against the Bluefish over the last two years. The 'Fish collected ten hits or more in a game for the 48th time in 2015 with a total of ten on the night, as Dotel and Rodriguez led the way with a pair of base knocks each.
Atlantic League Stories from August 29, 2015
- Four Lancaster Second Inning Runs The Difference - Bridgeport Bluefish
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- Ducks Surge to Victory over Crabs with Big Offensive Night - Long Island Ducks
- Ducks Score in Bunches to Defeat Southern Maryland - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
- Bullpen Nails Down 5-3 Win - Lancaster Stormers
- Scott's Power Surge Continues as Skeeters Snap Slide - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Dotel Extends Hitting Streak - Bridgeport Bluefish
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