Herr Smokes Pair As Stormers Skin Bears
Published on August 20, 2010 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release
The Lancaster Barnstormers had been looking for one big moment to turn around a recent slide. Aaron Herr provided that moment in the sixth inning on Thursday evening.
Herr belted a three-run homer in the top of the sixth to break up a shutout for Kelvin Villa, boosting Lancaster to an 8-2 victory in the finale of a three-game series. The Lancaster third baseman added another, longer homer in the eighth.
With the win, the Barnstormers climbed back into a first place tie with the York Revolution in the Freedom Division. Somerset, which comes to Clipper Magazine Stadium for a three-game series this weekend, stands one game back.
With one out in the sixth, Lloyd Turner slapped a single into left off Villa (2-7). After Vic Gutierrez flied to center for the second out, Turner stole second. Bryant Nelson picked up a walk, giving Herr an opportunity. He turned on Villa's 1-0 offering, yanking it over the boards in left for his 16th homer of the season and a 3-1 lead.
Lancaster would tack on two more in the seventh. With Joe Gaetti aboard and two outs, an error by third baseman Eric Munson on a smash by Brett Flowers kept the inning alive, and Turner plugged the gap in left center with a two-run double.
The Barnstormers continued to pull away in the eighth as Herr came within a couple feet of becoming the second Barnstormer in history to put a ball completely out of Bears and Eagles Stadium to left field. His mammoth home run caught the top panel of the screen that towers beyond the left field bullpens, protecting the highway below.
Turner's second double brought an extra run home in the ninth inning, and the Lancaster second baseman scored on an error.
Josh Hall spent the first five innings snaking through an obstacle course. Four times, the Bears put the first batters on base. They loaded the bases with nobody out in the first but only snuck one run across as Daryle Ward grounded into a double play. Isaiah Kaaihue singled, and Munson walked to open the second, but a strikeout and second double play got Hall out of a second jam.
Tim Raines, Jr. and Kennard Jones each singled to start the fourth and moved up on Brian Barton's bunt. Ward hit a hard grounder to Ryan Mulhern at first as Raines froze off third. Carl Everett was intentionally walked, and Hall coaxed a force play grounder to short out of Kaaihue.
The Bears cost themselves on the bases in the fifth. After singles by Jones and Barton got the inning underway, a Hall pitch momentarily got away from Octavio Martinez. Barton took off for second only to find Jones stationary. Martinez threw behind Barton, and Jones took off for third. The Barnstormers were able to tag the lead runner in a rundown, leaving Barton at second with one out. Ward followed with a single to right, chasing Barton to third. Everett grounded into a 6-3 double play as Hall dodged another jam.
Lancaster had an earlier opportunity entirely wiped out. With runners at first and second and nobody out in the third, Turner was called upon to bunt. He popped it up with the ball landing just ahead of the plate. Both runners froze, and Kaaihue triggered a 2-5-6-3 triple play to end the inning.
The Barnstormers will send Jose Sanchez (4-10) to the hill on Friday evening against the Patriots' Josh Miller (9-8). Game time is 7:05 with fireworks to follow.
Atlantic League Stories from August 20, 2010
- Two-Out Double in 10th Provides Game Winner - Newark Bears
- Ray Navarrete's three hits weren't enough in series opener - Long Island Ducks
- Somerset Takes Down Stormers, Forges Three-way Tie - Lancaster Stormers
- Blue Crabs Pound Riversharks In Series Opener - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
- 2010 Playoff Tickets Available Monday - Bridgeport Bluefish
- Blue Crabs "Diamond Dig" Is Sept. 19 - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
- Herr Smokes Pair As Stormers Skin Bears - Lancaster Stormers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
