High Point Trips Up Lancaster In 10
July 20, 2021 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release
Alejandro De Aza lifted a seventh inning grand slam onto the right field picnic deck, but the Lancaster Barnstormers fell, 8-7, to the High Point Rockers in 10 innings on Tuesday night at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
De Aza's two-out shot, lofted just fair onto the front of the deck provided the Barnstormers with a 7-5 lead that they could not hold.
The Rockers answered immediately. Gabriel Moya walked Michael Russell with one out in the eighth, and Stephen Cardullo followed with a towering homer to the hillside in left to tie the game.
Lancaster had a chance to pull it out in the bottom of the ninth on a one-out walk to Caleb Gindl and De Aza's two-out infield single, but Kelly Dugan flied to deep center to end the threat.
In the top of the tenth, pinch hitter Randy Norris advanced "ghost" runner Giovanny Alfonzo to third with a ground ball on the right side. With the infield pulled to the edge of the grass, Johnny Field snuck a grounder into the hole on the left, scoring the run off Junior Rincon (0-2) to take the 8-7 lead.
The Barnstormers had Dugan placed at second to open their half of the inning. Melvin Mercedes struck out trying to bunt the runner to third. Anderson De La Rosa's single to left moved Dugan only one base, and Anthony Peroni grounded into a 6-6-3 double play as John Fasola earned his second save.
High Point picked up a run in the top of the first on an RBI single by Jerry Downs. Lancaster overtook the Rockers in the bottom of the inning on Dugan's RBI single to left center and a force play grounder by LeDarious Clark.
Three walks and an infield out produced the tying run in the top of the fourth, and the Rockers surged ahead with a three-run sixth, keyed by Field's bases-loaded ground rule double down the left field line.
Cleulius Rondon brought the Barnstormers one closer with an RBI single to center three batters before De Aza's slam.
Preston Gainey (1-1) picked up the win for High Point.
The two clubs meet again on Wednesday evening at 6:30. Francisco Mendoza (0-0) makes the start for Lancaster against Ricky Knapp (3-3). The game will be carried live on Blue Ridge 11 and the Barnstormers YouTube Channel.
NOTES: In the last 10 games, De Aza is 18-for-41 (.439) with seven doubles, three homers and 16 RBI...He has hit .400 since June 25...Clark has four steals in his last four trips to first base...Lancaster is 2-3 in extra inning games this season.
Atlantic League Stories from July 20, 2021
- Blue Crabs Come Back from Nine Run Deficit for Series Opening Win - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
- Revs Drop Opening Game of Homestand to Power - York Revolution
- High Point Trips Up Lancaster In 10 - Lancaster Stormers
- Rockers Outlast Barnstormersin 10 - High Point Rockers
- 2 More Power Players Have Contracts Purchased - Charleston Dirty Birds
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