AtL Lancaster Stormers

Lancaster Keeps Right On Rolling

Published on July 3, 2012 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


The Lancaster Barnstormers are sealed into the Atlantic League playoffs. That was locked up on Monday night. So, if the club had eased up just a little bit on Tuesday night, it might have been understandable.

Not this group.

Mark Brackman fired a complete game five-hitter, and the Barnstormers erupted for four runs in the bottom of the seventh as Lancaster grabbed a 5-1 victory over the Camden Riversharks, their fourth straight on the current homestand.

Brackman (5-3) checked Camden on five singles. The right-hander walked one and hit a batter, along with striking out six in notching the win for his third straight start.

For the bulk of the night, he was locked in a pitchers' duel with fellow 6'7" right-hander Mike McGuire. It was McGuire (3-5), who blinked, but not without some tough luck intermixed.

With the score tied, 1-1, Blake Gailen led off the seventh with a single under McGuire's glove and into center. Gailen stole second on a third strike to Ryan Harvey and remained there as Brad Boyer picked up an intentional walk. Kody Kirkland managed to drop a pop fly into shallow left center to load the bases with one out. McGuire got Francisco Hernandez to hit a shallow fly to Steven Doetsch in right, and Butch Hobson opted not to send Gailen against Doetsch's strong right arm.

It turned out to be the ultimately wise decision. Fehlandt Lentini followed with a bloop hit of his own, dropping in front of charging center fielder Chris Walker to score two. Jaime Pedroza came to the plate, and Lentini took off for second on a delayed break. Raul Padron fired through, too late to get Lentini. Kirkland broke for the plate as soon as Padron let the ball go, and just beat the return throw as Padron backed up slightly to handle it, giving Kirkland the opening he needed to score the third run of the inning. Pedroza then cracked a long double high off the center field fence to bring Lentini home for the final margin of victory.

Lancaster had taken an early 1-0 lead in the second when Boyer doubled off the fence in right center, plating Gailen, who had singled to left on an 0-2 pitch from McGuire. Those would be Lancaster's only two hits in the first 5 1/3 innings.

Brackman retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced before Alvin Colina singled off the right field wall with one out in the fifth. The right-hander hit Eduardo Perez with a 1-2 pitch. Doetsch struck out, but Jake Eigsti tied the game with a lined single into the right center alley. As Walker looked to give Camden its first lead of the series, Brackman uncorked a pitch to the backstop. It kicked right back to Hernandez. Perez picked it up too late, hesitated and was gunned down trying to duck back into third to end the Riversharks' only scoring chance of the game. Brackman did not allow another runner to get to second.

The two teams with wrap up the series on Wednesday night prior to the Red, White and Boom Fireworks Blowout. It is the only Fourth of July fireworks show in the City of Lancaster. John Halama (5-4) will get the start for the Barnstormers in the 7:00 pm contest. Fans may tune into 1390-AM, WLAN; 1600-AM, WPDC; 1390wlan.com or the I Heart Radio cell phone app beginning at 6:45.

NOTES: Brackman became only the second Atlantic League pitcher to fire two complete games on the year...York's Corey Thurman is the other...Brackman also took the league strikeout lead with 69, one better than Bridgeport's Paul Oseguera...Pedroza drove in his 14th run of the last 10 games...He has an eight-game hitting streak...The game lasted only two hours, 18 minutes...Lancaster has won 26 of its last 35.

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Atlantic League Stories from July 3, 2012


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