Navarrete Single Sinks Barnstormers
September 13, 2012 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release
The Lancaster Barnstormers dropped their second straight late inning game on Thursday night, losing, 3-2 to the Long Island Ducks on Ray Navarrete's walkoff single in the ninth.
Lancaster still needs four victories to set the Atlantic League wins record and the division lead over the York Revolution has been cut to three games with 10 left to play.
Jeff Bennett (4-8) walked both Kraig Binick and Bryant Nelson to open the bottom of the ninth. Navarrete, who also drove in Long Island's other two runs, singled to right center. Binick easily beat Adam Godwin's desperate throw to the plate.
The Ducks took a 1-0 lead off John Halama in the bottom of the first as Binick led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored when Navarrete planted his 46th double of the season into left center.
In the second, Long Island appeared poised to break the game open, loading the bases on three consecutive one-out hits off Halama, but the lefty got Binick to ground into a routine 6-4-3 double play to escape the inning and give the Barnstormers a chance to come back.
That comeback came on one swing of the bat. After Fehlandt Lentini singled with one out in the fourth, Ryan Harvey unloaded a two-run homer off the scoreboard in left center for a 2-1 lead. Tommy Everidge followed with a double to the gap in right center, but Lancaster could do no more against starter Chris Hayes.
Back-to-back two-out doubles by Nelson and Navarrete tied the game in the fifth. Blake Gailen gunned down Navarrete at the plate on an ensuing single by Brandon Sing to preserve the tie.
While the Barnstormers managed only one baserunner over the final four innings, the Ducks threatened constantly. Halama stared down a runner at second with nobody out in the sixth and dodged three walks in the seventh. Beau Vaughan allowed two hits in the eighth inning, but Ronnie Morales got a double play out of pinch hitter Matt Esquivel to send the game into the ninth, still at 2-2.
Eric Niesen (3-2) retired the final five Lancaster hitters to earn the win.
Lancaster returns home to close out the regular season schedule at Clipper Magazine Stadium with a four-game series against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. Mark Brackman (8-9) will take the hill on Friday evening against right-hander Gaby Hernandez (3-1). Fireworks will follow the game. Fans may tune in on 1390-AM, WLAN; 1390wlan.com or the I Heart Radio cell phone app, beginning at 6:45.
NOTES: Harvey's homer was his 13th in his last 19 games...He has driven in 34 runs in that span...Halama tied Denny Harriger's franchise record with his 19th quality start of the season...The Barnstormers have now dropped five of nine since Labor Day.
• Discuss this story on the Atlantic League message board...
Atlantic League Stories from September 13, 2012
- Bridgeport Wins Rubber Match - Bridgeport Bluefish
- Skeeters Hold off Patriots Rally for 11-9 Win - Somerset Patriots
- Record Setting Night in New Jersey with Win - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Navarrete's Walk-Off Burns Barnstormers - Long Island Ducks
- Navarrete Single Sinks Barnstormers - Lancaster Stormers
- AT&T, Revolution Team up for "It Can Wait" Campaign - York Revolution
- Sing Launch Hands Barnstormers Loss In Marathon - Lancaster Stormers
- Sing Ends Marathon with Waddle-Off Blast - Long Island Ducks
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.
