Oh, So Wright
Published on September 3, 2011 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release
The only question that remained after Saturday night's effort by Matt Wright was: "Does that performance rank as the best ever by a Barnstormers pitcher -
In one aspect, it definitely was.
Wright (6-10) pitched a sterling one-hitter, the first in franchise history, as the Barnstormers blanked the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, 9-0, in front of 8,176 at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
The Waco, Texas native did not walk a batter and struck out nine. Southern Maryland's only hit came early. Ben Harrison raked a ground rule double into the left field corner with two outs in the second. Brian Barton became the only other Blue Crabs runner on the night, but only after chasing a 3-2 pitch in the dirt for Wright's seventh strikeout. Matt Tupman raced toward the backstop to dig it out, but his throw was high. Not that it ultimately mattered.
He got some help out in right field as well. Travis Metcalf, a career third baseman who never played the outfield before this season, made a sensational diving catch on a slicing fly ball into the right field corner for the second out in the sixth. Earlier, Metcalf made a fine running catch against Barton's liner to the warning track.
Bridger Hunt flied to shallow center on the 102nd pitch of the night, and Wright, who looked like he could have thrown at least one more inning, could enjoy his first Atlantic League shutout.
Lancaster made it easy for Wright early, scoring four in the bottom of the first inning. Gilberto Mejia, playing for the first time in eight days, and Wayne Lydon greeted Michael Schlact (6-4) with singles. Tommy Everidge struck out after narrowly missing the right field foul line on his previous swing. Fernando Seguignol was robbed on a diving catch by Adam Godwin in left for the second out, but Matt Watson singled to right, scoring Mejia. Lydon and Watson moved up on Harrison's throw home. Metcalf walked to fill the bases, and Iggy Suarez delivered a two-run single to right center for a 3-0 lead. Yaibel Tamayo beat out a dribbler that died between the mound and the plate to knock home a fourth run.
The Barnstormers would contribute three home runs to the cause. Wayne Lydon reached the Home Run Harbor net on a solo shot in the second. Everidge crushed a mammoth two-run homer to left in the fourth, and Seguignol launched his 17th of the season and sixth against the Blue Crabs over the picnic tents to cap the scoring in the seventh.
Lancaster will host Southern Maryland again on Sunday evening at 6:00. Yunior Novoa (5-4) will take the hill against recently acquired right-hander Ben Moore. The game will be aired on Fox Sports Radio, 1490, WLPA and streamed online on sportsjuice.com (audio only) and ibnsports.com.
Atlantic League Stories from September 3, 2011
- Oh, So Wright - Lancaster Stormers
- Patriots Top Ducks 6-1 - Somerset Patriots
- Crabs Can't 'Wright' Ship - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
- 'Sharks Blown out by Bluefish - Camden Riversharks
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