AtL Lancaster Stormers

Patriots Clinch At Barnstormers Expense

Published on July 2, 2014 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


The Somerset Patriots are the first team to advance to the Atlantic League playoffs in 2014. The Lancaster Barnstormers have to scramble to become the second.

Somerset used a strong start by left-hander Matt Maloney and a pair of early two-run homers to defeat Lancaster, 5-2, in the second game of a four-game series at TD Bank Park.

With five games remaining on the schedule, the Barnstormers trail York by two. The Revs hold the tiebreaker and a magic number of three.

Coming off seven shutout innings against Southern Maryland, Brandon Mann (1-1) struggled early. The lefty recovered from back-to-back walks in the first inning, but, in the second, Ty Wright led off with a single to left center, and Brian Barden whacked a two-run blast to left center for his second home run and a 2-0 lead.

Somerset was done scoring by the first out in the third. Aharon Eggleston picked up a walk and scored when Mike Wilson doubled through the alley in right center. Corey Smith followed with a two-run homer to left center, giving the Pats a 5-0 edge.

Maloney (4-3) retired 14 of the first 15 batters he faced. Juan Apodaca reached him for a two-out double to right center in the fifth and scored on Lance Zawadzki's two-bagger to the gap in left center.

Neither side produced another hit until the top of the ninth. Cole Garner reached Mike DeMark for a leadoff homer, his sixth in 10 days and league leading 15th of the year. Gabe Jacobo followed with a double, but that would be as far as Lancaster would get. Closer Jon Hunton came on to retire three in a row for his 21st save, getting Somerset one step closer to a sixth league championship.

Lancaster sends Mark Rogers (3-2) to the hill on Wednesday night against lefty Matt Zielinski (7-2). Fans may tune into 1390-AM, WLAN; 1600-AM, WPDC; 1390wlan.com or the I Heart Radio cellphone app beginning at 6:45.

NOTES: With his home run, Garner extended his hitting streak to 14 games, the club high this season...Apodaca stretched his streak to 10...Wilson Batista saw his 24-game on-base streak come to an end when he struck out looking on a 3-2 pitch in the eighth...Batista was forced into the leadoff spot with Yusuke Kajimoto ailing from an injury in Monday's game...For the seventh time, the Barnstormers failed to reach 11 games over .500 in 2014.

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Atlantic League Stories from July 2, 2014


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