AtL Lancaster Stormers

Peeples Fires Gem, Blanks Somerset

Published on July 18, 2011 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


Ross Peeples followed up his All-Star Game win with a brilliant performance at TD Bank Ballpark on Monday evening.

The left-hander tossed a four-hit shutout, beating the Somerset Patriots, 3-0, in the opener of a four-game series.

Peeples needed only 92 pitches and 30 batters to get the job done. Only one batter reached second base safely in the game. That blip on the night came in the third when Patriots center fielder Joe Holden blasted a ground rule double to the alley in right center. Norris Hopper ripped a grounder to Gilberto Mejia at second. End of inning.

Peeples (7-4) scattered three other singles and issued one walk, a leadoff five-pitch pass to Michael Hernandez in the seventh. Two of those runners were wiped out on double plays.

Fernando Cortez kept Somerset alive with a sharp two-out single to right in the ninth. Peeples calmly got Hernandez to ground into a 5-4 force to end the game.

He only struck out three on the night. There was plenty of help from the defense. Shortstop Iggy Suarez made a slick play in the hole on Hernandez in the first inning and got both double plays started. In the ninth, he dashed to his left to stop a bounder up the middle by Norris Hopper, made a complete turn and gunned down the Somerset leadoff batter.

The outfielders made their contribution as well. Brandon Jones made a running backhanded catch near the track against Hernandez in the fourth, and J.C. Holt made a running grab on a shallow pop fly by John Pachot in the fifth.

Lancaster's offense was similarly scant. Somerset right-hander Nic Ungs (3-5) took a three-hit shutout into the seventh, when the defense behind him had a huge lapse.

Matt Watson got the seventh started with a smash down the first base line. Justin Huber was able to knock it down, but his rushed throw to first was behind Ungs. Watson was awarded the only hit of the inning. Aaron Herr hit a bounder to Huber who lost the handle, deflecting the ball toward Hagen at second. Hagen could not find the grip, either, and Herr was safe at first on the error. Adam Calderone dropped a bunt toward the third base line. Catcher John Pachot made the pickup, but his throw glanced off Hagen's glove at first and went out of play, allowing Watson to score. Herr held at third on a ground out by Holt but charged home on a similar grounder by Matt Tupman. Hagen's throw home was low and toward the first base side of the plate, allowing Herr to slide home safely. Calderone sprinted home on a check swing grounder by Mejia for the third unearned run of the inning.

The two clubs meet for a day-night doubleheader on Tuesday. Lefties Yunior Novoa (1-2) and Jason Cromer (2-2) will match up in the 11:05 AM opener. J.D. Durbin (3-1) will try to win his fourth straight start in the 7:05 PM second game against southpaw Bill Pulsipher (2-4). Both games will be broadcast on Fox Sports Radio, 1490, WLPA and streamed live on sportsjuice.com.

NOTES: Peeples shutout was his second as a Barnstormer, with the other coming in August, 2005 against Newark...It was the third thrown by a Lancaster pitcher this season...The only other complete game shutout tossed in the Atlantic League this season was against Lancaster by Long Island's Mike Parisi...Lancaster trails York by one game in the second half.

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Atlantic League Stories from July 18, 2011


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