Pollok, Mejia Take Lancaster To Third Straight
September 16, 2012 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release
Dwayne Pollok tossed six innings of two-hit baseball, and Gilberto Mejia launched a three-run homer on Sunday afternoon as the Lancaster Barnstormers took their third straight from Southern Maryland, 8-3, in the regular season home finale at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
The win was Lancaster's 86th of the season, tying the league record set by the 2009 Somerset Patriots. It also kept the Barnstormers two games ahead of York in the second half Freedom Division race.
Pollok (14-3) allowed only a leadoff home run by Casey Benjamin to right center in the second inning over the first five frames. Mike Daniel reached him for a leadoff single up the middle in the sixth, but any threat was quickly erased as Brian Barton banged into a 6-4-3 double play.
Over his six innings, Pollok walked two and struck out five. Four of the strikeouts came in succession in the third and fourth innings.
The Barnstormers bolted out to a quick 3-0 lead against Dan Reichert (6-6) on some sloppy defensive play by the Blue Crabs in the first inning. Mejia walked, and Adam Godwin followed with a single off the glove of second baseman Casey Benjamin to open the home first. Blake Gailen hit a grounder to Benjamin, but his throw to shortstop Kevin Rios pulled him off the bag as the Blue Crabs did not get an out on the play. Tommy Everidge spanked a grounder to Rios. He mishandled it and fed Benjamin too late at second to get Gailen. Benjamin made a second error on the play, missing first baseman Jesse Gutierrez with a throw that went out of bounds. Three runs scored as a result of the play.
Lancaster went up, 4-1, in the third inning. Fehlandt Lentini led off with a walk and scored when Ryan Harvey blistered a double inside the third base bag. Mejia's homer in the fifth built the cushion to 7-1, and the Barnstormers notched their last run in the eighth on a two-out RBI double to left center by Lentini.
Southern Maryland put two runs on the board in the ninth before Ronnie Morales got two ground ball outs to quench the fire.
The Barnstormers are off on Monday and open a three-game series at Bridgeport on Tuesday evening. Lancaster will send Alan Johnson (14-5) to the hill against right-hander Matt Pike (3-9). 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: Lancaster also set the club record for most home wins at 48...Pollok dropped his league leading ERA to 2.19...The right-hander is expected to make one more start...Godwin had three hits and Lentini one...Both have 168 on the season and will need two over the final six games to tie the franchise record and 11 to tie the league record...Gailen remains the Atlantic League batting leader at .334...Godwin is second at .331 and Lentini checks in third at .326.
• Discuss this story on the Atlantic League message board...
Atlantic League Stories from September 16, 2012
- Pollok, Mejia Take Lancaster To Third Straight - Lancaster Stormers
- Revs Clinch Third Straight Playoff Berth - York Revolution
- 'Fish Edge Skeeters - Bridgeport Bluefish
- Bluefish Even Series with Late Comeback - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Matt Leads the Way - Long Island Ducks
- Revolution Blank Patriots 2-0 to Complete Sweep - Somerset Patriots
- Six-Run Second Guides Barnstormers To Sweep - Lancaster Stormers
- Sharks Swipe Twinbill from Ducks - 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.
