AtL Lancaster Stormers

Prieto Single Prevents Barnstormer Sweep

Published on April 27, 2008 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


The Lancaster Barnstormers were unable to complete a three-game series sweep of the Bridgeport Bluefish Sunday afternoon as Alex Prieto rolled a two-run single up the middle in the top of the ninth to provide the visitors with a 4-2 win at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Luis Lopez led off the ninth with a single under the glove of Ricardo Gomez (0-1). Gomez and first baseman Ian Bladergroen then misfired on a pickoff move with Bladergroen charging the plate for an anticipated bunt as Gomez went to throw. The balk moved Lopez to second. Jake Daubert drew a walk, and both runners moved up on Ryan Bear's sacrifice bunt. Prieto, batting with the infielders pulled to the grass, snuck his grounder up the middle to produce the winning runs.

Jutt Hileman broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth with a booming home run to left field off Bridgeport starter Rafael Bergstrom. Up until that point, the right-hander, who spent most of 2007 pitching in Israel, had yielded only a meaningless single to Bladergroen in the second inning.

The Barnstormers stretched the lead to 2-0 in the sixth. Danny Gonzalez picked up a one-out walk and was forced at second by Matt LeCroy. Brian Stavisky ripped a single toward the right field corner, sending LeCroy to third, and the Barnstormers' DH scored on a single to left center by Bladergroen.

After Eric Ackerman and Robert Averette had combined on a two-hit shutout through the first six innings, the Bluefish were finally able to strike in the seventh against reliever Judd Songster. Daubert looped a one-out single into left and advanced as Bear followed suit. Songster fanned Prieto, but Brian Munhall, in his first Atlantic League game, yanked a double into the left field corner to pull Bridgeport into the 2-2 tie.

Derek Ellison (1-0) retired the final five Lancaster hitters of the afternoon, three on strikes, to record the victory.

NOTES: Stavisky, Bladergroen and Hileman have hit safely in all three games of the season...Bladergroen and Hileman each has five RBI while Stavisky has knocked home four...Eleven Lancaster hitters struck out on Sunday afternoon, two more than in the first two games combined...Lancaster was 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position on Sunday after going 9-for-16 in RBI spots the first two games...Lancaster's deep left-handed staff has allowed only two runs in 14 innings of work on the season...The righties have been nicked for eight runs in 10 innings...The Barnstormers are off on Monday and travel to Long Island on Tuesday to open a three-game set against the Ducks...Game time each night at Citibank Park is 6:35...RHP Michael Nannini (0-0) will make the start for Lancaster against RHP John Searles on Tuesday.

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Atlantic League Stories from April 27, 2008


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