AtL Lancaster Stormers

Somerset Pitches Way to First Half Title

Published on July 1, 2009 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


Jim Magrane held the Barnstormers to one run over seven innings, sending Somerset to a division-clinching 4-2 win over a rain-soaked crowd of 2,734 Tuesday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Somerset holds a seven-game lead over the Newark Bears with seven to play. The tiebreaker also belongs to the Patriots based upon having the better record within the division.

Michael Woods lofted a one-out homer to right field off Magrane (9-1) in the first inning, giving the Barnstormers a quick but very short-lived, 1-0 lead.

The Patriots took control in the second. With one out, Jason Belcher lashed a single into left center field and moved up as Ben Fritz (3-4) walked Teuris Olivares. Travis Anderson bounced a grounder to the left of second baseman Danny Bravo. Bravo tried to start a double play, but his throw to shortstop David Housel missed its intended target and wound up in left field, allowing Belcher to score and Olivares to take third. Somerset pushed a second run across on a sacrifice fly by Elliott Ayala. Sean Smith singled to left, and Mike Rodriguez lined a base hit over Lloyd Turner's head at third base to produce a third run.

Somerset scored its final run, the only one earned against Fritz, in the fifth. Rodriguez bounced a single to center, stole second and went to third on a one-out wild pitch. Matt Hagen brought him across with a double to the gap in right center field.

Meanwhile, the Barnstormers spun their wheels. They brought the tying run to the plate in each of the last four innings, but never got any closer than that. Bravo flied to right for the final out in the sixth after a pair of singles. Turner grounded into a double play in the seventh after base hits by Housel and Ryan Mulhern. In the eighth, Bravo grounded into an inning ending force after two walks.

Bryan Sabatella opened the ninth with a double and went to third on a wild pitch. Housel walked, and the Barnstormers were able to bring one run across on an infield out by Mulhern. Bret Prinz settled down to strike out two, earning his fourth save of the campaign.

The Barnstormers remain at home to take on the York Revolution on Thursday night as the War of the Roses continues. A code red has been declared, and each of the first 2,000 fans through the gates on Thursday evening will get a rally towel. Lancaster will send Eric Ackerman (2-5) to the mound against former Barnstormers lefty Shane Youman (0-2). Game time is 7:05.

NOTES: Lancaster clinched at least a third place finish earlier with a York loss...The Barnstormers were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position on Wednesday night and 2-for-33 in the series...Somerset went the entire series without making an error...The Patriots took eight of ten from the Barnstormers in the first half...Quincy Foster and Danny Bravo both came out of the game with minor injuries and are expected to be available on Thursday...Nick Abel stranded the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, running his scoreless inning streak to 4 1/3 since joining the Barnstormers.

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Atlantic League Stories from July 1, 2009


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