Stormers On Verge

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Lancaster Stormers

Stormers On Verge

September 11, 2024 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


The "Second-Half" Stormers are on the verge of taking the capturing the North's second season for the third straight year.

Isan Diaz homered and drove in three while Joe Stewart lofted a grand slam onto the right field deck as the Lancaster Stormers topped the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars, 10-5, Wednesday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Lancaster's win, plus Long Island's 7-2 loss to High Point, dropped the club's magic number to one, meaning that either a Lancaster win or a Long Island loss on Thursday will seal the second half crown for the Stormers and secure a trip to the Division Series against the York Revolution beginning in Lancaster next Tuesday.

Hagerstown battled back and forth with the Stormers on Wednesday evening until Lancaster finally pulled away in the bottom of the seventh. With the score tied, 5-5, Trace Loehr greeted reliever Domingo Jimenez with a double into the right field corner. Damon Dues laid down a sacrifice bunt on which Jimenez fired belatedly to third, giving the Stormers runners at the corners. Gaige Howard walked to load the bags, and Diaz lined a single into right to give the Stormers the 6-5 edge. Jimenez battled back with a pair of strikeouts and had Stewart at 1-2 before the Lancaster center fielder was able to reach the picnic area with his fourth home run to break the game open.

The Flying Boxcars had grabbed the early lead off Oscar De La Cruz in the second. Nellie Rodriguez led off with a blast to left center. Joe Campagna was hit by a pitch. Ozzie Abreu and Dariel Gomez followed with singles to produce a second run. Tyler Hill made it 3-0 with a sacrifice fly.

Lancaster burst ahead in the bottom of the fourth. Joseph Carpenter reached on a high throw by Abreu from third. With Loehr batting, Carpenter took second on a wild pitch. He then scored as Loehr dropped a double down the left field line. One out later, Loehr scored on a ground single into right by Howard. Diaz followed with a two-run blast to right to go up, 4-3.

Hagerstown fought back with doubles by Gomez and Hill in the fourth. Once again, Lancaster forged ahead. Niko Hulsizer opened the bottom of the inning with a triple off the vinyl in center. Stewart quickly brought him home with a sac fly to right.

Again, the Boxcars fought back as Demetruis Moorer walked off Scott Engler (1-0) and scored an unearned run in the top of the seventh.

Max Green (12-5) will look to pitch Lancaster into the post-season on Thursday evening. He will be matched up against Hagerstown right-hander Parker Markel (2-6). Fans may tune into FloBaseball at 6:40.

NOTES: Lancaster's bullpen threw four hitless innings but walked five and hit one...Diaz has 34 RBI in his last 28 games...Stewart has 19 in 17 games...Lancaster leads the season series against Hagerstown, 18-2...Over the past three seasons, the Stormers are 119-66 in the second half.

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Atlantic League Stories from September 11, 2024


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