AtL Lancaster Stormers

'Stormers over Sharks

Published on June 23, 2008 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


The Lancaster Barnstormers returned home from a successful road trip and followed the same pattern - a quality start, some timely hitting and the bullpen depth to finish - to take a 5-3 decision from the Camden Riversharks Monday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

In the process, the Barnstormers had to survive a massive night from Camden first baseman Kyle Nichols, whom Lancaster released just nine days earlier. Nichols went 4-for-4 with a pair of homers and three RBI. The rest of the Riversharks lineup produced only five hits.

Josh Hall (3-0) pitched into the eighth inning to beat the Riversharks for the second time in three weeks. The right-hander from Lynchburg, VA allowed six hits, including the two Nichols homers, while walking none and striking out just one.

The game was scoreless until Nichols' first homer, a fly ball onto the picnic tents in right field, starting the sixth. Lancaster quickly recovered against lefty Sean Thompson (1-3) in the bottom of the inning.

Thompson, who had been nearly flawless in the first five innings, walked both Mike Woods and Manny Mejia and sent them to second and third on a wild pitch. A second strike to Jutt Hileman eluded catcher Jason Phillips, and Woods dashed home, just beating a toss back to Thompson covering the plate. Hileman then scored Mejia with a double into the left field corner for a 2-1 lead.

After that, balls started flying. Ivanon Coffie lashed a line drive out of the park to right field in the bottom of the seventh, but Nichols answered with a blast to left, leading off the eighth, again creating a one-run game. Mejia stretched the lead with a homer to right center in the bottom of the inning, and Jarred Ball's RBI double tacked on a fifth run.

Jose Cabrera replaced Ryan Cullen in the ninth. The veteran right-hander walked Jason Phillips and gave up a sinking line drive single to center by Ron Davenport. He quickly retired Richard Lewis and Randy McGarvey, but Nichols reached him for an RBI single to left center, slicing the lead to 5-3. Cabrera fanned Gabe Suarez on a 3-2 pitch for the final out to record his sixth save.

NOTES: Juan Francia left the game with a muscle pull running out a fly ball to center leading off the game...The Barnstormers are 7-0 when Hall starts...He threw the team's sixth quality start in the last nine games...Lancaster has won all six...Mejia homered for the second straight game...Coffie has an extra-base hit in three straight...Hileman, who went 1-for-16 in Southern Maryland over the weekend, had two doubles in the game...The Barnstormers are within seven games of .500 for the first time since losing in Somerset on May 19...They are within 2 ½ games of the fourth best record in the league...D.J. Mattox (1-2, 1-4) will start for Lancaster on Tuesday evening against right-hander Tony Peguero (2-0)...Game time is 7:05.

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Atlantic League Stories from June 23, 2008


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