Stormers Survive Heartstopping Ninth
AtL Lancaster Stormers

Stormers Survive Heartstopping Ninth

Published on July 19, 2026 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


Matt Swarmer dominated, but the right-hander could not get the final out.

The right-hander faced two batters over the minimum for 8 2/3 innings and carried a 6-1 lead with one out left to get.

Terrell Tatum doubled, leading to a sting of five straight hits off Swarmer (1-4) and Cole Patten before the latter finally struck out Rene Pinto to hold on to a 6-4 victory over the Long Island Ducks Sunday afternoon at Fairfield Properties Ballpark.

The win gained a split of the six-game series for the Stormers.

Lancaster had taken control of the game in the top half of the fourth inning. With the score tied, 1-1, David Smith drilled a leadoff single into right off Tanner Jacobson (3-4) and moved to second on a walk to Joe DeLuca. Joseph Carpenter advanced the runners with a bunt. Jalen Battles was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Scott Kelly's dribbler up the third base line broke the 1-1 deadlock. Melvin Mercedes produced a second tally with a groundout, and Corey Rosier made it 4-1, legging out an infield hit. Kelly scored the inning's fourth run on a wild pitch.

The 5-1 lead held until the top of the ninth when Nathan Martorella hit his fourth homer of the series, a liner clearing the wall in right field.

Swarmer checked Long Island on three hits and a walk over the first eight innings, striking out only two. He retired Wilmer Difo on a deep fly to center to open the ninth. Kole Kaler followed with a medium flyout to left.

Then Tatum roped a 3-1 pitch into right center for the double. Gavin Collins reached on a ground single that Kelly stopped up the middle. Marcus Chiu snuck an RBI single into center to chase Swarmer.

Patten took over and yielded a soft line drive single to left by Aaron Takacs that barely eluded Mercedes' diving effort. Alsander Womack grounded a single into right to score the third run. Both runners moved up on a double steal before Patten fanned Pinto on a high fastball for his second save.

Lancaster will entertain York at Penn Medicine Park on Tuesday. The game will be carried on Dugout TV and Blue Ridge Cable beginning at 6:40.

NOTES: Martorella has six homers total out of Fairfield Properties Ballpark in 12 games...Rosier extended his on base streak to 25 games...Mercedes has 12 walks in five games.

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Atlantic League Stories from July 19, 2026


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