NEW GUYS DELIVER
Amaral, Wagner Lead Stormers to Dramatic Win
Eight days prior, neither man wore a Lancaster jersey. On Friday evening, Danny Amaral and Brandon Wagner led a come-from-behind win as the Stormers defeated the Long Island Ducks in the opener of a three-game series at Penn Medicine Park.
Amaral went 4-for-4 with a key hit during the seventh inning rally, and Wagner launched the deciding home run in the eighth as the Stormers fought back from a 4-0 deficit to take a 6-4 victory from the Ducks.
Lancaster has now won three of its last four games.
For 6 ½ innings, Friday night’s rain-delayed contest looked grim. Zach Plesac had stymied Lancaster on three Amaral singles. Long Island broke through against Keylan Killgore with an unearned run in the top of the fifth, and a triple by Cody Thomas along with sac fly by Justin O’Conner added a second run in the sixth. A two-out uprising in the seventh off Christian Scafidi made it 4-0.
Lancaster’s rally started quickly against Tim Melville in the seventh as Joseph Carpenter grounded a single up the middle and Nick Lucky followed with his second homer of the season. Two outs later, Yeison Coca was hit by a pitch. Amaral, instead of swinging for a game-tying homer guided a single into right to extend the inning.
Then, the Stormers caught a break. First baseman Taylor Kohlwey failed to control a grounder by Nick Ward, allowing the ball to get into right field as Coca scored to make it 4-3. Mason Martin singled into center to tie the game.
Michael McAvene (1-0) survived a leadoff double by Kohlwey in the eighth to send the game into the bottom of the inning tied. Carpenter again led off with a single to center and left for pinch runner LeDarious Clark, who was later thrown out trying to steal third. However, Ariel Sandoval launched a long double to left, and Wagner followed with his blast off Mark Washington (1-2) over the tents in right.
On this night, there would be no ninth inning drama. Kyle Johnson took the hill and fanned the side on 13 pitches for his first save of the season.
The Stormers will send Tim Brennan (0-1) to the mound on Saturday at 6:45 against Long Island lefty Juan Hillman (0-0). Fireworks will follow. Fans may tune in on FloBaseball, starting at 6:40.
NOTES: Amaral has nine hits in the last three games…Wagner hit 20 homers for the Tampa Yankees in 2018…Sandoval’s double was his first extra base hit at home…Martin’s single in the seventh was his first hit in 13 at bats at home…Johnson got the call with four of Lancaster’s late inning relievers having worked both Wednesday and Thursday.