stormers News

ANDERSON STRONG IN LOSS

For the second straight evening, a Lancaster left-hander gave a stellar performance.  For the second straight night, he got no support.

John Anderson fired six innings, giving up only one earned run, but the Barnstormers got nowhere against David Holmberg and a pair of relievers as the Somerset Patriots captured the series finale against the ‘Stormers, 3-0.

Anderson (5-4) allowed an unearned run in the top of the first.  The southpaw was greeted by consecutive singles off the bats of Ramon Flores and Rey Navarro.  Anderson coaxed a double play out of Jimmy Paredes putting a runner at third with two outs.  Before Edwin Espinal was retired on a ground ball, an Anderson pitch slipped through the legs of catcher Anderson De La Rosa for a run-producing passed ball.

A two-out RBI single by Alfredo Rodriguez in the fifth brought home the second Somerset run of the night.  It scored Michael Ohlman, who reached base when his fly ball to center eluded the lunging try of Darian Sandford.

A third Patriots run came as the result of Will Kengor’s home run to right center off Scott Shuman in the ninth.

Meanwhile, the Barnstormers were stymied throughout the night by David Holmberg and the bullpen.  Holmberg (1-2) allowed four hits and two walks over seven innings.  Greg Golson doubled off Mike Broadway in the eighth.  Closer Mike Antonini issued a walk to Caleb Gindl in the ninth en route to his 23rd save.

Lancaster managed a runner in eight of the nine innings, always before the second out.  Darian Sandford reached third base on three occasions.  The club simply could not score.

When the game ended, the Barnstormers had gone 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position and 1-for-18 with runners on base.  Somerset turned three double plays, one of which occurred when Sandford attempted to score on a pop fly to shallow right center.  Rey Navarro’s throw to plate nabbed the Lancaster speedster on a razor thin play.

The final moment of frustration for the Lancaster offense came in the bottom of the ninth.  Following the lengthy walk to Gindl, Joe Terdoslavich lifted a fly ball to shallow left field.  Ramon Flores took a misstep backward, but Rodriguez made a mad dash back from short and rescued the play on the dead run, keeping the ‘Stormers from getting the tying run into scoring position.

Lancaster opens a three-game series against Southern Maryland on Friday night.  Jonathan Albaladejo will make his first start since early May.  He will match up against right-hander Michael Kelly.  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel at 6:45.

NOTES:  Sandford stole his 23rd base of the season and 150th as a Barnstormer, moving him into 10th place all-time in Atlantic League history…Logan Sawyer stretched his streak of scoreless innings to 9 1/3.