Another Rally, Stormers Come Up Short.

York Holds Off ‘Stormers, 6-4

The Lancaster Barnstormers nearly overcame an early 6-0 deficit on Sunday afternoon but came up short as the York Revolution held on for a 6-4 victory in the finale of a three-game weekend series at People’s Bank Park.

With the win, the Revolution avoided a sweep at the hands of the Barnstormers and regained a one-game lead in the Freedom Division race with 20 games left on the schedule.

York jumped ahead of the ‘Stormers on a leadoff home run by Alonzo Harris in the first inning.  Rommie Lewis (8-11) retired the next seven batters before walking Travis Witherspoon with one out in the third.  Lewis got Harris to fly out to center, but lefty batting Jared Mitchell got to him for an opposite field homer and a 3-0 lead.

The game appeared to get out of hand in the fourth.  Lewis walked Luis Cruz with one out, and Dayron Varona kept the inning going with a single to left.  Ryan Dent lined a single into right field, and Cruz avoided a tag by Tyler Clark for the fourth run.  Witherspoon, who was 3-for-3, followed with a two-run double to the gap in left center as the Revolution broke the game open at 6-0.

Lewis and the Lancaster bullpen shut the Revolution down for the final 5 1/3 innings as the Barnstormers began to fight back against Frank Gailey (11-9).  Beau Amaral picked up the first run in the fifth, knocking home Josh Bell with a double into the left field corner.

The Barnstormers got Gailey out of the game in the sixth.  Cole Garner singled up the middle to lead off the inning, and Steve Clevenger bounced a single into right.  Nate Coronado greeted right-handed reliever Joe Van Meter with a three-run homer to left center.

That is where the Sunday rally ended.  Lancaster never earned another baserunner, only getting Clevenger aboard on a two-out error by Harris in the eighth.

Chase Huchingson retired the side in order in the ninth for his third save.

Lancaster will open a four-game series on Monday evening at Somerset.  Joe Gardner (0-3) will make the start for the Barnstormers against right-hander Will Oliver.  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 6:45.

NOTES: Amaral and Coronado extended hitting streaks to seven games and Clevenger to six…Coronado has three homers in his last four games…Through the first 24 1/3 innings of the series, the Barnstormers rapped out 37 hits…York hit seven homers in the three games…The game featured 22 strikeouts.