Barnstormers Checked in Bridgeport

BARNSTORMERS CHECKED IN BRIDGEPORT
Bluefish Take Opener, 3-1

The Lancaster Barnstormers managed only eight baserunners on Tuesday night. They lost four of them.

Bridgeport pitchers also struck out 14 en route to a 3-1 victory over the Barnstormers in the opener of a three-game series at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard.

The loss left the Barnstormers tied with Southern Maryland for first place in the Freedom Division after a 27-day run alone at the top.

Charles Brewer (4-1) yielded four singles over six innings with two walks and nine strikeouts. He was also aided by Lancaster’s baserunning.

In the first, Darian Sandford was thrown out stealing second. Sandford was picked off second base in the third following an infield single and wild pitch. In the fourth, Blake Gailen singled Caleb Gindl to third. The throw from right fielder Andrew Lambo was cut off by Luis Hernandez and fired back to first to nab Gailen around the bag.

Finally, in the fifth inning, Vladimir Frias, aboard on a two-base throwing error with two outs, attempted a delayed steal of third and was nabbed.

Jarret Leverett (4-1) faced the minimum of nine batters through the first three innings but allowed a leadoff double inside the third base bag to Hernandez in the fourth. Two outs later, Sean Burroughs singled to right to drive in the game’s first run.

Bridgeport added two more in the fifth. WIth one out, Jonathan Galvez hit a sinking liner to right which Caleb Gindl lost in the lights for a triple. Andrew Lambo followed with a grounder to first baseman K.C. Hobson, who attempted to make a play behind Galvez and was late. Angel Rosa grounded into a force play to score one, and following a bad throw on Rosa’s steal attempt, Hernandez singled to center for a 3-0 lead.

Lancaster could only manage a one-out solo homer by Sean Halton in the seventh off reliever Drake Britton. The ‘Stormers’ final eight batters were retired with David Carpenter earning his 20th save.

The two clubs meet again on Wednesday with Brad Bergesen (3-3) on the hill for Lancaster against Tyler Badamo (1-3). Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 6:55.

NOTES: The Barnstormers matched a season high by striking out 14 times in the game…Leverett fired his third consecutive quality start…Halton broke up a shutout with a seventh inning homer for the second time in 11 days.