BARNSTORMERS CONTINUE ROLL

Proctor Homer Propels Lancaster to Win

A two-run homer by Chris Proctor in the bottom of the sixth inning put the Lancaster Barnstormers ahead to stay en route to an 11-5 win over the Lexington Legends Thursday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

The win was Lancaster’s 12^th in the last 13 games and moved the club 4 ½ games ahead of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in the second half North chase.

David Lebron (5-3) issued a leadoff walk to Joseph Carpenter who took second on a wild pitch before Proctor, a catcher obtained in an earlier trade with the High Point Rockers, cleared the boards in right for a 6-4 lead.

Lancaster had jumped ahead in the second inning as Ariel Sandoval’s grounder to third plated Trayvon Robinson who beat the throw from Montrell Marshall home.  After the Legends had tied the game on a passed ball in the top of the fourth, RBI singles by Sandoval and Carpenter, plus a bases loaded walk to Melvin Mercedes advanced Lancaster’s lead to 4-1 through four.

Tillman Pugh followed a pair of walks with a two-run double to left in the top of the fifth, and Marshall tied the game with a solo homer in the top of the sixth.

Courtney Hawkins again brought the Legends back with an RBI single in the top of the seventh, but Lancaster put the game away in its half of the inning.

Marshall’s two-out error on a ground ball by Carpenter allowed Robinson to scamper home with a run and keep the inning alive.  Chris Proctor walked, and Jake Hoover drove home both with a double to right.  Melvin Mercedes yanked a double to left to knock Hoover home for a 10-5 lead.

Lancaster added an unearned run without a hit in the eighth.

Nile Ball (7-3) worked the first six innings to earn the win.  The right-hander, who took a no-hitter into the sixth against Lexington on June 28, yielded five hits and four runs.  He walked three and struck out nine.

Lancaster will host the Legends again on Saturday night with fireworks to follow.  Right-hander Cameron Gann (6-8) will take the hill.  Fans may also tune into the Barnstormers YouTube channel, starting at 6:25.

NOTES:  Ball broke a four-way tie for the team lead in wins…Lancaster reached double figures in runs for the fourth time in the last eight games…Ariel Sandoval extended a hitting streak to nine games; Anderson Feliz moved his to eight…The Barnstormers reached double digits in strikeouts for the 40^th time this season.ReplyReply allForward