BARNSTORMERS DOUBLE DOWN ON YORK

Five Two-Baggers in One Inning Bring 8-5 Win

The Lancaster Barnstormers kept finding the gaps in the top of the sixth.

Five doubles to the alleys led to seven runs as the Barnstormers topped the York Revolution, 8-5, winning their second straight at WellSpan Park. 

The win moved the Barnstormers into a first place tie with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.  York trails by one-half game.

With only three singles on the ledger for the night heading into the sixth, the Barnstormers went to work on Tom Sutera (7-5) in the sixth.  Andretty Cordero reached on an infield single to open the inning.  Ariel Sandovall followed with a single up the middle.  Then came the doubles.

Wilson Garcia reached the gap in right center to score Cordero to give Lancaster a 2-1 lead.  Joseph Carpenter reached the wall in right center for a two-run double and a 4-1 edge.  For the second straight night, York summoned Zach Neff to face Shawon Dunston, Jr.  For the second straight night, Dunston spoiled the strategy, this time dumping a double into shallow left center, only sending Carpenter to third.  Neff struck out the next two, but Melvin Mercedes found the right center gap to score two more.  Neff walked Yeison Coca, and Cordero capped the inning with a two-run single to right center as the Barnstormers went up, 8-1.

Then, it was time to hold on.

Jared Lakind (7-3), coming back after the long wait, walked Nellie Rodriguez to open the bottom of the sixth.  One out later, Jacob Rhinesmith belted a double to the fence in dead center.  Both scored on Alejandro Rivero’s single to center. 

Brandyn Sittinger rescued the inning with a pair of strikeouts.  Then, in the seventh, Tomo Otosaka picked up the third of his four walks in the game and scored on a double to center by Troy Stokes, Jr., cutting the lead to 8-4.  Sittinger struck out the side after that.

York again put together a rally in the eighth.  Rhinesmith singled to right and stole second.  Brian Marconi retired two, but a passed ball sent Rhinesmith to third, and he scored on an infield single by Trent Giambrone behind third base.  Otosaka walked to bring Stokes to the plate as the tying run.  Nick Duron came out of the pen to get Stokes to ground to third, ending the inning.

Mike Adams allowed a leadoff single to Drew Mendoza in the ninth before getting the side in order for his sixth save.

Lancaster and York will finish the series on Thursday evening at 6:30.  Nile Ball (6-4) is scheduled for Lancaster against right-hander Pedro Vasquez (5-1).  Fans may tune in on FloBaseball, starting at 6:25.

NOTES:  York now leads the War of the Roses, 9-5, with seven games remaining…Carpenter extended a hitting streak to eight games…Garcia is 13-for-27 in the last seven games…Adams threw his seventh straight scoreless appearance, covering eight innings…RHP Nolan Long was placed on the injured list prior to the game.