BARNSTORMERS FILLET FISH, 4-3

Lancaster Takes Series Finale from Bridgeport

Opposite field fly balls produced all the offense that Lancaster would need on Sunday afternoon.

Mike Jacobs and Kevin Ahrens knocked consecutive RBI hits down the opposite stripes in the fourth inning, and Mike McDade homered onto the picnic deck in the seventh as the Barnstormers defeated the Bridgeport Bluefish in the rubber game of a three-game series at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

David Kubiak (6-4) held Lancaster without a base hit over the first three innings. However, he walked his fourth and fifth batters of the afternoon in the fourth inning, putting Trayvon Robinson and Josh Bell on board. Jacobs, batting against the left-handed shift, lofted a fly ball down the left field line. Angelys Nina sprinted over but came up a few feet short, and the ball spun away for an RBI double. Ahrens followed with a pop fly down the right side that landed out of Welington Dotel’s reach for a two-run single. Dotel got a measure of revenge, gunning down Ahrens at second base.

Lancaster’s only other run came in the seventh when McDade, batting with two outs and the bases empty, reached the front of the right field deck with his 14th home run of the season.

Joe Gardner (1-0) stubbornly held the lead through seven innings. The right-hander allowed a two-out RBI single to Sean Burroughs in the first inning and a two-out RBI bloop single to Luis Hernandez in the fifth.

The sixth was crucial as Dotel led off with a long double to right center, but the Bluefish were unable to bring him around. Gardner fanned the final two batters in the seventh with a runner at second.

He worked seven innings in his second start of the year, allowing seven hits and two runs. The right-hander walked one and struck out four.

Bridgeport inched closer off Pete Andrelczyk in the eighth. With two outs, Burroughs picked up his eighth hit of the series with a grounder off Andrelczyk’s leg. Jose Gil walked on a 3-2 pitch, and Jose Cuevas jerked a base hit into left field to drive home Burroughs. Nina grounded out to second to close the threat.

Cory Burns allowed a two-out single to Hernandez in the ninth en route to his 22nd save of the season.

Lancaster opens a five-game, four-day series against the Long Island Ducks on Monday. Joey Maher (1-1) will make his first home start for the Barnstormers. The Ducks counter with right-hander John Brownell. Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 6:45.

NOTES: Ahrens’ single extended his hitting streak to six games…The Barnstormers took two of three in the series despite registering only 22 hits…Burroughs and Dotel combined for 15 hits in the series…Burns is a perfect 11-for-11 in save chances at home.