BARNSTORMERS PREVAIL IN FIGHT-MARRED MATINEE

Graham Pins Down 7-6 Win Over York

Nearly 330 pitches were thrown at Clipper Magazine Stadium on Sunday afternoon, but the Atlantic League will be focused on a mere few over the next couple of days.

Five batters were hit, leading to the benches emptying in the seventh inning and, ultimately, three ejections.

When the dust settled, the Lancaster Barnstormers prevailed, 7-6, over the York Revolution as Josh Graham struck out four of the six batters he faced in an extended save.

The strife began when Lancaster starter Dominic DiSabatino hit Elmer Reyes with a pitch following the second homer of the afternoon for Troy Stokes, Jr.  Nothing developed there, but, when the Barnstormers stepped into the box in the bottom of the inning, Nick Travieso’s first pitch brushed back Jake Hoover.  The next flew behind the batter’s head.  Benches started to head out, and warnings were issued to both benches.

Hoover eventually walked.  Devon Torrence was hit in the foot with no one taking offense.  One out later, LeDarious Clark singled to left to score Hoover.  Kelly Dugan walked, and with two outs, Anderson Feliz cleared the bases with a double off the fence in right center, giving the ‘Stormers a 4-2 lead.

Then, Anthony Peroni was hit by a Travieso fastball.  Calm prevailed at that moment, but it set the stage for later events.

York scored one in the fifth on a bases loaded walk to Melky Mesa before Mercedes made a leaping catch of a busted bat looper by Nellie Rodriguez to quell the threat.

The teams exchanged runs over the next inning on a Dugan homer for Lancaster and an RBI bloop hit by Jack Kenley in the top of the sixth.  Devon Torrence made it 6-4 with an RBI single in the sixth.  Clark advanced the lead one more with an RBI ground ball.

Tyler Suellentrop hit Stokes with a pitch to open the top of the seventh, however, prompting the benches to clear.  After nearly 15 minutes of sifting through the rubble, the umpiring crew ejected Suellentrop, Lancaster manager Ross Peeples and York first base coach Sandy De Leon.

Play finally resumed.  Elmer Reyes greeted Donald Goodson with a long single to right that sent Stokes to third, and Mesa singled to left to drive home one.  Mesa was then caught attempting to steal second.  Undeterred, the Revs kept on the attack.  Rodriguez walked, and Carlos Franco drilled a ground rule double to left center to trim the lead back to 7-6.

Goodson got a grounder to short out of J.C. Encarnacion with Rodriguez holding at third.  Josue Herrera walked to load the bases, and acting manager Jeff Bianchi went to Josh Graham out of the bullpen.  A pitch to Kenley briefly escaped Peroni.  The lead runners held, but Herrera wandered too far off first, and Lancaster was able to throw behind him for the final out of the inning.

Graham then retired four of six hitters over the next two innings to record his first save.

The series resumes at People’s Bank Park on Tuesday at 6:30.  Brent Teller (2-1) will take the hill for the Barnstormers against Alex Sanabia (1-1).  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, starting at 6:25.

NOTES:  Lancaster leads the 2022 War of the Roses, four games to two…Clark had five hits in a row before grounding out in the fifth…He has the season-high hitting streak at nine…Dugan has homered in all five games he has played against York…Feliz finished the homestand with eight RBI.