BARNSTORMERS RALLY FALLS SHORT AFTER MOUND DELAY

Brito Homers Lead Staten Island

Sunday’s 7-5 Staten Island victory over the Lancaster Barnstormers can only be classified as bizarre.

For example, at one point, Staten Island had six runs on three hits, all homers.  Lancaster had three baserunners thrown out in key situations.  To top it off, the game was delayed 88 minutes as a hole opened up on the artificial mound.

Chris Brito’s two early home runs ended up leading the FerryHawks to the win.  Rutgers’ all-time homer and RBI king clubbed a three-run shot off Dominic DiSabatino in the first and added a solo blast in the third to counter a Wilson Garcia homer as the FerryHawks built a 4-1 lead.

The first three Lancaster batters in the third inning doubled, but Lancaster managed to score only one run.  Garcia led off the inning with a ground rule double over the head of Yoshi Tsutsugo into the left field corner.  Joseph Carpenter drove a ball to left center that was nearly caught by Ricardo Cespedes.  Designated pinch runner Trayvon Robinson was waved around after initially heading back into second and was cut down at the plate on an 8-6-2 relay.  Carpenter took third on the play and scored when Shawon Dunston, Jr. doubled over the head of right fielder Juan Castro.  However, a 9-4-5 relay cut down Dunston at third, and Staten Island’s 4-2 lead held.

Tsutsugo added a two-run homer, only the FerryHawks’ third hit, in the fifth, and the 6-2 lead held into the bottom of the sixth when the mound delay occurred with Garrett Granitz on the hill.

Play resumed with Bret Clarke on the hill, and Garrett Kueber doubled off the glove of Carpenter down the right field line.  Bobby Sparling reached base when Loehr fielded a grounder near the bag, attempted to make a tag on Elliott, then made a wild throw to first.  Cespedes made it 7-2 with a sacrifice fly.

With Ivan Pineyro (5-3) unable to come back after the long delay, the Barnstormers rallied against the Staten Island pen.  Carpenter led off the seventh with a homer to left center off Ryan Mitschele.  Lancaster picked up a pair of two-out walks, and Yeison Coca produced a run with a single to left.

In the ninth, Anthony Peroni drew a leadoff walk from Cristofer Ogando.  Jack Conley was used as a pinch runner.  Loehr struck out after a long at bat, then, with a 2-1 count on Melvin Mercedes, Conley was thrown out on a steal attempt.  Mercedes doubled, Coca singled, and Andretty Cordero knocked home a run with a base hit to right.  Coca and Cordero executed a double steal, but Ariel Sandoval lined to third to close the game.

Lancaster will send Brent Teller (8-4) to the mound on Tuesday against York’s Carlos Espinal (7-3) in a 6:30 start at WellSpan Park.  Fans may travel across the river or tune into FloBaseball, beginning at 6:25.

NOTES:  Cordero extended a hitting streak to eight…Sandoval lost an eight-game streak…Garcia has four homers and three doubles in the last four games…Carpenter has hit safely in six straight…For the first time since July 26, the Barnstormers allowed more than four runs in a game…Twelve of Staten Island’s first 14 runs of the series scored on homers.