Barnstormers Rally in Eighth!

Winning Run Scores on Wild Pitch

After 21 outs since their last run, the Lancaster Barnstormers erupted for three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on Wednesday evening to topple the New Britain Bees, 6-5, in the rubber game of a three-game series.

With the win, the Barnstormers remained two games ahead of York in the Freedom Division’s second half race.

Lancaster trailed, 5-3, heading into the bottom of the eighth.  Cole Garner led off against Brandon League (0-2) with a double to the gap in left center.  League recovered to strike out Sean Halton, but he walked Steve Clevenger on four pitches, putting the tying run on base.  A wild pitch allowed runners to advance to second and third.  Garrett Weber brought one home with a flare to right center, and Nate Coronado rapped a single through the left side to score Clevenger with the tying run.  A two-out error by Jovan Rosa on a Lastings Milledge grounder loaded the bases.  League then uncorked his second wild pitch with Beau Amaral batting, and Weber sprinted home with the decisive run.

The Barnstormers scored their first three runs before Nick Greenwood could record the first out.  Amaral singled into left to open the inning.  Rosa committed his first error of the night on a grounder by Trayvon Robinson through his legs.  Garner singled home one run on a ball slapped into right field.  Halton followed with a double to right center to drive in two more.  Greenwood wiggled out of deeper trouble on his own great defense and gave the Bees six strong innings.

 New Britain bounced back with two runs in the third.  Joe Gardner, making his first start of the year, walked Michael Crouse, who stole second.  James Skelton singled to right, scoring Crouse with the first run.  Yusuke Kajimoto walked, and Rosa singled to center, driving in the second run.  Gardner escaped the inning with a 6-6-3 double play.

Michael Baca walked to start the seventh, and Skelton followed with a two-run homer to right off Kevin Munson.  Kajimoto bounced a single up the middle, and Rosa doubled to deep left center for the 5-3 edge.

Kaohi Downing struck out the side to get Lancaster out of the seventh.  R.J. Hively (4-0) pitched a scoreless eighth inning to earn the win.  Anthony Carter threw only six pitches in the ninth for a perfect inning and his 22^nd save.

The Barnstormers entertain the Sugar Land Skeeters on Thursday to open a four-game series.  Brad Bergesen (7-6) is slated for the Barnstormers against right-hander Jake Hale (7-3).  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 6:15.

NOTES:  Halton has 13 RBI in seven games and has a nine-game hitting streak…Carter has saved 21 in a row…Coronado has eight multi-hit games…The Barnstormers have still won at least two games in every home series but one this season…Amaral has hit safely in eight of his last nine games (13-for-34, .382)…Overall, the Barnstormers have won 11 of the last 14 games.