Barnstormers Stay On Roll

Robinson, Munson Lead Comeback Effort

Trayvon Robinson delivered late-inning offensive heroics, and Kevin Munson gave Lancaster a brilliant relief effort on Sunday afternoon as the streaking Barnstormers rallied for a 6-5 victory over the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

The win was the Barnstormers fifth straight and 24^th in the last 30 games.  It completed the club’s fifth series sweep in the last five weeks.

Down, 5-2, entering the home eighth, the Barnstormers picked up a leadoff walk from Blake Gailen.  Ryan Casteel’s ground single into left added a second runner, and Joey Terdoslavich was hit by a pitch, bringing up Robinson.

Gailen raced home on a wild pitch from Craig Stem (0-3).  Robinson, who doubled home a tying run Thursday, the winning runs on Friday and threw the tying run out at the plate on Saturday, cracked a two-run single into right center to tie the game.  Sam Runion entered the game for the Blue Crabs and clipped Vladimir Frias in the foot with a pitch.  Anderson De La Rosa moved the runners ahead with a bunt. Carlos Garcia lifted a fly ball to medium left, and Robinson barely beat Ryan Strausborger’s throw home with the deciding run.

Munson (2-0), who struck out the side in the eighth, fanned two more in the ninth around a pop up to third base to preserve his own win.  He notched the six outs on only 23 pitches.

The clubs exchanged runs early.  Frank Martinez beat out an infield single with two outs in the third to drive home Johnny Bladel with the game’s first marker.  Lancaster’s Blake Gailen and Southern Maryland’s Edwin Garcia traded home runs in the fourth and fifth innings, keeping the Blue Crabs up by a run.  Singles by Gailen and Casteel plus a sacrifice fly to left by Terdoslavich produced the tying tally in the bottom of the sixth.

In the top of the seventh, the Blue Crabs pushed ahead with three runs.  Garcia walked and moved to second on a single by Teodoro Martinez.  Frank Martinez stroked a grounder to Frias at short, but Frias missed his mark with a quick throw to second.  The ball ended up in right field, allowing Garcia to score and the other runners into scoring position.  Devon Rodriguez picked up Teodoro Martinez with a single to left. Another run scored on Robinson’s bobble.

Lancaster heads to Long Island for a three-game series beginning Monday. The Barnstormers will send RHP Steve Johnson (3-1) to the mound against right-hander Matt Larkins (2-1) in the opener.  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 6:15.

NOTES:  Noel stole his 18^th base of the year later in the eighth inning…Nate Reed failed to win for the first time in his last seven Atlantic League games in which he has thrown a pitch…Reed’s ERA “climbed” to 1.45 after allowing two runs in five innings…The Barnstormers are 7-2 against Southern Maryland on the year…Lancaster sent 10 men to the plate in the eighth inning but only had three official at bats.