BARNSTORMERS TAKE THIRD STRAIGHT

The Lancaster Barnstormers are sporting brand new “Don’t Stop Believin’” T-shirts during batting practice.

They are turning the believing into winning.

Jonathan Albaladejo allowed only three hits in seven innings, and the Barnstormers made the most of their six hits to pick up a 5-3 victory over the Somerset Patriots Wednesday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.  It was the third consecutive win for the Barnstormers, matching a season high.

Albaladejo (2-6) retired the first 10 Somerset batters of the night before issuing a walk to Alfredo Rodriguez.  Will Kengor took the next pitch off the top of the tents in right for a 2-0 lead.  Michael Ohlman dinged a single to left, but Albaladejo got the next nine hitters, starting with a double play.

Lancaster’s player/pitching coach worked through seven innings, his longest outing of the season.  He walked one and struck out one, getting 12 batters on ground balls.

The Barnstormers were quiet for four innings against Thomas Dorminy (5-5), but K.C. Hobson shaved a run off the lead with a homer to start the bottom of the fifth.

Dorminy, who struck out eight, never got an out in the sixth.  He walked Michael Martinez and Caleb Gindl consecutively to open the Lancaster uprising.  Joe Terdoslavich tied the game with a single yanked into left.  Dorminy was replaced by right-hander James Pugliese, and Destin Hood greeted the reliever with a two-run double to the gap in right center.  Anderson De La Rosa capped the four-run inning with an RBI single grounded into left.

Matt Marksberry pitched a perfect eighth for the Barnstormers.  Somerset put together singles by Ramon Flores, Ohlman and Jimmy Paredes to score a run in the top of the ninth, but Cody Eppley got Edwin Espinal to ground to third, closing out the night.

Lefty Buddy Baumann (3-7) makes the start for the Barnstormers on Thursday evening against right-hander Vince Molesky (3-0) on Harry Potter Night at Clipper Magazine Stadium.  Fans may tune into Blue Ridge 11 or the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, starting at 7:00.

NOTES:  Terdoslavich has hit safely in seven straight (13-25, .520)…Marksberry has allowed five hits and one earned run while striking out 18 in his last 14 1/3 innings…Hobson has three homers and nine RBI in his last eight games…Hood has five RBI in four games…Gindl has five walks in the series…The seven-inning stint was the longest of the season for Albaladejo.