Barnstormers win strikeout battle, lose game.

Burgess Homer Decides 3-2 Victory for York

The Lancaster Barnstormers pitching staff struck out more batters than their York counterparts on Friday evening, but, on the rare occasion the ball was put into play, York had the bigger home run.

Michael Burgess slugged a two-run homer to right center in the top of the fifth inning to lift the visiting Revolution to a 3-2 victory over the Barnstormers in the opener of a three-game series at Clipper Magazine Stadium in a game that featured 27 total strikeouts, 16 by Lancaster pitching.

Burgess connected off Bryan Evans (5-3) two batters after Alexi Casilla drew the only walk allowed by Evans in his five innings of work.   The Lancaster right-hander picked up 10 of his 15 outs on strikeouts during his stint.

York grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.  Alonzo Harris beat out a slow bounder on the left side of the infield and stole second.  Casilla singled up the middle to plate the run.  Isaias Tejeda followed with a clean single to center before Evans proceeded to retire seven straight hitters, five on strikes.

Lancaster managed to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.  Rico Noel led off with a walk from Frank Gailey (6-6) and galloped ahead to second on a long fly out to left center by Caleb Gindl.  Noel stole third and scored when Sean Halton dropped a sinking line drive into shallow center.

Halton opened the third inning with a booming home run directly over the 400-ft. sign in center field, giving Lancaster a 2-1 lead.

Both bullpens were nearly perfect.  Lancaster’s was reached for two singles and a walk.  John Anderson was spared a run in the seventh as Lastings Milledge fired home on a Tejeda single, catching Casilla in a rundown.

York’s pen yielded only one baserunner, a leadoff walk to Sean Halton in the eighth inning.  The four York right-handed relievers combined to strike out seven Lancaster hitters.

Rommie Lewis (5-5) will make the start for the Barnstormers on Saturday evening against right-hander Steve Janas (1-4).  Fireworks will follow the game.  The game will be available on the Lancaster Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 6:15.

NOTES:  The start of the game was delayed over one hour, 40 minutes by rain…The Barnstormers are 4-7 against the Revs this season and will need to win six of the final eight meetings to hold the Community Cup…Halton has five homers in 15 games…Evans became only the second Lancaster pitcher to strike out 10 or more in a game this season…The loss was the first for the Barnstormers in Evans’ last eight starts…Vladimir Frias picked up two singles against Gailey and is now 4-for-5 as a left-handed batter against left-handed pitching…Kaohi Downing worked the ninth and fired his 10^th consecutive scoreless appearance.