BARNSTORMERS WIN THRILLER IN LEXINGTON

Lancaster Prevails in 11, 3-2

Lancaster’s pitching combined on a 15-strikeout performance on Tuesday evening as the Barnstormers slipped past the Lexington Legends, 3-2, in an 11-inning game at Wild Health Field.

It was the Barnstormers’ second overtime win in the last five games and gives the club a 4-6 record on the current 12-game road trip.

The final inning was breathtaking.  With one out and courtesy runner Andretty Cordero at second, Colton Shaver laced a single into center.  Boog Powell came up firing and nailed Cordero at the plate with Shaver heading to second on the throw.  Trayvon Robinson banged a single into right off Yaramil Hiraldo (0-1), sending Shaver to third.  Hiraldo walked Anderson Feliz after a lengthy at bat, then walked Trace Loehr on five pitches to force home the lead run.  He got Shawon Dunston, Jr. to ground out to first ending the inning.

Cole Aker induced a pop up to second out of part-owner and part-time player Brandon Phillips for the first out in the bottom of the inning.  Isaias Tejeda struck out looking.  That brought up another former Cincinnati Red, Phil Ervin.  Ervin took a pitch from Aker and slammed it out of the yard barely foul down the left field line.  He then hit a sharp grounder on the left side, stopped by a diving Loehr and turned into the final out of the night.

Action in the 10^th was not much slower.  After Anderson Feliz advanced to third on a diving play made by Legends third baseman Manuel Geraldo, he was thrown out at the plate by Phillips on a chopper from Dunston.  Dunston stole second and third as Melvin Mercedes and Kelly Dugan drew walks.  Andretty Cordero grounded into a force out.

West Tunnell (1-0) fielded a bunt by Geraldo and threw out Pete Yorgen at third to start the bottom of the inning.  Pinch hitter Montrell Marshall singled to right advancing Geraldo to second.  Tunnell struck out Powell, but it took a running catch by Mercedes into shallow right to flag a pop up by Tillman Pugh to save the inning and the game.

Lancaster took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Loehr singled home Feliz with two outs.  Lexington tied the game in the bottom of the frame when starter Nile Ball hit Ervin and walked Dwight Smith, Jr.  Yorgen drilled a liner at Mercedes for what would have been an easy double play, but the ball ticked off the second baseman’s glove for an error, allowing Ervin to score.

Cordero singled home Mercedes with Lancaster’s second run in the top of the third.

Ball carried a no-hitter into the sixth when it was spoiled by Phillips on his 41^st birthday.  The three-time NL All-Star launched a solo homer to left, bringing the game to the 2-2 tie.

In his third straight seven inning stint, Ball gave up two hits and one earned run.  He walked one and struck out 10.

NOTES:  For the first time in franchise history, four different Lancaster starters have struck out 10 or more in a game in one season (Teller, Gann, De La Cruz, Ball)…It was the third time Lancaster pitchers have fanned 15 in a game this season…Three of the last four series have opened with an extra-inning game…Dunston lost his 15-game on base streak but he stole two bases after reaching on the fielder’s choice in the 11^th…Ball has a 2.77 ERA in his last four starts…He hit at least one batter for the ninth time in 10 starts.