Bergesen Strong in Barnstormers Win

Gindl, Ahrens Provide Offense in 8-3 Victory

 Former Baltimore Orioles’ right-hander Brad Bergesen is making a strong bid to get back to the Majors.

 The right-hander limited the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs to three hits over eight innings on Monday evening, pitching the Lancaster Barnstormers to an 8-3 win in the opener of a three-game series at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

 Bergesen (2-0) walked two and struck out five in the performance while saving the bullpen with a 91-pitch effort.

 Southern Maryland only reached him in the fourth.  With one out, Danny Muno singled sharply into center, and Cory Vaughn doubled past left fielder Lastings Milledge to score the run.  Vaughn was thrown out on the back end of a bizarre 2-3-5 double play, and the Blue Crabs never had another runner into scoring position until the eighth when Bergesen’s throw to second was dropped on a potential double play grounder.

 Caleb Gindl and Kevin Ahrens provided the bulk of the offense for the Barnstormers on the night.

Lancaster scored three in the second.  Blake Gailen got the inning started with a walk, and Lastings Milledge followed with a windblown bloop hit to shallow center.  Ahrens drove home the first run with a double cracked into the right center alley.  Three batters later, Gindl grounded a bases loaded single into center off Austin Fleet (0-1) for the 3-0 lead.

 Ahrens and Vladimir Frias stroked back-to-back singles to start the fourth.  After Anderson De La Rosa flied out to short right field, Gindl reached the deck in right field, through the stiff wind to cap off a five-RBI night

 Garrett Weber singled home De La Rosa with a run in the sixth inning, and Ahrens finished the Lancaster attack with a double into the left field corner to score Milledge in the seventh.

The two clubs meet again on Tuesday at 6:30.  Lancaster will send lefty Nate Reed (0-0) to the hill against veteran Blue Crabs right-hander Daryl Thompson (1-2).  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 6:15.

 NOTES:  The Barnstormers reached at least four runs and eight hits for the 14^th straight game…Gindl has knocked in 18 runs in the last 11 games…He is 19-for-47 (.404) in that span with extra base hits, five of them homers…Ahrens is 9-for-21 with four doubles, a homer and nine RBI in the last five… He has knocked in runs in five straight and seven of his last eight games…Vladimir Frias has hit safely in nine straight…Former Barnstormers right-hander Austin Bibens-Dirkx has been called up to the Texas Rangers.