BIG FIFTH PROPELS BARNSTORMERS

Lancaster Tops Staten Island, 8-5

The Atlantic League’s “double hook” rule took center stage Sunday afternoon at SIUH Community Park.

With Staten Island trying to push newcomer Ryan Hartman through five innings to keep Ricardo Cespedes in the lineup, the Lancaster Barnstormers erupted for six runs on eight hits in the inning to defeat the FerryHawks, 8-5, in the rubber game of a three-game series.

Hartman (0-1) had allowed five hits over the first four innings but gave way in the fifth.  Andretty Cordero greeted the lefty with a double and scored on a Kelly Dugan single to center.  One out later, Wilson Garcia doubled into the left field corner, sending Dugan to third.  Joseph Carpenter singled off second baseman Angel Aguilar’s glove to knock in the second run of the inning.  Jack Conley’s third single of the day scored Garcia to pull Lancaster within one.  Jake Hoover lashed a single into center to load the bases, and Yeison Coca followed with a two-run single to right for a 5-4 lead.

Melvin Mercedes capped the salvo with a single to center driving in Hoover.

Carpenter drove in insurance runs in the sixth and eighth innings to build upon the lead.

Dominic DiSabatino (3-1) earned the win for Lancaster, surviving the early 4-0 deficit.  He allowed an RBI double by Roldani Baldwin in the first.  Staten Island reached the right-hander for two more in the second, scoring the runs on an RBI single by Cespedes and a sacrifice fly by Jack Elliott.  Elliott also drove in a run with a fourth inning double.

Bret Clarke spelled DiSabatino with the tying run at the plate in the sixth and got out of the jam.  Jesus Liranzo allowed three successive singles in the eighth with Elliott driving home his third run of the game, before striking out the last two hitters.  Mike Adams threw the ninth for his second save.

The Barnstormers head to Southern Maryland for a makeup game on Monday afternoon.  Nile Ball (2-1) will make the start for Lancaster.  Fans may tune into FloBaseball for the action, beginning at 12:55.

NOTES:  Lancaster’s 18 hits was a season high…Mercedes hit safely for the ninth straight game…The Barnstormers have won eight of the last nine…Lancaster has scored 61 runs in the last eight games…The club matched a season high with 12 LOB…Cordero scored for the eighth straight game…Conley caught hits eighth straight…DiSabatino’s win was his 20^th as a Barnstormer.