BIG FOURTH CARRIES DUCKS

North Race Tightens Again

Long Island erupted for five two-out runs in the top of the fourth on Wednesday evening to topple the Lancaster Stormers, 10-4, in the sixth game of a week-long, home-and-home series.

It was the Ducks fourth win in the series and moved Long Island back to within three games of the division leading Stormers in the North.  Following a split at Staten Island, York stands 3 ½ out.  There are 10 games remaining on the schedule.

Noah Bremer (9-7) brought a 2-1 lead into the top of the fourth and retired the first two batters of the inning on easy fly balls.  Yoelquis Cespedes ignited the uprising with a single to left.  Joe DeLuca had the green light on a 3-0 pitch and hammered a two-run homer over the tents in right.  Alexis Pantoja roped a double to right center and scored on a single to left center by Scott Kelly for a 4-2 lead.  Kole Kaler cranked a single off the right field wall with Kelly coming around to score.  Lancaster had a chance for an out at the plate, but the relay throw short-hopped catcher Chris Proctor with Kaler heading to second.  Yonny Hernandez singled home the fifth run of the inning before being thrown out on a steal attempt.

A home run by Leobaldo Cabrera and RBI single by Cabrera knocked Bremer out of the game in the fifth.  Two more runs, keyed by an Aaron Antonini double, crossed off Adam Wibert in the sixth.

Damon Dues tripled and scored on a Gaige Howard single in the Lancaster first.  He drove in Trace Loehr from second in the second frame for the 2-1 lead off Nick Tropeano (4-1). 

Tropeano worked six innings, yielding six hits and three runs (two earned).  He walked three and struck out four.

Loehr later homered for the Stormers leading off the ninth off reliever Daniel Corcino.

Oscar De La Cruz (3-3) will make the start for the Stormers on Thursday evening against new left-hander Mitchell Senger.  Fans may tune into FloBaseball at 6:40.

NOTES:  Isan Diaz had his 15^th double in his last 22 games…Dues and Howard both started the night in the top five in the league in batting and had two hits apiece…Shawon Dunston, Jr. played for the first time since August 18 and went 1-for-4 with a steal and a run scored…Loehr became the eighth Stormer this season to reach double digits in home runs…Long Island clinched the tiebreaker in the second half race with nine wins in 16 games.