CLARK SLAMS PACES LANCASTER WIN

‘Stormers Take Series Opener from Genomes

LeDarious Clark made the most of his one hit on the night.

The Barnstormers right fielder belted a grand slam over the right field picnic deck in the bottom of the fifth to break a 4-4 tie and send Lancaster to a 9-4 victory over the (Kentucky) Wild Health Genomes Tuesday night at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Aaron Blair (0-3) was walk-free for the first four innings but put both Melvin Mercedes and Kelly Dugan on to start the home fifth.  The former Atlanta Brave then hit pitcher Erik Manoah to load the bases before Clark launched a full count offering out of the stadium.

Lancaster struck for three runs in the bottom of the third inning to grab the early lead.  Trace Loehr singled to center, and Jake Hoover was hit by a pitch.  Blair struck out Shawon Dunston, Jr.  Melvin Mercedes hit a sharp ground ball to the left of second baseman Luke Becker, who bobbled it for an error.  With the ball free in right field, Loehr came home to score. Triple crown leader Kelly Dugan then took Blair into the right field corner for a two-run double and a 3-0 edge.

Wild Health scored all four of its runs in the fourth.  Augie Sylk had retired eight in a row and worked ahead of Becker, 0-2, to start the inning.  The left-hander missed with his next 13 pitches and left the game with the bases loaded, nobody out and a 3-1 lead.  Erik Manoah inherited a 2-0 count on Felix Pie and surrendered a two-run single to right center to tie the game.  Teodoro Martinez rapped into a 6-4-3 double play as the lead run scored.

Colton Shaver’s double into the left field corner and a single to center by Trayvon Robinson tied the game in the bottom of the inning.

Manoah (1-0) ran into trouble in the sixth.  The right-hander gave up singles to Chris Shaw and Pie followed with a single to right.  Both runners advanced on a wild pitch.  Manoah retired the next two but walked Chase Vallot to load the bags.  Erik Cha was summoned, and the lefty got a slow roller out of Cleuluis Rondon.  Jake Hoover made an off balance throw from the shortstop hole to get the out at first..

The Barnstormers send Cameron Gann (4-3) to the mound on Wednesday evening at 6:30 against right-hander Dustin Beggs (3-3).  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube channel, starting at 6:25.

NOTES:  Dugan has 19 RBI in 12 June games…The Clark slam was the team’s first of the season…It was his third as a Barnstormer…Andretty Cordero lost his 12-game hitting streak…He was 0-for-2 as the DH and was forced out of the game when Sylk left before completing five innings…Tyler Suellentrop threw two scoreless innings on two hits and two walks, but he struck out five…Lancaster pitching fanned 14, one shy of the season high.