CORDERO, SANDOVAL DELIVER LANCASTER TO WINBarnstormers Regain Top Spot in North

Andretty Cordero homered for the tying run in the sixth and doubled home the go-ahead tallies in the seventh, and Ariel Sandoval sealed the deal with a two-run homer as the Lancaster Barnstormers toppled the Gastonia Honey Hunters, 6-2, Saturday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

With the win, the Barnstormers once again took sole possession of first place in the tight North race.  Lancaster leads Southern Maryland by a game while Staten Island stands three back, and York trails Lancaster by 3 ½.  The regular season ends September 17.

Gastonia had taken an early 2-0 lead over the Barnstormers with single runs in the first and fourth innings.  Trayvon Robinson doubled home pinch runner Shawon Dunston, Jr. with two outs in the fourth to cut the lead to 2-1.

Gunnar Kines (10-4) held the lead into the sixth when Cordero cleared the left field wall for his 13^th homer of the year, tying the game at 2-2.  In the seventh, Chris Proctor drilled a one-out double into the right field corner, and Melvin Mercedes walked.  The pair executed a double steal, but Kines struck out Yeison Coca for the second out.

The Honey Hunters went to right-hander Bryan Blanton, who had struck out the side the night before, and he quickly worked ahead of Cordero.  The Lancaster third baseman then hit a sinking liner to right that skipped past Pedro Gonzalez’ diving attempt as two runs scored.  Sandoval took Blanton onto the right field deck for the 6-2 lead.

Brandyn Sittinger (5-7) threw two innings of scoreless relief behind starter Jared Lakind to pick up the win.  Nick Duron finished the game with a scoreless ninth.

Lancaster and Gastonia will play the rubber game of the series on Sunday afternoon.  Nile Ball (7-6) will make the start for the Barnstormers against left-hander Harry Rutkowski.  Fans may tune into FloBaseball at 2:55.

NOTES:  The Barnstormers crossed 200,000 in attendance for the season with 13 home games remaining…Cordero closed to within four of the franchise single season doubles record with his 37^th of the season…He is within three RBI of becoming the first player in ALPB history to have two separate 100-RBI seasons…Sandoval’s homer was his first since July 13…Proctor had an extra base hit for the fifth straight start.