DE LA CRUZ, PEN DEAL SHUTOUT

Lancaster Wins Fourth Straight, 7-0

The Oscar De La Cruz that was the MVP of the 2022 Atlantic League Championship Series may be back.

De La Cruz (1-2) blanked the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars on two hits over six innings in a rain-interrupted, 7-0 Lancaster victory Wednesday evening at Meritus Park.

It was Lancaster’s fourth straight win by six or more runs and the eighth win in 10 second half games for the division-leading Stormers.

De La Cruz retired the first 11 batters he faced before hitting Welington Dotel with an 0-2 pitch in the fourth inning.  He found more difficulty in the fifth, surrendering a leadoff single to Blake Berry and a walk to Joe Campagna before escaping with a 6-4-3 double play from Ozzie Abreu.

Steffon Moore loaded the bases on an error and two walks in the seventh but struck out Abreu to end the threat.  Jackson Rees allowed only a one-out walk in the eighth, and Carsie Walker survived a pair of baserunners in the ninth to complete the shutout.

Most of Lancaster’s offense came in the fourth off Mike Kickham (4-7).  Shawon Dunston, Jr. picked up a one-out single and moved to second on a passed ball.  He remained there as newcomer Joe Stewart flied to deep left.   Chris Proctor drew a walk to fill in first base, and the pair executed a double steal.  Kyle Kasser drilled a 3-2 pitch past shortstop Osmy Gregorio to score two.  Damon Dues followed with a triple over the head of center fielder Damon Dues.  Isan Diaz made it 4-0 with a single to right.  Niko Hulsizer walked.  Mason Martin and Joseph Carpenter followed with RBI singles to cap the six-run inning.

Stewart doubled, took third on an error and scored on a Proctor grounder in the eighth to complete the scoring.

Noah Bremer (7-4) will take the hill for the Stormers on Thursday evening against right-hander Yeudy Garcia (1-1).  Fans may tune into FloBaseball at 6:25.

NOTES:  Dues has reached base 15 times in the four-game winning streak…Lancaster came within three outs of a shutout on Thursday and blanked Long Island on Saturday…The game was delayed by rain with two outs in the top of the sixth…Steffon Moore has struck out 11 in his last 6 1/3 innings.