DUCKS WIN IN EXTRASMartin’s Homers Again Not Enough

Mason Martin once again staked the Lancaster Stormers to a substantial early lead with the long ball.  Again, it was not enough.

Long Island erased a three-run lead in the bottom of the ninth and defeated the Lancaster Stormers, 7-6, in 10 innings on Saturday evening.

Lancaster’s North Division lead over York and Long Island has been trimmed back to three games. York was rained out at home against Staten Island and is set to play two on Sunday.

Martin’s solo shot to left in the first and three-run bomb to right in the third built an early 5-1 lead for starter Oscar De La Cruz.  Long Island picked up a run in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by Leobaldo Cabrera and lost another when Scott Kelly was cut down at home on a double by J.C. Encarnacion.

The game settled into a rut.  De La Cruz kept the lead for two more innings.  Jackson Rees pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning.  Scott Engler and Phil Diehl each allowed a two-out infield single in a scoreless inning.

Then came the dastardly bottom of the ninth.  A.J. Alexy hit Alexis Pantoja with a 2-2 slider.  Kole Kaler singled into right center to add a second runner before Nick Heath crushed a three-run homer to right center to tie the game.

A single by Yonny Hernandez continued to apply pressure.   He would promptly steal second and take third on a wild pitch.  Lancaster switched to Kyle Johnson (0-1) after a walk to Scott Kelly then walked Cabrera intentionally to load the bases.  Manager Ross Peeples brought Chris Proctor in from right field to play in front of second, and the strategy worked as Aaron Antonini grounded into a 9-2-3 double play.  Johnson got Encarnacion on a grounder to send the game to extra innings.

The Stormers grabbed a 6-5 lead as Jake Fishman (2-0) hit Martin with a pitch with the bases loaded.  However, Johnson never got an out in the bottom of the inning as Taylor Kohlwey singled to left to score Encarnacion with the tying run.  Kohlwey took second on the throw home and third when Pantoja beat out an infield single with no coverage at first base.  A wild pitch scored the winning run.

Max Green (10-5) will take the mound for the Stormers on Sunday afternoon at 1:35 against lefty Mike Montgomery (6-6).  Fans may tune into FloBaseball at 1:30.

NOTES:  Martin has 10 homers in the last eight games and finished August with 15 homers and 44 RBI…Joe Stewart extended a hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the third…It was the fourth walkoff for Long Island against the Stormers this season…Lancaster is 11-14 against the Ducks, 6-8 in the second half.