Eight Men On.

Bridgeport Strings Together Eight Hits in 7-3 Win

It happened quickly, and it happened savagely.

Bridgeport banged out eight consecutive hits in the top of the fourth inning, scoring all seven of their runs in a 7-3 victory over the Lancaster Barnstormers Wednesday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Jarret Leverett (7-7) retired Sean Burroughs on a fly ball to right for the first out in the fourth inning of a scoreless ballgame.  It was not until Burroughs batted again that the second out came.

Jonathan Galvez opened the salvo with a double into the right center alley.  He scored when Tony Abreu drilled a single off the glove of shortstop Nate Coronado.  Wellington Dotel scorched a line drive into right, and both runners moved up when Cole Garner tried to fire a quick strike to first base and missed Steve Clevenger with the throw.

Lancaster brought the infielders to the edge of the grass, and Andrew Lambo popped a single behind Coronado to score the second run.  Angel Rosa found the gap in left center for a two-run triple and a 4-0 Bridgeport lead.  With the infielders pulled tight once again, Luis Hernandez bounced a single into left.  Jose Cuevas executed a perfect hit-and-run single with Hernandez taking third, and Jose Gil made it 6-0 with a double over Trayvon Robinson’s head in left.

Burroughs’ groundout to first drove in Cuevas with the seventh run.

Other than that spree, the Bluefish managed only five hits on the night off Leverett and relievers Luis Gonzalez and Kevin Munson.

Rainy Lara (9-6) reeled off his fourth straight strong outing against Lancaster, checking the Barnstormers on three hits over six innings.  The right-hander walked one and struck out two.

Lancaster put its runs on the board in the bottom of the ninth off reliever Zac Grotz.  Garner and Sean Halton opened the inning with consecutive singles.  One out later, Clevenger belted a three-run homer off the Blue Ridge Cable truck in right center.

The Barnstormers and Bluefish will play the rubber game of the three-game series on Thursday.  Lancaster will send lefty Rommie Lewis (7-9) to the mound against right-hander Reinier Roibal (1-2).  Fans may watch the game on Blue Ridge Cable 11 or on the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 6:30.

NOTES:  Robinson has hit safely in six of his last seven…Coronado has a four-game streak and has batted safely in 25 of 30…Halton has hit safely in 20 of 23…Garner has a five-game streak.