EVANS DEALS GEM, ENDS DROUGHT

‘Stormers Rout Long Island, 12-0

In the 13th start since his last victory, Bryan Evans struck out 13 in a two-hit shutout as the Lancaster Barnstormers routed the Long Island Ducks, 12-0, early Sunday evening at Bethpage Ballpark.

The win in the rubber game of the three-game series gave the Barnstormers their third consecutive series win on the road. Lancaster stands 5 ½ games behind Sugar Land in the Freedom Division with a four-game series looming against the Skeeters in Texas.

Evans (4-8) allowed two baserunners in the entire effort, both on extra base hits by Delta Cleary, Jr. The Long Island center fielder doubled in the first and tripled in the fourth.

Otherwise, Evans was dominant. The right-hander struck out at least one batter in every inning. He tied the franchise single season record of 124, previously held by Dwayne Pollok (2013), with his 10th strikeout of the evening, getting Tyler Colvin for the second out in the eighth. He broke the mark, getting Matt Wessinger swinging to start the ninth. With subsequent punchouts of Anthony Vega and Chris Scura, Evans also tied Eric Junge’s single-game mark, set June 18, 2010.

The former Miami and Colorado farmhand needed 113 pitches in the gem.

“I attacked the hitters with fastballs and sliders,” said Evans. “My slider was better than it has been. I didn’t use my changeup as much, and I think that might have thrown them off. Plus, Mac (Mike McDade) called a great game back there.”

Lancaster did not break the ice until K.C. Hobson launched his 12th home run of the season, a solo shot with two outs in the fifth off Nick Struck (1-3). Two more runs scored in the sixth. Mike Jacobs torched a one-out double into the alley in right center. McDade hit a squibber up the first base line. Ruben Gotay charged the play and attempted an awkward backhanded flip to Struck, missing the target. Jacobs scored, and McDade took second as the ball rolled away into foul territory.

Yusuke Kajimoto plated McDade with a triple into the gap in right center.

The Barnstormers went wild off John Mincone and Kyle Hansen in the seventh, amassing a season-high nine runs on eight hits. Josh Bell doubled home the first run of the inning, and Sean Halton followed with a two-run double inside the third base bag. McDade, Caleb Gindl and Blake Gailen chimed in with RBI singles. Hobson closed out the scoring with a towering three-run blast to right, his third of the series and 13th of the season.

Lancaster opens the four-game series at Sugar Land with Terry Doyle (6-5) on the hill against right-hander Brett Marshall (2-5). Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 7:45 EDT.

NOTES: The Barnstormers finished the series with 35 runs on 45 hits in the three games…Evans threw the third complete game shutout by a ‘Stormer this season…Gindl extended his hitting streak to 10 games…Halton has hit safely in nine straight and Hobson eight…Bell recorded back-to-back three-hit games…Halton became the third Barnstormer to reach the 60-RBI mark…Evans’ last win came June 2, also against Long Island.