GIANSANTI HOMER DOWNS ‘STORMERS

Anthony Giansanti came up with the big blow for the Sugar Land Skeeters on Thursday night, a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat the Lancaster Barnstormers, 8-5, at Constellation Field.

It was the fourth straight win for Sugar Land over the ‘Stormers in the weeklong series in Texas.

Wynton Bernard drilled a single into center field off Alejandro Chacin (1-3) with one out in the bottom of the eighth.  Rico Noel followed with a base hit to left, and Giansanti unloaded his blast to left center for the decisive runs.

Nick Rumbelow entered in the ninth and retired the side in order for his third save.

Sugar Land scored a run without a base hit in the bottom of the first, but the Barnstormers quickly countered.  Zach Shank drew a one-out walk in the second and stole second.  Darian Sandford also walked.  Caleb Gindl rolled a single through the left side to score Shank with the other runners advancing on a wild throw by Bernard.  Destin Hood launched a two-run ground rule double over Zach Borenstein’s head in right for a 3-1 lead.

However, the Skeeters got those three runs back quickly.  Juan Silverio led off the bottom of the second with an infield single.  Borenstein triple inside the bag at first to make it, 3-2, and Albert Cordero cranked a two-run homer down the left field line for a 4-3 edge.  Borenstein’s RBI double in the third gave the Skeeters a two-run edge.

The Barnstormers were able to tie the game in the fifth.  Andrew Aplin, who had earlier extended his hitting streak to 13, singled to left.  Josh Bell and K.C. Hobson both walked, and Anderson De La Rosa, celebrating his 35^th birthday, drove home the tying runs with a single to center off ex-Stormer Ricardo Gomez.

Lancaster failed to produce another hit in the game.  Jeff Ames (2-0) fired a scoreless eighth for the win.

The Barnstormers send John Anderson (6-5) to the hill on Friday evening against lefty Matt Purke (3-4).  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 7:45 EDT.

NOTES:  Aplin is 21-for-50 (.420) in his streak, which is tied for the longest by a Barnstormer this season…Matt Marksberry threw his seventh straight scoreless outing…Hood has six RBI in the current series and 15 in his last 10 games…De La Rosa has hit safely in seven straight…The Barnstormers were again without the services of shortstop Michael Martinez and outfielder Greg Golson…Joe Terdoslavich was also unavailable to the Barnstormers after being injured on a slide into third base on Wednesday evening.