HEARTBREAK AT CLIPPER

Stormers Pushed to Edge on York Rally

The hopes for the Lancaster Stormers to win their third straight Atlantic League title grew slimmer on Wednesday evening as six consecutive York batters drilled base hits to turn a 4-2 deficit into a 6-4 victory in Game Two of the North Division Series at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

York now owns a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, forcing Lancaster to sweep the Revs this weekend on their field at WellSpan Park.

With two outs and a runner at first and a 4-2 lead in the eighth inning, Lancaster manager Ross Peeples summoned lefty closer Phil Diehl (0-1) ter from his bullpen to face slugger David Washington.  Washington singled into right center on Diehl’s first pitch, sending Rudy Martin, Jr. to third.  Alerick Soularie drove a ball to the wall in right for an RBI single.  Washington attempted to score with Soularie in a rundown, but Isan Diaz fired to the plate to cut him down, preserving a 4-3 edge.

The Stormers failed to produce after getting runners to the corners with one out in the bottom of the inning, sending Diehl back to the mound with the one-run lead in the ninth.

Jacob Rhinesmith led off the inning with a grounder on the right side.  Second baseman Damon Dues got to the ball, going to his knees, but Dues was unable to get off a good throw.  Alfredo Reyes busted his bat on a soft liner to center, putting runners at first and third.  Roldani Baldwin smashed a game-tying double inside third.  Lancaster went to Scott Engler to face Chase Dawson, and the York second sacker hammered a double to the gap in right center to break the deadlock.

Lancaster jumped ahead on the Revs on Wednesday night, putting four runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning to break a 0-0 tie.  At the same time, the uprising proved costly.

Mason Martin was hit by Aaron Fletcher, the third lefty nailed by the southpaw on the night.  The incident forced Martin to leave the game two innings later, which cost Lancaster the designated hitter.  Niko Hulsizer singled to right center with Martin on the move, sending the lead runner to third.  Joe Stewart’s weak grounder up the first base line scored Martin with the game’s first run.  Chris Proctor singled Hulsizer to third.  Joseph Carpenter slammed a long double to center to score a second run.  Trace Loehr made it 4-0 with a single punched through the left side. 

York went to its bullpen, and the relief staff fired 5 2/3 scoreless innings from there.

Rudy Martin, Jr. slugged a two-run homer to right center off Lancaster starter Matt Swarmer in the top of the fifth.  Swarmer allowed six hits and those two runs in 5 2/3 while striking out eight.

Lancaster will send Oscar De La Cruz (4-3) to the mound on Friday at 6:30.  York will counter with Jon Olsen (12-3).  Fans may tune into the game on FloBaseball, starting at 6:25.

NOTES:  The Stormers have never been swept in a playoff series…This is the second time Lancaster has been down, 2-0…On the other occasion, the club won games three and four against York at Clipper Magazine Stadium before dropping Game Five in extra innings…Michael McAvene threw one pitch on which Jacob Rhinesmith was cut down stealing…Lancaster has managed only 13 hits in the series.