LAKIND COLLECTS FIRST WIN AS STARTER

Barnstormers Hold Off New Britain, 9-6

Short rest proved to be a plus for left-hander Jared Lakind.

The Lancaster starter, pitching after only three days off, collected his first career win as a starting pitcher on Saturday evening as the Barnstormers defeated the host New Britain Bees, 9-6, at New Britain Stadium.

Lakind (1-1) allowed six hits and three runs to the hard hitting Bees while walking three and striking out four.

His Lancaster mates made it easier for him in the early innings as the ‘Stormers drilled Cory Riordan for seven runs in the first four frames.

Dan Gamache slammed a double off the right field fence with one out in the first and was chased home as Caleb Gindl tripled in the same direction.  Gindl scored on a single by Joe Terdoslavich as Lancaster grabbed a 2-0 lead.

In the second, Zach Shank reached when Jonathan Galvez dropped his one-out liner to first.  Darian Sandford lined a single to right.  Both runners scored when Michael Martinez plugged the right-center alley with a double.  He, in turn, scored when Gamache crashed another double off the 16’ wall at New Britain Stadium.

Gindl keyed a two-run fourth with a double to left center which plated Martinez. Terdoslavich blooped a hit to left center for a 7-1 lead.

Lakind, who had allowed only a two-out solo homer to Ozzy Martinez in the third, issued four-pitch walks to Jason Rogers and Deibinson Romero around a pair of outs in the home fourth.  Catcher Logan Moore made him pay the price with a double over Gindl’s head in right to cut the lead to 7-3.

The Barnstormers starter lasted six innings, yielding five hits and three runs while walking three and striking out four.

Lancaster struck for a pair of runs in the seventh, both coming with two outs. Anderson De La Rosa pummeled his second home run of the season.  Shank reached on another error and scored following singles by Sandford and Martinez.

Those runs kept the game from getting scary.  Galvez reached Andury Acevedo for a two-run homer in the eighth.  Lancaster went to Cody Eppley in a non-save situation in the bottom of the ninth.  Intent on throwing strikes, Eppley got two lineouts before yielding three straight base hits and a run.  He retired Taylor Motter on a harmless fly ball to left center, closing out the night.

The Bees host the Barnstormers in the rubber game of the three-game series on Sunday at 1:35.  Lancaster will use Kelvin Vasquez as a spot starter against Jed Bradley (2-0).  Fans may tune into the Banstormers youTube Channel, starting at 1:15.

NOTES:  Martinez extended his hitting streak to 12 games…He is 23-55 (.418) in the streak…Gamache had his fifth straight multi-hit game…He is 13-for-22 with seven extra base hits…With other games still in action, he temporarily leads the league with 17 doubles…Terdoslavich has 11 RBI in eight games against the Bees…Sandford is batting .311 in his last 14 games.