LANCASTER LOSES HOMER FEST

Ducks Slug Four Solos in 8-6 Win

Seven balls cleared the fences Saturday evening, but it was a pitch that went in the opposite direction that produced a lead Long Island never lost.

Kole Kaler scampered home from second on a wild pitch to break a 5-5 tie in the bottom of the second inning, and the Ducks held on for an 8-6 victory over the Lancaster Stormers in the middle game of a three-game series at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Lancaster was able to retain a 1 ½ game lead over York in the North standings while the Ducks climbed back to within three in the three-team race.

Kaler opened the seventh with a single to right center off A.J. Alexy and advanced to second on Nick Heath’s sacrifice bunt.  With Yonny Hernandez batting at 1-1, Alexy bounced a pitch past Chris Proctor, which kicked high on the net.  Proctor needed a second to determine where the ball had deflected, and Kaler took advantage of the opportunity, just beating Proctor’s throw back to the plate.

Long Island scored five runs off Lancaster starter Oscar De La Cruz in his six innings of work.  Heath connected to open the game.  Ryan McBroom and Chance Sisco whacked consecutive shots in the third as the Ducks built a 4-2 lead.  Leobaldo Cabrera tied the game back at 5-5 with a leadoff blast to left in the sixth inning, ending a streak of nine straight outs for De La Cruz.

Chad Sedio connected for the Stormers with a man aboard in the second inning.  Doubles by Niko Hulsizer and Joe Stewart, plus a triple by Sedio made it 4-4 in the third inning.

The longest homer of the night staked Lancaster to its lone lead.  Mason Martin hit a 463’ monster off David Griffin in the bottom of the fifth for the 5-4 advantage that was quickly erased on the Cabrera jolt.

Lancaster had an opening in the bottom of the sixth when Sedio was hit by the first pitch offered by Jake Fishman (1-0), and Proctor dropped a bunt single ahead of the plate, but Fishman struck out the next three batters to set up the go-ahead run.  Al Alburquerque fanned the side in the seventh as well.

Ramon Santos recorded the final six outs for his 10^th save, yielding the final blow of the night, a homer by Isan Diaz to right center with one out in the ninth.

Brady Tedesco (2-3) will make the start for the Stormers in the rubber game of the series on Sunday afternoon.  He will be opposed by fellow lefty Mike Montgomery (6-5).  Fans may tune into FloBaseball, beginning at 2:55.

NOTES:  Diaz doubled for the seventh consecutive game, drove in a run for the 10^th straight game and hit safely for the 13^th straight contest…With 16 homers, Martin has as many as any Stormer in a season the past two years…Proctor has nine hits in his last four games…He swiped his 40^th base in the eighth inning…Ross Peeples is still one win from Butch Hobson’s Stormers record of 452…Former first baseman Jeremy Todd (2005-07) was honored prior to the game for his selection to the Top 20 Players in franchise history list.