Lewis Plucks Ducks

Barnstormers Shut Out Long Island in Second Half Opener

The second half of the Atlantic League schedule opened with a brilliant performance by Lancaster left-hander Rommie Lewis.

One day after the Barnstormers battled to a tie in the Freedom Division first half standings with a grueling, dramatic 7-6 victory over the Somerset Patriots, Lewis gave his ballclub a new jolt of life for the second half with seven shutout innings as Lancaster defeated the Long Island Ducks, 5-0.

Lewis (5-5) and newcomer John Kuchno combined on a four-hitter with no Duck even reaching third base in the contest.

Lew Ford was the only batter able to solve Lewis with any consistency.  The Ducks player-coach had two singles and a double.  Recently acquired center fielder Quintin Berry had a double in the third, and Marc Krauss reached base twice, once on a walk and once on an HBP.

The rest of the Long Island lineup had a total oh-fer against the Barnstormers southpaw.

Kuchno took over the game in the eighth and retired all six batters he faced, the final five on strikes.

Lancaster nicked Rafael Perez for a run in the first.  Rico Noel reached base when a swinging third strike bounced off catcher Alex Burg and rolled up the third base line.  He stole second and took third on a ground out by Trayvon Robinson.  Caleb Gindl smacked a grounder to first.  Noel was caught in a rundown but stayed in it for a long time, enabling Gindl to get all the way to third.  Sean Halton plated the run with a double to left.

In the fifth, the Barnstormers strung together five singles, four with two outs.  Vladimir Frias singled and, after a steal, was at second with two outs.  Drew Doty knocked him home with a single into right center.  Noel and Robinson loaded the bases with singles, and Gindl drove in two, dropping a base hit between Berry and right fielder Fehlandt Lentini.

Frias singled home Garrett Weber with the final Lancaster run in the eighth.

Jarret Leverett (4-3) will take the hill for the Barnstormers on Tuesday against right-hander John Brownell (5-1).  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 6:15.

NOTES:  Robinson was 2-for-5, extending his hitting streak to eight games…Weber had two hits to stretch his streak to seven…Lewis has thrown 13 shutout innings against the Ducks this season…The ‘Stormers are 6-2 against Long Island, having shut the Ducks out three times.