For the first time in club history, the Lancaster Stormers have won 13 consecutive games.
Cristian Santana went 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles and three RBI, and Joseph Carpenter knocked in three more runs with a single and home run as the Stormers completed a six-game sweep of the season series against the Charleston Dirty Birds, 7-4, Sunday afternoon at GoMart Ballpark.
Lancaster jumped on new Charleston starter Kevin Smith (0-1) in the second after leaving the bases loaded in the first. Jack Conley and Kyle Kasser picked up one-out walks. One batter later, Chris Proctor singled to right field, scoring Conley from third. Santana knocked in two more with a double off the third base bag. Carpenter made it 4-0 with a single lined toward the gap in left center.
Charleston nicked Lancaster starter Brady Tedesco for an unearned run in the bottom of the second inning to trim the lead to 4-1.
No additional runs scored until Santana doubled home Trace Loehr in the sixth. Carpenter added a two-run homer to left center in the eighth for a 7-1 cushion.
The Stormers had to withstand a late charge from the Dirty Birds, who scored three off Kyle Johnson in the bottom of the ninth. The first two batters reached base for Charleston. Jonathan Soto and Juan Santana each knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly. Clint Frazier homered, but the tying run remained in the dugout as Gabriel Cancel flied to right with Gaige Howard securing the baseball for the record breaker.
Carsie Walker (2-1) pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Tedesco to earn the win.
Lancaster will head to Hagerstown and the first visit to Meritus Park, starting a three-game series against the Flying Boxcars on Tuesday evening. Jack Labosky (2-1) will make the start. Fans may tune in on FloBaseball.
NOTES: Carpenter has hit safely in 16 straight (25-66, .379)…Santana has hit safely in 12 straight (24-50, .480)…Santana has 28 RBI in the streak…His league leading average improved to .423 with his third four-hit game…Lancaster scored six or more runs for the 10th straight…With the win, Lancaster moved to within two games of division-leading York.