NEWCOMER JOHNSTON LEADS LANCASTER TO SPLIT

Lancaster Dashes Long Island Hopes of Taking Division Lead

Spencer Johnston arrived from Washington, PA earlier in the week and took advantage of his fresh start.

The right-hander threw two-hit baseball for five innings, pitching the Lancaster Barnstormers to a 7-3 victory over the Long Island Ducks in the second game of a rain-delayed doubleheader Saturday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Long Island grabbed the opener, 11-5, slugging three homers, one a grand slam by Alejandro de Aza.

Brantley Bell knocked a two-run homer onto the right field deck following a Brian Goodwin single off Johnston (1-0) in the top of the second inning.  The right-hander would go on to retire the next nine batters he faced before hitting Anthony Peroni with a pitch in the fifth.  He walked one and struck out seven in his five-inning performance.

The Barnstormers took advantage of a defensive mistake by the Ducks to tie the game in the bottom of the second.  Yeison Coca reached when his ground ball slipped under Ruben Tejada’s glove for an error.  Coca stole second and remained there when Jake Hoover lined to short.  Trace Loehr ripped a single to right to drive home one.  Loehr also stole second, took third on a grounder by Melvin Mercedes and scored when Bell’s throw after a diving stop at third on an Andretty Cordero smash pulled first baseman Sam Travis off the bag.

Wilson Garcia led off the third with a double and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Marshall Rich as Lancaster took its first lead of the night against Scott Harkin (1-2) in the bottom of the third.  Mercedes and Garcia unloaded two-run homers to right in the fourth for a 7-2 lead.

Things grew tense in the top of the seventh.  Andrew Lee struck out pinch hitter Darian Sandford for the first out.  Brian Goodwin yanked a double into the right field corner, and Bell dropped a pop fly just fair down the right field line to drive home a run.  Anthony Peroni was drilled by a pitch.  A walk to Ruben Tejada loaded the bases, bringing up De Aza.

There would be no second slam as the Long Island outfielder grounded to Garcia to end the game.

An RBI double by Sam Travis and single by Alex Dickerson produced a quick 2-0 lead off Brandyn Sittinger (3-4).  Cordero singled home Mercedes in the bottom of the inning off Robert Stock (2-0), but Lancaster would not strike again until the game was out of control.

Homers by Goodwin and Travis stretched the Long Island lead to 5-1.  Chance Sisco added a two-run single before de Aza belted his grand slam to right for an 11-1 edge.

Loehr doubled home a pair in the bottom of the sixth.  A third run scored on an error.  Loehr, in turn, scored on a double to right center to cut the lead to 11-5.

The series concludes on Sunday afternoon at 1:00.  Brent Teller (3-3) will make the start for Lancaster against right-hander Joe Iorio (3-4).  Fans may view the game on Blue Ridge 11 or FloBaseball at 1:00.

NOTES:  Ariel Sandoval hit safely in both games to extend a streak to eight…Garcia has hit in six straight, going 11-for-23 with three homers and seven RBI…Jesus Liranzo threw his fourth scoreless inning of the homestand…De Aza became the only batter in those innings to put the ball in play, lining to center…Liranzo cleared 100 MPH on five of his pitches in the inning…Loehr reached base his last five plate appearances in the DH.