OFFENSE CONTINUES TO ROLL

For the first time all season, the Barnstormers scored 10 or more runs in back-to-back games.

On Sunday afternoon, they needed, most, if not all, of the runs.

Lancaster banged out 14 hits then had to survive a ferocious York comeback for a 10-7 victory over the Revs in the rubber game of a three-game series at People’s Bank Park.

For the third straight game, the Barnstormers galloped out to a big early lead.  Andrew Aplin drilled a two-run single, and Melvin Mercedes knocked home one with a single to right before Ricky Eusebio (0-2) could pick up the first out of the afternoon.  Lancaster would tack on another run in the second and jumped ahead, 6-1, on a two-out, two-run single by Destin Hood in the fourth.

That lead grew in the sixth inning as Hood, Anderson De La Rosa and Darian Sandford all collected RBI base hits for a 9-1 cushion.

John Anderson (9-6) checked York on one run and three hits heading into the bottom of the sixth. Isaias Tejeda lined a one-out single into left.  Anderson retired Carlos Franco on a pop up to shortstop and struck out Zach Sullivan for his eighth strikeout of the afternoon, but the third strike eluded De La Rosa, keeping the inning alive.  Angelys Nina banged a single into center to trim the lead to 9-2, and Ryan Dent reached on an error as a second run scored.

York pulled within two and brought the tying run to the plate in the eighth inning.  Tejeda led off with a double over Sandford’s head in center against Matt Marksberry.  Franco bounced a grounder toward the hole on the right side on which Melvin Mercedes raced to field the ball, then made a wide throw to first, putting Revs runners at second and third.  Sullivan drove home one with a ground ball.  Nina reached on the second error by Terdoslavich to cut the lead to 9-5.  Dent then clubbed a two-run homer as the Revs got within two.  Following a strikeout of James Skelton, Justin Trapp picked up his third hit of the day on a single to left center.  Welington Dotel flied out to end the threat.

Sandford walked, and Mercedes singled him to third to open the ninth.  Caleb Gindl picked up the insurance run with a sacrifice fly to left.

Scott Shuman was given his first test as the closer.  The right-hander fanned Telvin Nash with a fastball, but Tejeda reached when his ground ball slipped under the glove of shortstop Michael Martinez.  Carlos Franco chopped a single over K.C. Hobson’s glove at first to bring Sullivan to the plate as the tying run.  The York left fielder drilled a liner barely foul down the left side before popping up to Hobson.  Nina grounded to third to close out the afternoon.

The Barnstormers will entertain the High Point Rockers on Monday evening with Jonathan Albaladejo (2-7) on the hill for Lancaster against right-hander Edwin Carl.  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 6:45.

NOTES:  All nine starters had at least on hit…Only De La Rosa failed to reach base twice…Sandford’s double down the third base line in the sixth inning was Lancaster’s lone extra-base hit…The Barnstormers have 10 or more hits in seven straight games…Lancaster outscored its opposition, 44-22, on the road trip, going 4-2…Terdoslavich stretched his most recent hitting streak to nine games…Aplin and De La Rosa have hit in seven straight…Gindl reached base for the 15^th straight game…Gindl knocked home his 75^th run and is on a pace for 100…Anderson threw his fifth straight quality start…He has 106 strikeouts on the season, second in the Atlantic League…He is 24 from the club single season record with a projected six starts remaining.