PANDA-MONIUM

Ex-World Series MVP Tosses 5 1/3 Shutout Frames

Former World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval threw 5 1/3 shutout innings in his first ever start on the mound, defeating Lancaster, 6-2, in front of a sold out Clipper Magazine Stadium Saturday evening.

With 8,204 on hand, Sandoval limited Lancaster to four singles.  The right-hander walked one and struck out four.  Manager Mark Minicozzi lifted him with one out in the sixth after he retired Damon Dues on a pop out to shortstop.  Sandoval left to a round of high fives and hugs from his Staten Island FerryHawks teammates.

In addition to his pitching exploits, Sandoval also singled home the game’s first run.  He followed a leadoff double by Luis Castro with a roller up the middle.  He would ground out on his other two mound trips.

Sandoval barely survived the fifth inning.  Shortstop Kyle Dernedde made a strong play to his left to retire Joe Stewart opening the frame.  Chris Proctor lined a single to right, and Joseph Carpenter slapped a base hit into left to put a second runner on with one out.  Sandoval got Kyle Kasser on a foul pop up to third.  Trace Loehr yanked a deep foul before beating out a roller to short to load the bases.  Shawon Dunston, Jr. also belted a long foul before popping out to end the fifth.

Alejandro De Aza and Castro each hit a solo homer off Brady Tedesco (3-5) to extend the lead to 3-0.

Lancaster finally got on the board in the seventh when Chris Proctor singled on a spinner to third base, stole second and third before coming home on a throwing error.  Staten Island scored three runs on the combination of a dropped third strike, a bunt single, a balk, a sac fly, two other wild pitches and a De Aza double in the top of the eighth.

Dunston straightened a ball out in the bottom of the eighth for his 14^th homer.

Lancaster will close out the regular season Sunday at 3:00 with Adam Wibert (2-1) making the start against Taylor Lepard (3-6, 3-9).  Fans may tune into FloBaseball at 2:55.

NOTES:  Sandoval had made two mound appearances with San Francisco and two others with Staten Island…He has never yielded a run…Proctor had four of Lancaster’s nine hits, his second four-hit game of the season…He stole three bags and has 46 on the year.