PITCHING, DEFENSE HOLD OFF YORK

PITCHING, DEFENSE HOLD OFF YORK

Lancaster Earns 5-3 Win

Lancaster’s pitching held when it mattered, and its infielders made two great defensive plays down the stretch as the Barnstormers toppled the York Revolution, 5-3, Saturday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

It was the Barnstormers’ second straight win over the Revs to take the early lead in the 32-game, 2022 War of the Roses.

Lancaster needed six pitchers to turn the trick on Saturday evening.  Nile Ball made his first start of the year, checking the Revs on four hits and a run over four innings.  Tyler Suellentrop (2-0) picked up the game in the fifth inning, chalking up three strikeouts before not being able to record an out in the sixth.  Tommy Shirley bailed the team out of a bases-loaded, none out jam in the sixth.  Lancaster went to Chase Johnson for a scoreless seventh inning.  Josh Graham allowed a two-out unearned run in the eighth before Scott Shuman locked the door with a four-out save, fanning the side in the ninth.

In the first, the Barnstormers grabbed the lead on a two-out RBI single up the middle by Andretty Cordero.  A single to right by Elmer Reyes, double to the right field wall by Jack Kenley and Yefri Perez’ grounder to first notched the initial York run of the night to tie the game in the third, but the Barnstormers went ahead to stay on Kelly Dugan’s second homer in two nights, a two-run blast off Jorge Martinez (0-1) with two outs in the home fifth.

The sixth created issues for the Barnstormers.  Nellie Rodriguez beat out a dribbler to the right of the mound.  Suellentrop walked Carlos Franco and hit Carlos Castro to load the bases.  Lancaster switched to the left-handed Shirley to face left-handed hitting Josue Herrera.  Herrera lifted a fly to moderately deep center which LeDarious Clark dropped for an error as Rodriguez scored.

Shirley was able to bear down.  He got Reyes on a pop up on which catcher Anthony Peroni made a sliding grab.  Kenley struck out, and Perez closed the threat with a force play grounder to Cordero at third.

After Mark Zagunis stretched the lead back to two with a homer in the bottom of the sixth, Chase Johnson survived a pair of singles when Cordero made a sprawling stop of a grounder by Castro.  The defense took away another hit in the top of the eighth.  Herrera led off with a single and took second on a Peroni passed ball.  Reyes lofted a pop fly to shallow left which appeared destined for a single when Hoover made a tumbling catch for the first out.  Josh Graham got Kenley on a grounder and walked Perez before Cordero bobbled a grounder to his left by Troy Stokes, Jr.

Shuman retired Melky Mesa on one pitch, and the Barnstormers followed with an insurance run in the bottom of the inning on a bloop triple by Connor Lien and Anderson Feliz’ sac fly.

Shuman polished off the Revs in the top of the ninth for his second save.

The two clubs conclude the series on Sunday afternoon.  Cam Gann (0-0) will take the mound for the Barnstormers against right-hander Duke von Schamann (0-1).  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube channel, starting at 12:55.

NOTES:  Shaver has hit safely in six straight, the club’s longest streak of the year…Dugan has four extra base hits and eight RBI in the series…Johnson allowed his first hits in seven innings of work but still has not allowed a run…Lien has three extra base hits in four at bats as a Barnstormer and six in 15 in the Atlantic League…Suellentrop has two of Lancaster’s three wins.

About the Lancaster Barnstormers

The Lancaster Barnstormers are headed into their 18^th year in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.  Home games are played at Ballpark Digest’s two-time Best Ballpark in MLB Partner League Baseball – Clipper Magazine Stadium in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Please call 717.509.HITS (4487) or visit www.lancasterbarnstormers.com for more information. 

About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)

With teams throughout the Mid-Atlantic, the ALPB is a leader in baseball innovation and a player gateway to Major League Baseball. Through its exclusive partnership with MLB, the Atlantic League tests Major League Baseball rules and equipment initiatives. The Atlantic League has sent over 1,000 players to MLB organizations while drawing more than 44 million fans to its affordable, family-friendly ballparks throughout its 24-year history. For more information, please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com.

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