Sandford, Milledge Team Up for Lancaster Win

Lancaster Takes DH Opener, 6-3

 The speed of Darian Sandford can create headaches for opposing pitchers.  Even a 40-year old big league veteran.

Sandford blooped  a leadoff single into right center field to kick off a three-run seventh inning, leading the Lancaster Barnstormers to a 6-3 victory over the New Britain Bees in the opener of a day-night doubleheader at New Britain Stadium.  The win was the second in a row for the Barnstormers.

 With Sandford at first, Joe Beimel, a veteran of 13 big league seasons, bounced a pitch that James Skelton could not handle cleanly, giving the speedster second.  He promptly stole third and later scored when Lastings Milledge cracked a double into the right field corner.  Following a Caleb Gindl sacrifice, K.C. Hobson slapped a grounder at third.  New Britain pinned Milledge in a rundown and tagged him out at home, but Hobson was able to sneak into second on the play.  Sean Halton reached on a bobble by third baseman Michael Baca.  Halton stole second, and both runners scored on a single to center by Garrett Weber.

 Singles by Gindl and Hobson and a groundout by Halton produced an early 1-0 lead for the ‘Stormers.  They added two in the third inning as Hobson single to right field, scoring Milledge, who had entered the game as a pinch runner.  Halton followed with an RBI double inside the third base bag for a 3-0 cushion.

 New Britain struck back against reliever R.J. Hively in the third.  Steve Carrillo picked up a one-out walk.  With two gone, Carrillo stole second.  He scored on a base hit to left by Craig Maddox.  Conor Bierfeldt then launched his third homer of the season’s first week, a drive down the left field line, to tie the game at 3-3.

 Daniel Moskos (1-0) picked up the win for the Barnstormers with a scoreless sixth inning.  Cody Hall was perfect in the seventh for his first save.

 Nate Reed takes the hill for the Barnstormers against New Britain right-hander Casey Coleman as the two clubs reconvene at 6:35 for a full nine-inning contest, the finale of the three-game series.  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 6:15.

 NOTES:  The Barnstormers have played errorless baseball in the series and have turned five double plays…The error by Baca in the seventh was the first by an opposing team since the sixth inning on Friday night…Lancaster swiped five bases in the game, two by Sandford…That was one more than the season high in 2016…Hobson has hit safely in five games in a row, going 8-for-16…Hall has not allowed a baserunner in three appearances and has amassed five strikeouts.