Offense Checked on Two Hits in Loss
Whenever the Lancaster offense has an off night, it seems to be with Noah Bremer on the hill for their club.
The Stormers managed only two hits, and Bremer stumbled after matching the shutout for 5 1/3 innings as Long Island captured the rubber game of a three-game series, 8-0, at Fairfield Properties Ballpark.
It was the third time that Lancaster has been shut out with Bremer on the mound. His only other loss since May was 3-1.
Jimmy Robbins threw 109 pitches in 4 2/3 innings, walking six and seemingly lulling the Stormers offense to sleep as they left the bases loaded in both the fourth and fifth innings. The bullpen took over and retired all 13 Lancaster batters faced in 4 1/3 innings. Three of those innings were covered by former Cincinnati Reds starter Sal Romano (1-0), who picked up the win in his Long Island debut.
The closest Lancaster came to scoring in the late innings came when Niko Hulsizer flied to the left field wall to open the eighth.
Bremer (8-5) had a one-hitter with eight strikeouts through those 5 1/3 innings before Ivan Castillo broke the spell with a single to left. He stole second and scored when Frank Schwindel stroked a single into left center. Ryan McBroom chased Schwindel to third with a single into right. A second run scored on Aaron Antonini’s sac fly to left. Bremer left after yielding a single to left by Zach Racusin.
Steffon Moore got the final out in the sixth. He faced the first two batters in the seventh, yielding a single and picking up a strikeout. JC Encarnacion took Kyle Johnson’s first pitch over the boards in left for a 4-0 lead. Long Island socked the game away with four more, two on a double by Castillo, off Adam Wibert in the eighth.
Lancaster will send Matt Swarmer (2-1) to the hill against the Staten Island FerryHawks on Tuesday evening at Community Park. Fans may tune into FloBaseball, beginning at 6:25.
NOTES: Bremer has lasted at least five innings in all 15 of his starts…He held the opposition to three or fewer runs for the 12th straight time…His eight strikeouts matched his season high and moved him within one of the league lead with 94…It was the eighth time he fanned at least six…Gaige Howard had one of Lancaster’s two hits and also drew a walk…He had entered the game second in the league in OBP and eighth in average and marginally increased both…Lancaster ended the day tied with York in the North.