STORMERS MOVE CLOSER

Magic Number Drops to Five with 8-1 Win at York

Max Green and four relievers combined on a four-hitter Friday evening as the Lancaster Stormers knocked off the York Revolution, 8-1, in the opener of a three-game series at WellSpan Park.

The win lowered Lancaster’s magic number to win the division in the second half to five with Long Island and three with York.  There are eight games remaining on the schedule.

Green (12-5) took over the league lead in wins with his 12^th against two losses as a starter.  The lefty found trouble only in the second inning when David Washington launched a leadoff homer to the opposite field, the 33^rd of the season for the slugging first baseman.  A pair of one-out singles and a two-out walk to Alfredo Reyes loaded the bases, but Green fanned Matt McDermott for the second of his seven strikeouts to escape the threat.

The Stormers had managed only one unearned run off Michael Horrell (5-8) in the first four innings but were able to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth when Damon Dues singled off the glove of second baseman Chase Dawson to bring Joseph Carpenter home from third. 

Niko Hulsizer added a 453’ home run with a man aboard in the sixth to stretch the lead to 4-1, and the Stormers put the game away with a four-run eighth.  Joe Stewart singled home one run, Trace Loehr doubled in another, and two scored on wild pitches.

Meanwhile, Michael McAvene, Scott Engler, A.J. Alexy and Jackson Rees pitched a hitless inning apiece out of the Lancaster pen.

Matt Swarmer (5-3) will make the start for Lancaster on Saturday at 6:30.  He will be opposed by Chris Vallimont (4-2).  Fans may tune into FloBaseball at 6:25.

NOTES:  Five different Stormers had two hits apiece out of the club’s total of 13…It was Lancaster’s first win in seven tries at York this season…Dues had his 33^rd multi-hit game in under three months with Lancaster…Green has a 3.63 ERA as a starter…The club is 15-4 with him on the hill…