STORMERS RALLY, DROP FERRYHAWKS

Small Ball Overcomes Early Homers

After a string of blowouts, both for and against, the Lancaster Stormers rallied from a 5-0 deficit on Wednesday night, scoring four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the Staten Island FerryHawks, 7-6, Wednesday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

It was Lancaster’s second walkoff win of the season and moved the club three games ahead of both Staten Island and Long Island in the race for second place in the North.

With the Stormers down, 6-3, Damon Dues battled J.P. Woodward (0-2) to an eighth pitch, grounding a single off the glove of shortstop Joe Dunand to start the rally.  Jack Conley scalded a line drive off the right field wall.  Kolby Johnson banged into the video board and stunned himself, allowing Conley to reach third before the FerryHawks could retrieve the loose ball.  Kyle Kasser picked up a walk on a full count pitch and departed for pinch runner Jordan Howard.  Shawon Dunston, Jr. snuck a single into center to cut the lead to 6-5 and send Howard to third with the tying run.  Trace Loehr got a squeeze bunt down.  Woodward’s throw to the plate sailed past catcher Matt Scheffler, allowing Dunston to take third and Loehr to go to second.

Robbie Baker entered to face Joseph Carpenter.  The Lancaster first baseman hit a chopper on the right side.  Second baseman Kyle Dernudde fired home, but the throw was late and off to the first base side as Dunston scored the winner.

Staten Island’s early lead was built on four homers off Stormers starter Matt Swarmer.  Alejandro de Aza connected with one out in the first.  Johnson led off the third with a shot to right center for a 2-0 lead, and Pablo Sandoval added a two-run blast later in the inning.  A second homer by Johnson to virtually the same spot in the fourth inning extended the lead to 5-0.

Dues led off the fifth with a home run off Mike Shawaryn, and Justin Farmer singled home two in the sixth to narrow the gap.

Nile Ball fired three shutout innings to keep Lancaster in the game.  Jackson Rees (2-0) was perfect in the top of the ninth to earn the win.

Lancaster will attempt to sweep the series on Thursday evening at 6:45.  Fans may tune into Blue Ridge 11 or FloBaseball, starting at 6:40.

NOTES:  Lancaster has won five straight against Staten Island, two by a one-run margin…Carpenter has both walkoff RBI for the Stormers this season…Dues has hit safely in seven games in a row, going 12-for-25…He has homered in back-to-back games after having only one in his previous professional career…Dunston has nine RBI in his last four games…Farmer has seven in the last three…Steffon Moore made his Lancaster debut in the eighth inning, allowing an unearned run.ReplyReply allForward

DC