STORMERS ROLL TO SWEEP

Swarmer, Diaz Lead Lancaster to 9-1 Win

Matt Swarmer pitched 6 2/3 shutout innings, and Isan Diaz drove in three runs off a double and a triple as the Lancaster Stormers completed a series sweep with a 9-1 victory over the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars Thursday evening at Meritus Park.

With the victory, the Stormers retained a one-half game lead over York in the North Division.  They trail the High Point Rockers by one-half game for a possible wild card spot.

Swarmer (4-2) yielded six hits, all singles.  The right-hander walked and struck out nine against the Boxcars, who were facing Swarmer for the first time.  Hagerstown did not advance a runner into scoring position until the seventh when consecutive one-out singles by Ozzie Abreu and Tyler Hill created a threat.  Both moved ahead on a wild pitch.  Swarmer fanned Demetrius Moorer for the second out before getting final out relief help from A.J. Alexy.

Justin Dyksma pitched the final two innings in his professional debut.  The 22-year-old from Grand Rapids, Michigan got the side in order in the eighth before yielding a run on two walks and two weak singles in the ninth.

Chris Proctor, who would ultimately go 3-for-5, drove in a run with a triple in the second inning, and Joseph Carpenter made it 2-0 with an RBI single to center in the second. 

The Stormers broke the game open against Marvin Gorgas (3-8) in the fourth inning.  Joe Stewart lined a single into right and went to third on a perfectly placed hit-and-run single by Proctor.  Trace Loehr singled home one run, and following a bunt, Diaz smoked a double to deep right for a 5-0 lead.

Lancaster’s offense would be quiet until the eighth when Damon Dues singled home Proctor.  Diaz drove in another with a triple to the right field corner. 

Carpenter capped the scoring with a two-run homer to right in the ninth.

Lancaster hosts the Long Island Ducks on Friday.  Noah Bremer (8-6) will take the hill for the Stormers against right-hander Nick Tropeano (2-0).  Fans may tune into the game on FloBaseball at 6:40.

NOTES:  Diaz extended his hitting streak to 11 games and his RBI streak to eight…He has 11 extra-base hits (8 2B, 3B, 2 HR) in those 11 games and has knocked in 17 runs…Carpenter became the fifth Stormer this season to reach 12 homers, but no one has more than 13…Swarmer came one short of his sixth 10-K performance over his two seasons with Lancaster…His ERA dropped to 4.06…He has 77 strikeouts in 64.1 innings of work…Proctor had a pair of three-hit games in the series…Lancaster banged out 40 hits in the three games.