STORMERS RUN TO VICTORY

Lancaster Sets Club Steals Record in Playoff Tuneup

The Lancaster Stormers stole a franchise record 10 bases on Friday evening en route to a 6-3 victory over the Staten Island FerryHawks in the opener of a three-game weekend series at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

It broke the previous record of eight set earlier this season.

Shawon Dunston, Jr. got the ground game underway immediately, stealing second and third after a leadoff walk from Nate Roe (3-3). 

Over the course of the night, Dunston would steal two more, tying Darien Sandford’s club record for an individual in one game.  Slugger Mason Martin grabbed two while Isan Diaz, Joe Stewart, Chris Proctor and Joseph Carpenter grabbed one apiece.

In that first inning, Dunston scored from third on Damon Dues’ sac fly to left.  The Stormers would build another run in the inning as Diaz doubled into the right field corner, took third on a single by Martin.  Gaige Howard picked up the run with a grounder to first.

Staten Island took the lead in the span of six batters and just 1/3 of inning.  Jackson Loftin reached starter Matt Swarmer for a solo homer with two outs in the fifth.  Steffon Moore loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a single by Pablo Sandoval.  Calvin Estrada grounded a single through the left side, scoring two and giving the FerryHawks a 3-2 edge.  Scott Engler (2-0) took over and fanned the side, setting up the Lancaster offense for a surge in the bottom of the inning.

Martin reached when Nate Roe (3-3) took a spill chasing his dribbler to the third base side of the mound.  Martin snagged his second base, and, one out later, scored when Joe Stewart doubled to right center.  Stewart stole third and came home with the lead run on Chris Proctor’s broken bat roller up the middle.

Diaz tacked on an RBI single to plate Dunston in the seventh, and Stewart added a solo homer in the eighth.

Lancaster had to survive a tough top of the eighth.  A.J. Alexy yielded a leadoff single to right center by Sandoval in the eighth, then walked Estrada to add a second runner.  The former Texas Ranger retired the next two on strikes but allowed a Kyle Dernedde single to load the bases.

Phil Diehl struck out Loftin on three pitches to cool the FerryHawks.  The lefty retired the side in order in the ninth for his second save.

Left-hander Brady Tedesco (3-4) will start for the Stormers on Saturday against Sandoval, the former World Series MVP who has pitched two scoreless innings this season as well as two in his days with San Francisco.  He has never yielded a run.

Fireworks will follow.  Fans not in attendance may tune into the game on FloBaseball, starting at 6:40.

NOTES:  Swarmer fanned six and finished the season with 99…The Stormers’ staff fanned 15 for the second straight game…Dunston has 49 steals on the year…Lancaster is 19-6 against Staten Island for the season.