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STORMERS SLIP PAST STATEN ISLAND

The Lancaster Stormers had the first lead of the game, and the last.

Between those two goalposts, the Staten Island FerryHawks appeared to be in charge.

Lancaster fought back from a 6-3 deficit, scoring the go-ahead run on a force play grounder in the top of the 10th inning to defeat Staten Island, 8-7, in the opener of a three-game series.

With the win, the Stormers jumped back into sole possession of first place in the North, one game ahead of the York Revolution.  Long Island stands three back.

Trace Loehr laid down a bunt, meant to be a sacrifice, to start the 10th, but the FerryHawks failed to make a play on the ball as Loehr reached with Chris Proctor taking third.  Damon Dues rolled a grounder to the hole at short, and Jeison Guzman made a nice play to force Loehr at second with Proctor scoring the lead run.  Lancaster could do nothing else against Brian McKenna (1-2). 

As it turned out, it was not necessary to do so.

Phil Diehl entered in the bottom of the tenth and allowed Nate Scantlin to bunt Alejandro De Aza to third.  The lefty struck out Kyle Dernedde for the second out, and Roldani Baldwin popped up to first to end the game.

The Stormers barely made it to the extra inning.  Trailing, 7-6, with two outs in the ninth, Lancaster stayed alive with a double to deep left by Shawon Dunston, Jr.  Chad Sedio fell behind in the count before rapping a tying single to center.

Martin drove in four runs on a double and a homer earlier in the game.  The output was matched by Staten Island’s Ben Norman, who had a three-run double in the second and a homer in the fourth that built a 6-3 edge.

Martin’s two-run double tied the game in the top of the seventh, but Luis Castro belted a home run to center off Steffon Moore to start the bottom of the inning.

Stephen Nogosek (1-0) pitched a perfect ninth for the win.

Lancaster will send Oscar De La Cruz (1-2) to the mound against right-hander Taylor Lepard (0-4, 0-7) on Wednesday morning.  Fans may tune into FloBaseball at 10:25.

NOTES:  Lancaster has won seven straight and 12 of the last 13 against Staten Island…Seven of the wins have been by one run…Gaige Howard had his 28th multi-hit game of the season…Martin’s four RBI were his first since July 19, also against the FerryHawks…Dues reached base four times and scored three runs…Nogosek pitched his 12th straight inning without a walk.