STORMERS TRIP UP FERRYHAWKS

Infield Hit Pushes Home Deciding Run

Lancaster produced its first four runs with heavy lumber, but it was an infield single that brought home the deciding run as the Stormers tripped up the Staten Island FerryHawks, 5-4, Wednesday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

J.P. Woodward (0-3) struck out Gaige Howard and Joseph Carpenter looking to open the bottom of the eighth before walking Shawon Dunston, Jr. and Chris Proctor in succession.  The duo executed a double steal to put runners at second and third.  Trace Loehr hit a bounder past the left side of the mound.  Shortstop Jeison Guzman hustled to the ball, but his off balance throw was late at first base as the Stormers broke the 4-4 tie.

Staten Island struck for four runs in the top of the third off Lancaster starter Oscar De La Cruz.  The right-hander hit Andres Noriega with a pitch, and Guzman yanked a double inside the first base bag.  Kolby Johnson’s single into right brough Noriega home for a 1-0 lead.  Pablo Sandoval drove home a second run with a long sacrifice fly to center.  Luis Castro planted his 10^th homer of the season onto the deck in right as the FerryHawks opened up a 4-0 advantage.

Lancaster fought back with homers.  Damon Dues led off the third with a blast to right center field.  Two batters later, Mason Martin connected on a drive to dead center.  In the fourth, Damon Dues followed a Trace Loehr double with a liner to the deck down the right field line to tie the game.

Bullpens kept it that way for nearly four innings.  Christian Allegretti and Brian Warzek, two Staten Island lefties faced the minimum of 10 batters over 3 1/3 for the FerryHawks.  Steffon Moore dug De La Cruz out of a hole in the sixth inning, freezing runners at second and third, then pitched a perfect seventh.  Ted Stuka opened the eighth with consecutive walks but got Jimmy Paredes to bounce into a 4-6-3 double play.  Phil Diehl (3-1) entered and struck out Noriega for the final out of the inning.

Stephen Nogosek survived a two-out infield single by Nate Scantlin to pick up his fifth save.

The Stormers will send Max Green (5-4) to the mound on Thursday morning.  Staten Island has not announced its starter.

NOTES:  The Stormers are now 8-5 in one-run games this season…Four of the wins have been against the FerryHawks…Dues has five homers with Lancaster after having only one in his previous career…Martin has 10 extra base hits in 38 at bats…Diehl and Nogosek have combined for a win and save on consecutive nights.