STORMERS TRIPPED UP IN LEXINGTON

Streak Ends at Three in 5-3 Defeat

The Lexington Legends executed their game perfectly on Friday evening and ended a nine-game losing streak, and Lancaster’s three-game win skein, with a 5-3 victory over the Stormers at Wild Health Field.

For Lexington, it was only their seventh win of the second half and 24^th of the season, but you would not have known that on Friday.  Legends pitchers limited Lancaster to one walk.  Their defense was clean and, at times, outstanding.  Three sacrifice bunts led to three runs.

They also capitalized on Lancaster mistakes.  Two errors in the first three innings led to three unearned runs for Max Green (9-5).

Lancaster grabbed the early lead.  Damon Dues led off with a double and scored on a two-out single to left by Mason Martin, the first of three hits for the first baseman.

However, the next five runs belonged to the Legends.  Brady Whalen and Matt Bottcher matched the output of Dues and Martin to tie the game at 1-1 in the first.  One-time Stormer Jacob Barfield picked up a walk on a 3-2 pitch from Green and went to second and J.T. Riddle chopped a single into right.  Austin Bates advanced the runners with a bunt.  Green hit Nilo Rijo with a pitch to load the bases.

Green would have escaped, except that Trace Loehr made a high throw to the plate on Korry Howell’s bouncer to third for a 2-1 lead.  Whalen flied to shallow right for the second out, but Pedro Gonzalez picked up a walk, again on a 3-2 pitch, allowing another unearned run to score.

In the third, Kole Cottam walked, and Isan Diaz misplayed a grounder by Barfield.  Again, the Legends bunted, and one run scored against the drawn-in infield when Bates smashed a single off Diaz’ glove.

Barfield added a homer to lead off the fifth.

Nic Laio (3-4) kept Lancaster at bay until the seventh inning when Chad Sedio led off with a double to right center and scored on a two-out single to the middle by Dues.  Diaz doubled home Dues to cut the lead to 5-3.

Lexington’s bullpen held with Nick Gardewine notching his fourth save.

Lancaster will send Matt Swarmer (2-1) to the mound on Saturday against right-hander Wesley Scott (0-1).  Fans may tune into the game on FloBaseball at 6:55.

NOTES:  Dues had his 22^nd multi-hit game as a Stormer…Martin had his fifth three-hit game…Lexington has won two straight meetings with the Stormers…The other was on May 5…Lancaster’s lead over York was cut to ½ game with the Revs rained out against Long Island…Adam Wibert fired two perfect innings of relief.