STORMERS TURN TABLES, BLANK DUCKS

Swarmer Dazzles in 12-0 Win

The Lancaster Stormers, one night after getting shut down by the Long Island Ducks, turned it around on Saturday night with a 12-0 win over the visitors in front of 5,838 at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

With the win, Lancaster remained one game ahead of York in the second half race in the North Division.

Matt Swarmer (1-1) bounced back from a rough outing at High Point six days earlier to limit Long Island to three singles over six innings.  The former Chicago Cub also hit a batter but walked no one and struck out six.

Adam Wibert and Carsie Walker combined to complete the shutout, only the second thrown by Lancaster pitching this season.

Mike Montgomery (2-4) mostly kept Lancaster in check over the first five innings, save for yielding a two-run homer to right center to Isan Diaz in the third.

The Long Island bullpen was not as successful.  Newly acquired left-hander Alex Katz struck out Niko Hulsizer to open the sixth, then walked Mason Martin.  Martin took off for second on a 3-2 pitch to Gaige Howard, but he left too early on the left-handed Katz and was caught in a rundown.  The Ducks mishandled the rundown, allowing Martin to move ahead to second.  Howard eventually walked.  The duo executed a double steal, drawing a bad throw from catcher Aaron Antonini.  Both runners scored as the ball skipped down the left field line into the Ducks bullpen.

The sixth inning was far from over.  Katz walked two more before yielding the mound to Wladimir Pinto.  Trace Loehr greeted Pinto with an RBI single for a 5-0 lead.  Pinto left with an injury after going to a 2-0 count on David Melfi, who later walked.  Miguel Guerrero also walked Damon Dues to force home a sixth Lancaster run.  One out later, Hulsizer cracked a three-run double to the wall in left center.

Loehr added a two-run homer, and Diaz collected an RBI single in the seventh.

The rubber game of the series will be held at 3:00 on Sunday afternoon.  Lancaster will send Brady Tedesco (0-2) to the mound against left-hander Wei-Yin Chen (3-5).  Fans may tune in on Blue Ridge 11 and FloBaseball, beginning at 3:00.

NOTES:  Shawon Dunston, Jr. failed to extend his hitting streak to nine…The Stormers had only seven hits but drew 11 walks…Lancaster stole six bases on the night…Montgomery, according to quick research, but not confirmed by MLB Stats, was the last pitcher to throw consecutive CG shutouts at the Major League level, performing the feat in June, 2015…Lancaster used LHP Max Green as a pinch runner late in the game.