TELLER AND PEN BLANK HONEY HUNTERS

Right-Handers Spin Magic in Win

Brent Teller and two relievers combined on a three-hit shutout Tuesday evening as the Lancaster Barnstormers captured the series opener from the Gastonia Honey Hunters, 6-0, at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

The game was played in front of 7,069, the largest crowd at the Prince Street Stadium since the pandemic.

Teller (3-3) yielded three hits over seven innings.  The right-hander walked one and struck out four.  Jesus Liranzo needed just 11 pitches to strike out three in the eighth inning, and Andrew Lee finished off Gastonia with a strike out and two ground balls.

No Honey Hunter reached second base in the game.

The Barnstormers scored the only run they needed in the first inning off Sal Romano (1-3).  With one out, Andretty Cordero bounced a single up the middle.  He took second on a ground out by Kelly Dugan.  Ariel Sandoval lashed a single into right, and Cordero was able to score when catcher Alexis Olmeda mishandled the throw.

Jack Conley added a homer to left in the second inning, and the score remained, 2-0, until the seventh.

Jake Hoover walked to open the seventh and stole second as Yeison Coca struck out.  Melvin Mercedes also struck out before Cordero hit a topper toward shortstop Kevin Santa.  The off balance throw was wide of first and deflected back toward the infield as Hoover scored.  Kelly Dugan followed with a two-run homer to left for a 5-0 lead.  Ariel Sandoval walked and went to second on Trayvon Robinson’s single to right.  Wilson Garcia drove home the run with a grounder off the glove of second baseman Cole Freeman.

The Barnstormers and Honey Hunters continue the series on Wednesday night.  Dominic DiSabatino (3-2) will take the hill against right-hander Zach Godley (2-3).  Fans may tune in on Blue Ridge 11 or FloBaseball, beginning at 6:30.

NOTES:  Four of Lancaster’s last five wins have been on shutouts…Liranzo has struck out his last six batters on 20 pitches…He hit 101 MPH on two separate pitches…Garcia had his first three-hit game as a Barnstormer…Dugan’s homer, his eighth of the year, was his first in 13 days…Right-handers are now 3-for-45 (.067) off Andrew Lee.