“TESTA”MENT TO CRAFTINESS

Charleston Lefty Stymies Barnstormers

Charleston Dirty Birds left-hander Joe Testa won his sixth consecutive start, pitching his club to a 4-2 win over the host Lancaster Barnstormers Tuesday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Testa (8-2) yielded six hits and two runs in his seven innings of work.  He walked one and hit a batter while striking out just two, the first two batters he faced in the contest.

The Dirty Birds provided Testa with all the support he needed in the first two innings.  Telvin Nash drove a homer onto the right field deck with two outs and the bases empty in the first for a 1-0 lead.

Charleston had a more productive second.  With one out, Diego Goris singled into right field, and Yovan Gonzalez walked on a full count pitch off Dominic DiSabatino (3-7).  Jose Bermudez smashed a grounder off the glove of first baseman Wilson Garcia for an RBI single, and the throw to the plate by second baseman Trace Loehr skipped past Conley allowing Gonzalez to take third.  Jalen Miller capped the inning, and the Charleston scoring for the night, with a two-run double into the left field corner.

Over the final 7 2/3 innings, the Barnstormers allowed only two singles while walking two and striking out nine to keep the club in the game.

Lancaster finally broke through against Testa in the sixth.  Yeison Coca reached on a one-out double inside the third base bag and came home two batters later when Ariel Sandoval singled to left center.

Wilson Garcia singled to open the seventh and left for designated runner Melvin Mercedes.  Trayvon Robinson produced Mercedes with a double into the left field corner but never advanced beyond second.

The Barnstormers picked up two singles in the eighth inning but failed to convert as the Dirty Birds turned their second 6-4-3 double play of the game.  One-time Barnstormer Luke Westphal earned his first save for Charleston, allowing one walk in the bottom of the ninth.

Brent Teller (7-4) will make the start for the Barnstormers on Wednesday evening against Danny Wirchansky (3-3).  Fans may tune in on Blue Ridge 11 or FloBaseball, beginning at 6:30.

NOTES:  Coca went 3-for-4, extending his hitting streak to nine…He has eight doubles in 11 games…Sandoval extended an on-base streak to 14 games…Cordero has hit safely in 18 of 19…Former Twins right-hander Cody Stashak struck out two in a perfect eighth inning in his Atlantic League debut for the Barnstormers…Lancaster has lost three in a row, outhitting the opposition in each game.