WIN STREAK EXTENDED

Stormers Beat FerryHawks After Long Delay

The Lancaster Stormers won the battle of the bullpens on Wednesday evening, following a rain delay of over two hours.

Jalen Battles went 2-for-3 with three RBI, and the Stormers made the most out of a seven-hit attack in an 8-5 win over the host Staten Island FerryHawks at SIUH Community Park.

It was the seventh straight win for the Stormers this season and the club’s 18^th straight over Staten Island since last July.  With the win, the Stormers move two games ahead of York and Hagerstown in the North race.

A heavy thunderstorm broke loose on the stadium after starters Darrien Ragins and Noah Bremer each tossed a scoreless first inning.

With play not resuming until 9:00 PM, neither starter remained available so Ross Peeples and Carlos Mirabal turned to their relief staffs. 

Lancaster’s proved to be deeper.

Staten Island responded to Battles’ two-run homer in the second with a surge off Cole Patten in the home third.  Lamar Briggs and Ozzie Abreu opened the inning with doubles, and Gary Mattis singled home Briggs from third.  A double steal allowed the tying run to score, and Josh Palacios staked Staten Island to a 3-2 lead with the inning’s third double, a drive to the gap in left center.

Mattis drove in a fourth run in the fourth inning as the FerryHawks took their third two-run lead of the series.

Tyler Miller singled home a run in the fifth to cut the lead to one.  Over the next two innings, the Stormers scored the tying and lead runs without the benefit of a base hit as sacrifice flies from Jeremy Arocho and Tyler Robertson jumped Lancaster ahead.  Jake Thompson tripled off the glove of center fielder Blake Rutherford driving in two more in the eighth against Luke Powell (0-2).

That, and Battles’ RBI single were enough to withstand a Rutherford homer in the bottom of the eighth.

Ronnie Voacolo (2-0) pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings for the Stormers to earn the win.  Andrew Schultz pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth straight save.

NOTES:  Lancaster has won six of the seven games in the streak by three or fewer runs…