Sugar Land Wins, 1-0, in 10 Frames
Call it the ghost runner, phantom runner or whatever you will, but the Lancaster Barnstormers are certainly getting spooked by it.
For the second time in less than a week, the Barnstormers have allowed the extra inning runner at second and have not been able to match it as the Sugar Land Skeeters captured the opener of a day-night doubleheader, 1-0, in 10 innings Tuesday afternoon at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
The second game is scheduled for 7:00 on Tuesday evening.
Sugar Land opened the top of the 10th with pinch runner Roy Merritt at second. He quickly scored as Cody Stanley rapped a double into the right field corner off Bryan Harper (0-2). Sugar Land would continue the inning, loading the bases with one out before Harper fanned Jared Mitchell for the second out, and Andury Acevedo got Chris Colabello to bounce into a force out to close the inning.
Devon Torrence opened the Lancaster half of the inning at second base but never moved against Felipe Paulino (1-0).
Starters Konner Wade and Buddy Baumann dominated the game through the first six and a half innings.
Baumann worked the first seven for the Barnstormers, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out four. He kept his scoreless innings streak alive at 13. It almost ended on a blast by Albert Cordero to left in the seventh. The ball hopped back onto the field of play and was initially ruled a double. That was overturned upon an argument by Sugar Land skipper Pete Incaviglia. Ross Peeples made a rebuttal, and got the call reverted to a two-bagger.
Wade yielded only four singles in his six innings of work, walking none and striking out one. The Barnstormers had their best opportunity of the day against reliever Matt West in the bottom of the seventh when K.C. Hobson singled to left center, and Josh Bell was hit by a pitch to start the inning. West recovered and struck out the side.
Jonathan Albaladejo (0-2) gets the game two start against Merritt (1-1). Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 6:45.
NOTES: Both of Harper’s losses have come in extra innings on the unearned run…The Barnstormers lead the league with a 2.74 composite ERA…Hobson has hit safely in six of his last seven games, going 9-for-28…Lancaster is 2-6 at home.