Barnstormers Surge Past Bees!

Coronado Leads Rally in 8-4 Win at New Britain

Nate Coronado has certainly given the Lancaster Barnstormers a big lift since joining the ballclub out of the All-Star break.

The shortstop tied Tuesday afternoon’s game in the top of the sixth with an RBI double and added a two-run homer in the top of the eighth to pad the lead as the Barnstormers won their third in a row with an 8-4 matinee victory over the New Britain Bees at New Britain Stadium.

Since joining the Barnstormers, the infielder from Philadelphia is 13-for-34 (.382) with six extra base hits and nine RBI.  He has also stolen four bases in his 10 starts.

Two-out RBI singles by Sean Halton in the first and Garrett Weber in the second jumped Lancaster to an early lead, but the Bees put together a big fourth inning off Bryan Evans.

Jake McGuiggan led off the inning with a double to left and took third on Jovan Rosa’s single to right.  Craig Maddox walked to load the bases.  Conor Bierfeldt stroked a single into left center to score the first New Britain run.  Jordan Hinshaw walked on a 3-2 pitch as the tying run came across.  A double inside the first base bag by Jamar Walton gave New Britain a 4-2 lead before the first out of the inning was recorded.

Just like that, the spigot turned off.  Bryan Evans struck out two around a foul fly ball by Ivan Villaescusa to end the inning.

Lancaster’s bullpen strung together five scoreless innings as the Barnstormers fought back to take control of the game.

With two outs in the sixth, Lastings Milledge singled and stole second.  Anderson De La Rosa brought him home with a single lined into right field and took second on the late throw home.  Coronado then ripped a double, the club’s first extra base hit of the day, into the right center alley to tie the game off reliever Casey Coleman.

De La Rosa singled home Trayvon Robinson from third with one out in the eighth to snap the deadlock against Brandon Shimo (4-4).  Coronado followed with his first Atlantic League home run, a drive over the boards in left.  Milledge added a homer in the ninth.

John Kuchno (1-0) picked up the win in relief for Lancaster.

The clubs will meet for the third game of the series Wednesday night at 6:30.  Jarret Leverett (6-5) will take the hill for Lancaster against Kyle Simon (6-7).  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 6:15.

NOTES:  The Barnstormers swiped six bases in the game and have nine for the series…Beau Amaral was lifted from the game as a precautionary move after the first inning…Amaral has five hits in his last eight at bats…Anthony Carter threw his 11^th straight scoreless ninth inning…Lancaster is 8-3 since the All-Star break…Evans struck out seven in his start, moving him into fourth place on the Lancaster career strikeout list with 247