Genomes Belt Three Homers to Even Series
For the Wild Health Genomes on Wednesday evening, it was literally a case of hit or miss.
The Genomes reached Lancaster starter Cam Gann for eight hits and six runs in six innings, but otherwise the Barnstormers’ right-hander fanned 12, a new season high for the club. Only five Wild Health batters put the ball in play against Gann without reaching successfully.
Luke Becker opened the game with a ground single up the middle off Gann (4-4). Teodoro Martinez rolled a slow ground ball to second baseman Melvin Mercedes. Mercedes swept a tag toward Becker and missed, then bounced a throw that eluded first baseman Dennicher Carrasco with Becker taking third. Jimmy Paredes crept a single through the right side to plate the first run.
Gann picked up the first two of his strikeouts, but Samir Duenez and Carlos Castro produced consecutive RBI singles for a 3-0 lead.
Moises Sierra stretched the lead to 5-0 with a two-run homer to left center in the third, and Castro tacked on a solo blast in the fourth. All while Gann was in a stretch were eight straight outs came on strikes.
Dustin Beggs (4-3) carried a shutout into the sixth inning before surrendering a pair of unearned runs. Andretty Cordero reached on a throwing error by Paredes. LeDarious Clark’s third single of the night sent Cordero to third. Clark stole second before Colton Shaver’s ground out to third got Lancaster on the board. One out later, Trace Loehr beat out a slow roller to short with Clark sprinting home with the second run.
Demetrius Moorer capped the scoring with a two-out solo homer in the eighth.
The rubber game of the series will be played at 11:00 AM on Thursday. Nile Ball (2-3) will make the start for Lancaster against right-hander Max Povse (4-4) of the Genomes. Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 10:55.
NOTES: Becker’s four-hit game was the first against the Barnstormers this season…Shaver doubled in the eighth for Lancaster’s only extra base hit of the game…It was his fifth double in four games and ninth in the last 11…Clark has 18 steals in the last 27 games to pull within two of league leader Reece Hampton of Gastonia.