GINDL BREAKS TIE IN NINTH FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WIN

Lancaster Downs Bridgeport, 4-2

Caleb Gindl was moved to the top of the order on Tuesday evening, but delivered like the number three batter he has been.

The Lancaster outfielder singled into right field with the bases loaded to break a 2-2 deadlock and send the Barnstormers to a 4-2 victory over the host Bridgeport Bluefish in the opener of a three-game series at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard.

Lancaster needed the win to stay within two games of the York Revolution in the Freedom Division race.  York defeated Long Island, 1-0, earlier in the evening.

Mike McDade opened the ninth with a ground single through the hole on the right side off D.J. Mitchell, who retired nine straight before that inning.  Charlie Cutler bunted in front of the plate and reached first safely when rookie Connor David made a low throw to first.  The Barnstormers bunted again with K.C. Hobson advancing pinch runner Travis Witherspoon to third and Cutler to second.  Mitchell (0-1) walked Lance Zawadzki, and Gindl stroked the first pitch of his at bat through the right side to drive home Witherspoon and Cutler.  Both runners moved up on a bad throw home by Anthony Giansanti, but the Barnstormers failed to add more as Kevin Ahrens lined to right, and Giansanti doubled up Zawadzki at home.

Bridgeport struck first as Jose Cuevas reached Terry Doyle for a two-out RBI single up the middle in the first inning, scoring an unearned run.  Josh Bell singled home a run in similar fashion in the third, and Gindl gave Lancaster its first lead with a bases loaded sacrifice fly to left in the fourth inning.

Giansanti opened the fifth with a triple to right center.  Doyle almost pinned him at third, striking out two, but Luis Hernandez muscled an 0-2 pitch into right to score the run.

Doyle worked seven innings, yielding six hits and two runs.  He walked two and fanned five.  Ryan Dennick (3-1) pitched a scoreless eighth to earn the win.  Cory Burns got the side in order, striking out two, in the ninth to notch his 10th save of the season.

The Barnstormers and Bluefish return to the field Wednesday at 10:35.  Bryan Evans (3-2) will start for the Barnstormers against Jonathan Albaladejo (3-2).  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 10:20.

NOTES:  McDade extended his hitting streak to 13 games, longest by a Barnstormer since 2014…Dennick stretched a scoreless inning streak to nine…As a whole, the Barnstormers bullpen has yielded only five earned runs in its last 40 2/3 innings.