LANCASTER SWITCHES GEARS, RUNS TO WIN

‘Stormers Tie Club Steals Record

The Lancaster Barnstormers could not reach the outfield fences with deep fly balls early Sunday afternoon, so they shifted gears on the Spire City Ghost Hounds.

It worked.

Lancaster rapped out 12 hits, all singles and doubles, and tied a franchise record with seven stolen bases, taking down the Ghost Hounds, 9-4, in the finale of a series at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

With the win, the Barnstormers improved to 6-2 in the second half.

Lancaster trailed, 2-0, against Dustin Beggs (3-6) through 4 ½ innings.  With two outs and Trayvon Robinson at second on a walk and a steal, Melvin Mercedes yanked a double into the right field corner.  Trace Loehr matched it with another double to tie the game at 2-2.  Loehr stole third and scored on a single that short hopped center fielder Leobaldo Cabrera.

The Barnstormers legs came into play again in the sixth.  Joseph Carpenter singled through the left side with one out, and Robinson followed with his second walk of the afternoon.  They executed a double steal, and Carpenter scored when Pete Yorgen’s throw to get Robinson entered center field.  Robinson scored Lancaster’s fifth run on a single by Jack Conley into left.

Cabrera’s third hit of the afternoon drove home Yorgen to bring the Hounds within two in the seventh.  Again, Lancaster went to “small ball.”  Mercedes led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk and advanced on a bunt by Loehr.  Cordero picked up the run with a single to the wall in right.

Even with the 6-3 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Barnstormers had more tricks up their sleeves.  Carpenter singled to right and moved up on a wild pitch.  Conley bunted his way aboard for the second time in the game.  Yorgen sailed his throw to first, and Carpenter crossed with a run.  Shawon Dunston, Jr. singled to center to second Conley to third, and Mercedes and Loehr performed a beautiful hit-and-run, scoring Conley.  Loehr drove in the final Lancaster run with a sacrifice fly.

Brent Teller (6-4) yielded six hits and four walks in the first five innings, but the right-hander allowed only two runs on sacrifice flies as the Ghost Hounds had four runners thrown out on the bases.  New right-hander Jeff Bain and lefty Zach Warren were credited with holds.

Lancaster will entertain Lexington beginning Tuesday at 6:30.  Jared Lakind (4-2) will take the hill for the Barnstormers in the series opener.  Fans may tune in on Blue Ridge 11 or FloBaseball.

NOTES:  The Barnstormers signed utility player Chad Sedio following the game…He is a lefty batter who will primarily play the outfield…Right-hander Spencer Johnston was released…Carpenter extended his hitting streak to nine games…He is 17-for-36 (.472)…Cordero temporarily tied for the league RBI lead with 62, pending the outcomes of the later games on Sunday…He has 15 RBI for the week…Cordero has driven home 180 runs in 200 games as a Barnstormer…Mercedes is 21-for-46 (.457) in his last 12 games…Of the seven steals, only Robinson stole more than one.