Paredes Drills Stormers in Atlantic League Return

One-time Barnstormer Jimmy Paredes marked his return to the Atlantic League with a homer and five runs batted in, leading his new club, the Somerset Patriots to a 14-3 triumph over Lancaster Tuesday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

The former Houston Astro, who spent three weeks with the Barnstormers in 2019 before running into visa issues, was finally cleared to join the Patriots in time for the series in Lancaster.  He went on to go 3-for-5 and reached Jared Lakind (2-2) for a three-run homer in the top of the third to vault the Patriots to the win.

Brett Oberholtzer (5-1) carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Parker Morin slammed a two-run homer to right following a leadoff walk to Josh Bell.

By then, the game was well in Somerset’s hands at 10-0.

Lakind retired all six batters he faced over the first two innings.  He opened the third with a walk to another one-time Barnstormer, Michael Crouse.  Alfredo Rodriguez rapped a ground single into left, and the two executed a double steal.  Yovan Gonzalez looped a fly ball to shallow center just out of the reach of second baseman Dan Gamache to produce the first run.  Lakind retired two without allowing the second tally before Paredes slammed his blast onto the hill in left for the 4-0 lead.

A passed ball allowed another run to second in the fourth.  Two more runs scored off Lakind in the fifth, and Christian Meister walked the bases loaded in the sixth before leaving. All three of those runners eventually scored.

By the time it ended, both right fielder Caleb Gindl and left fielder Zach Shank took turns on the mound, yielding three runs in the ninth.

The two clubs meet for a day-night doubleheader on Wednesday with a seven-inning contest at 11:00 in the morning and a nine-inning tilt at 7:00 PM.  Lancaster will send right-hander Garrett Granitz (0-0) and lefty Buddy Baumann (2-6) to the hill against left-handers Logan Darnell and Thomas Dorminy.  Both games will be carried live on Blue Ridge 11 and the Barnstormers YouTube Channel.

NOTES:  Dan Gamache went 0-for-4 to lose a 10-game hitting streak…Gindl and K.C. Hobson had two hits apiece for Lancaster…Scott Shuman made his return to the mound after nearly a two-month absence…He walked the first batter he faced on four pitches before getting a double play and a strike out…Lancaster pitchers walked 11 in the game and missed the strike zone 89 times.