Lancaster 8, York 1
Max Green and four relievers combined on a four-hitter Friday evening as the Lancaster Stormers knocked off the York Revolution, 8-1, in the opener of a three-game series at WellSpan Park.
The win lowered Lancaster’s magic number to win the division in the second half to five with Long Island and three with York. There are eight games remaining on the schedule.
Green (12-5) took over the league lead in wins with his 12th against two losses as a starter. The lefty found trouble only in the second inning when David Washington launched a leadoff homer to the opposite field, the 33rd of the season for the slugging first baseman. A pair of one-out singles and a two-out walk to Alfredo Reyes loaded the bases, but Green fanned Matt McDermott for the second of his seven strikeouts to escape the threat.
The Stormers had managed only one unearned run off Michael Horrell (5-8) in the first four innings but were able to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth when Damon Dues singled off the glove of second baseman Chase Dawson to bring Joseph Carpenter home from third.
Niko Hulsizer added a 453’ home run with a man aboard in the sixth to stretch the lead to 4-1, and the Stormers put the game away with a four-run eighth. Joe Stewart singled home one run, Trace Loehr doubled in another, and two scored on wild pitches.
Meanwhile, Michael McAvene, Scott Engler, A.J. Alexy and Jackson Rees pitched a hitless inning apiece out of the Lancaster pen.
Matt Swarmer (5-3) will make the start for Lancaster on Saturday at 6:30. He will be opposed by Chris Vallimont (4-2). Fans may tune into FloBaseball at 6:25.
NOTES: Five different Stormers had two hits apiece out of the club’s total of 13…It was Lancaster’s first win in seven tries at York this season…Dues had his 33rd multi-hit game in under three months with Lancaster…Green has a 3.63 ERA as a starter…The club is 15-4 with him on the hill…
Long Island 4, Charleston 1
(Charleston, W. Va., Sept. 6, 2024) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Charleston Dirty Birds 4-1 on Friday evening in the opener of a three-game series at GoMart Ballpark
Long Island took a 2-0 lead in the top half of the first inning on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Joe DeLuca and an RBI base hit produced by Yoelquis Cespedes against Charleston starting pitcher Adrian Almeida. The Ducks took a 3-0 advantage in the second by way of a two-out run-scoring bunt single down the third base line from Kole Kaler.
The Dirty Birds cut the deficit to 3-1 in the second on an RBI groundout by Rusber Estrada versus Ducks starter Sal Romano. The visitors added an insurance run in the eighth for a 4-1 cushion as Leobaldo Cabrera plated Kaler with a one-out run-scoring opposite-field base knock to right after Kaler began the rally with a leadoff walk and his 13th stolen base of the season. The bullpen quarter of Tyler Vail, Peyton Williams, Al Alburquerque and Ramon Santos did the rest by tossing four scoreless innings on four strikeouts, with Santos retiring the side in order in the last of the ninth for his team-leading 13th save on the campaign.
Romano (2-0) picked up the win after firing five innings of one-run ball on four hits, walking one while striking out four. Almeida (7-4) suffered the loss, allowing three runs on four hits across six innings pitched along with three walks and seven strikeouts.
YonnyHernandez had a single double, run scored and two stolen bases, while Kaler and Cabrera each drove in a run, crossed the plate, walked and swiped a bag.
The Ducks and Dirty Birds continue their three-game set on Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at GoMart Ballpark. Fans can follow all the action live on FloBaseball by CLICKING HERE. Left-hander Jimmy Robbins (6-6, 4.63) gets the start for the Ducks against Dirty Birds right-hander Keyvius Sampson (7-7, 5.02).
High Point 5, Lexington 3
HIGH POINT, N.C.— Jameson McGrane his second consecutive save as the High Point Rockers closed out a 5-3 victory over the Lexington Legends Friday night at Truist Point in front of a crowd of 2,559. A standout night from Ben Aklinski, featuring a go-ahead home run and a highlight-reel diving catch, fueled the Rockers to their second straight win to tie the series with Lexington at two games apiece.
The Rockers jumped on the board in the bottom of the third inning after DJ Burt was hit by a pitch, followed by a Martin Figueroa walk. Aklinski came through with an RBI single to center, scoring Burt. Two more runs crossed the plate on an Evan Edwards ground out an a Lexington error to give High Point a 3-0 lead.
Lexington responded in the top of the fourth. Korry Howell doubled and came home on Kole Cottam’s sac fly. Pedro Gonzalez then launched a solo home run to left field, narrowing the gap to 3-2. But Aklinski turned heads again with an impressive diving catch in foul territory to end the inning and stop the Legends’ momentum.
The Legends tied it in the fifth with Austin Bates’ solo homer, but Aklinski answered back immediately in the bottom half, smashing a solo homer—his second in two games and 27th of the year— to restore High Point’s lead, 4-3.
The Rockers added an insurance run in the sixth after a costly balk from Gerald Ogando allowed Connor Owings to score, pushing the lead to 5-3. High Point’s bullpen took over from there. Justin Lewis and Dakota Chalmers combined to retire seven straight Legends, and McGrane slammed the door in the ninth with a 1-2-3 inning, notching his second save in as many nights to seal the win.
With the victory, the Rockers (32-23) will aim to keep building on their momentum in the last two games of the Rockers’ final homestand on Saturday night at 6:35 p.m.
The Rockers moved into a tie for second in the South Division as Gastonia lost 2-1 at Southern Maryland. Charleston (36-18) was losing to Long Island in the ninth inning on Friday.
Staten Island 11, Hagerstown 2
Southern Maryland 2, Gastonia 1