Lancaster Stormers 9, York Revolution 6
Everyone found a way to contribute on Thursday evening.
All ten players used by manager Ross Peeples had at least one hit, and Lancaster’s bullpen weathered a pair of late inning threats as the Stormers defeated the York Revolution, 9-6, in the finale of a three-game series.
The Stormers head into their upcoming homestand with a 1 ½ game division lead over Long Island and a two-game edge over York.
Trailing, 2-1, entering the fourth, the Stormers took the lead for good against Chris Vallimont (4-3). Nick Lucky drew a walk to start the inning and went to second on a single to left by Ariel Sandoval. After Joe Campagna flied out to right field, sending Lucky to third, Alex Isola tied the game with a double down the left field line. After the second out, Slater Schield stroked a grounder to the hole at shortstop, but Jeremy Arocho’s throw to first sailed over Frankie Tostado, allowing both runs to score as Lancaster went ahead, 4-2.
The feisty Revs got a run back in the bottom of the inning against Noah Bremer (5-2) on a sacrifice fly by Arocho, but Lancaster struck again in the top of the fifth.
Joseph Carpenter drove a double to the right field wall, and Lucky followed with another walk. With Carpenter in motion, Evan Alexander, who had replaced a hobbled Sandoval, took a half swing and poked a liner into left, scoring a run. Campagna followed with an RBI single to left for a 6-3 lead, and the inning’s third run scored on a wild pitch.
A triple by Alexander keyed a two-run seventh, and the Stormers carried a 9-4 lead into the bottom of the inning. Things got scary.
Jalen Miller crept a double inside the first base bag. Billy Sullivan retired Frankie Tostado on a routine fly to left, but the right-hander hit Marty Costes with a pitch. He walked both Ryan Higgins and Shayne Fontana on 3-2 pitches to force home a run.
Scott Engler took over and coaxed a 6-4-3 double play out of Brandon Lewis to quell the threat. Engler carried the Stormers through the eighth, setting up Cody Stashak for the ninth.
Tostado opened that last gasp for York with his 46th double of the season, a blast high off the left field wall. Costes struck out, but Higgins followed with an RBI single through the right side. Stashak got the final two outs without fanfare, and the Stormers nailed down the win.
Lancaster opens a six-game homestand on Friday night with the Staten Island FerryHawks coming in for the first three. Tim Brennan (1-1) will make his return from the injured list to start for Lancaster while right-hander Connor O’Hara will go for Staten Island. Fans may follow the game on FloBaseball, starting at 6:40.
NOTES: Nick Ward led off the game with a single to stretch his streak to eight games…Engler threw his ninth straight scoreless appearance…Alexander finished the road trip with four triples among his six hits…Isola had his fourth three-hit game of the season…Lancaster is 5-0 with Campagna catching…The game was delayed 29 minutes by rain before getting underway.
Lexington Legends 7, High Point Rockers 6 (11 innings)
Lexington, KY – The Lexington Legends walked off the High Point Rockers in a 7-6 thriller on Wednesday night, keeping themselves firmly atop the Atlantic League’s South Division. With both teams battling each other for first place, the game carried serious weight, and in what is looking like a playoff preview each team traded blows until Lexington pulled ahead for good in the 11th.
Suiting up as their Alter Ego the Kentucky Bourbon Barrels, presented by Hartfield & Company Distilling, Lexington struggled for most of the game to get much offense going. Down 6–2 in the bottom of the ninth, the Legends mounted a gutsy rally, scratching across four runs to tie the game and stun a Rockers bullpen that had mostly shut them down all night. Clutch hitting from Curtis Terry, and a two-hit pinch-hit effort from EJ Cumbo helped push the comeback across. In extras, it was Andy Atwood who nailed a single right up the middle with bases loaded to seal the win for Lexington.
Lexington’s bullpen was tested early and often, but Carson Lambert came up huge with three innings of scoreless relief to earn the win. The righty kept the Rockers off balance late, and his effort gave the Legends enough breathing room to complete the rally and walk it off. Colton Eastman got the start and battled through five innings, allowing just two earned runs while striking out nine in one of his better outings of the summer.
With the win, Lexington extends their league over their division rival Rockers to 3.5 games. Now on a five-game win streak, the Legends will look to Friday night’s game to take the series and extend their lead even further during this crucial six-game home series. The Legends and Rockers will be at it again tomorrow night, Friday August 1st, with first pitch scheduled for 7:00 PM. As the Legends continue to celebrate their 25th Anniversary Season, Lexington Clinic will be presenting another national act when the Grace Good Cirque lands at Legends Field tomorrow night with her dazzling acrobatic stunts. After the game will be the best fireworks show in town, every Friday and Saturday this season.
Gastonia Ghost Peppers 5, Hagerstown Flying Boxcars 3
Charleston Dirty Birds 10, Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 3
Staten Island FerryHawks at Long Island Ducks, postponed