Game 56: Patriots 3-2 in 11

AT SOMERSET PATRIOTS
Jon Cannon 2-3, 4.67 ERA) vs.
Gustavo Martinez (4-4, 3.64 ERA)

The Barnstormers will again try to cool off surging Somerset, which has won seven games in a row. Martinez is 4-2 with a 2.84 ERA in his last six starts, including that debacle against the Road Warriors on Tuesday. Cannon was the pitcher when Lancaster and Somerset had their bench-clearing confrontation last month. He allowed three runs in six innings in his one start against the Barnstormers.

Pre-game notes:

It’s July 1. Here’s a look at the Barnstormers’ leaders in June (minimum 50 at-bats)…

Average: Dominick Ambrosini, .368; Jeremy Todd, .316; Danny Gonzalez, .281; Jutt Hileman, .276; Chris Van Rossum, .267.

Home runs: Todd, 10; Gonzalez, 8; Hileman, 7; Ambrosini, 6.

RBIs: Todd, 25;, Ambrosini, 22; Gonzalez, 19; Hileman, 19; Steve Van Note, 12.

Runs: Todd, 25; Gonzalez, 22; Van Rossum, 21; Hileman, 19; Ambrosini, 16.

On-base: Todd, .452; Ambrosini, .434; Gonzalez, .383; Hileman, .343.

Slugging: Todd, .704; Ambrosini, .642; Hileman, .531; Gonzalez, .526.

What do those numbers tell you? Four players are basically carrying the offense.

---

RECORD: 24-32

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Teuris Olivares (game-winning, two-out, opposite-field homer in the bottom of the 11th). It was Olivares’ second homer of the season. He entered the game with 10 extra-base hits and a .345 slugging percentage.

Olivares also threw out Chris Van Rossum at the plate as he tried to score on a ground ball in the top of the 11th.

WHAT WENT RIGHT: The Barnstormers fought back. Despite being banged up and worn down, Lancaster rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the ninth to force extra innings against the best team in the South Division. Although they didn’t earn a win, it was a character effort by the Barnstormers, who haven’t gotten much help from the baseball operations side of the organization.

*Russ Cleveland tied it. It was fitting that Cleveland belted the one-out, game-tying homer in the ninth. No player on the roster exudes more energy and charisma on the field. When things looked bleak, Cleveland came through. The catcher had both of the Barnstormers’ RBIs in this game. He is, coincidentally, the Q&A in Barnstormers Weekly Monday.

*Gustavo Martinez put together another strong outing. He allowed just two earned runs in six innings as he dropped his ERA to 3.56.

*Derrick DePriest pitched two scoreless innings to help force extra innings. The submariner should be a lock for the All-Star team, although you never know how this team gets chosen.

*Vince Blue had two more hits. He’s going to be one of the fun players to follow in the second half because he’s young — 24 — and loaded with potential. The Barnstormers need his contributions to deepen the lineup.

WHAT WENT WRONG: Barry Armitage allowed Olivares’ homer. The reliever retired Alan Zinter and Travis Anderson to start the 11th before Olivares ended the game on a 2-2 pitch. It was Armitage’s first decision as a Barnstormer.

*Dominick Ambrosini didn’t start the game with a sore knee, but he entered as a pinch hitter in the ninth. Again, when you take one of the top four hitters out of the lineup, the lack of depth shows.

*The Barnstormers had runners at first and third with no outs in the 10th, but failed to score. Jeremy Todd, Jutt Hileman and Steve Van Note were struck out by Somerset reliever Paul Thorp, whom the Barnstormers tried to sign before he ended up with the Patriots.

*Poor clutch hitting. The Barnstormers were 2-for-14 in RBI situations. Some of it can be attributed to Lancaster’s low team batting average and the fact its lineup is filled with guys who strike out a lot. The Stormers struck out 14 times in this game.

*The Barnstormers are 1-4 on this road trip, have lost six of seven overall and are now guaranteed a losing record in the first half. It’s their first losing record since they went 27-43 in the first half of their inaugural season.

*Lancaster faces Brian Adams, the league leader in wins, Monday night. Someone cue up “Cuts Like a Knife.”