Game 111: Road Warriors 5-3; Game 112: Stormers 4-3
September 2, 2007 by Jason Guarente
VS ROAD WARRIORS
Kieran Mattison (2-1, 2.70 ERA) vs.
Gustavo Martinez (8-8, 4.47 ERA)
Chris Flinn (0-1, 8.10 ERA) vs.
Rob Henkel (6-9, 5.63 ERA)
It’s doubleheader No. 9. The Barnstormers can only hope it’s also their last. Martinez and fellow starter Josh Stevens still have a chance to reach double digits in wins. Only Denny Harriger (with 17) and Brian Whitaker (with 12) have accomplished that feat in Lancaster’s three-year history. Henkel is returning to the rotation after having his last start pushed back a few days because of a sore shoulder.
Pre-game notes:
– My choice for Barnstormers MVP? Danny Gonzalez. 
The shortstop has posted an .841 OPS with 16 homers, 61 RBIs and 11 stolen bases while playing a demanding position virtually every day. Gonzalez has no chance of actually winning, but he gets my vote.
– York continues to hang in there in the South Division race. The Revs trail first-place Somerset by 2½ games – despite losing relievers Franklin Nunez and Jeff Farnsworth to affiliated ball in the last week. York has had six players signed by big-league organizations. Lancaster has had one: Bo Hart.
GAME 1
FINAL: Road Warriors 5, Barnstormers 3
Scoring summary:
Road Warriors 1st: Ian Bladergroen’s single scores Josh Arteaga. Vito Chiaravoloti scores on wild pitch.
Road Warriors lead 2-0.
Road Warriors 2nd: Travis Ezi’s single scores Fleming Baez.
Road Warriors lead 3-0.
Stormers 3rd: Eric Crozier hits solo home run.
Road Warriors lead 3-1.
Stormers 5th: Danny Gonzalez’s single scores Chris Van Rossum and Crozier.
Game tied at 3.
Road Warriors 6th: Ezi’s sacrifice fly scores David Housel. Arteaga’s single scores Rene Aqueron.
Road Warriors lead 5-3.
GAME 2
FINAL: Barnstormers 4, Road Warriors 3
Scoring summary:
Road Warriors 3rd: Arteaga scores on Travis Hake’s fielding error. Chiaravoloti’s sacrifice fly scores Ezi.
Road Warriors lead 2-0.
Stormers 4th: Crozier scores on Arteaga’s error.
Road Warriors lead 2-1.
Stormers 5th: Russ Cleveland’s single scores Jeremy Todd. Crozier’s home run scores Cleveland.
Barnstormers lead 4-2.
Road Warriors 6th: Aqueron’s groundout scores Manny Mejia.
Barnstormers lead 4-3.
RECORD: 23-26 (52-60)
PLAYER OF GAME 1: Travis Ezi (1-for-3 with two RBIs, including a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the sixth inning). Here’s some meaningless trivia: Ezi was once traded straight up for big leaguer Juan Encarnacion.
PLAYER OF GAME 2: Eric Crozier (2-for-3, including go-ahead two-run homer in the fifth inning).
SOME HIGHLIGHTS: Crozier went 3-for-5 with a pair of home runs in the two games. The outfielder has belted seven homers in 96 at-bats since returning to Lancaster in July. It makes his lack of playing time last month even more inexplicable. So it goes for the 2007 season.
*Ryan Harris took the loss in Game 1. He allowed two runs in one inning and hit a pair of batters.
*Rob Henkel was the winner in Game 2. The lefty improved to 7-9 as he went five innings and allowed two runs — neither was earned.
*On successive plays, Ezi threw out Danny Gonzalez and Dominick Ambrosini trying to score from second on singles in the fifth inning of the opener. The game was tied 3-3 at the time.
*Derrick DePriest picked up another five-out save in the nightcap. He retired four of the five batters he faced and picked off Ezi at first base. DePriest’s team save record stands at 19.
*The Barnstormers have split six of their nine doubleheaders and are 8-6 against the Road Warriors this season.
*Somerset and York both won. So the Patriots still lead the South Division by 2½ games. In case you’re wondering, the Barnstormers are 6½ out.
Jason - I agree on the Danny G as MVP vote 100%, but I am seeing either “Dynamo Dom” Ambrosini or Derrick DePreist as the fan’s favorites.
Danny’s quiet demeanor may hold him back from getting enough votes among those who look at the personalities rather than the accomplishments. Although, any of those in the running have a chance.
I was at last nights game, but left rather early. It has been a tough four day stretch for mom and me attending all those ballgames. We were spent by the 5th inning.
So, today we are off and I’m going smallmouth fishing this afternoon on the river!
I expect only the best from the guys today. We need a win to bring the morale back up and I am sure they can pull it off.
Mom and I will be back at the game tomorrow afternoon.
Go ‘Stormers!
dad
Nice looking poster giveaway! Other than that, best of luck to the team and see you at the ballpark in about a week!
give up my seat to my daughter and she gets a foul ball in the side. not as bad as the guy below us. this is the inning guys. we can take this one.
That was a brutal inning, my prayers are going out to the guy that got hit in the neck.
Stormin’ I saw your daghter is she alright?
Can any of you Danny Gonzalez fans tell me why he didnt slide on that play at the plate in the first game??? He just jogged toward the plate as the catcher was catching the ball and the catcher had an easy tag to make on the non-sliding shortstop.
If he is too tired to play, he should sit on the bench.
Jason–Do you and dadTB have the same mom or something?
Way to go Crozier!!! Yeah stormers!!!!
Hey Ezec, I’m Mr. B nice to meet you!
Do you like movies about gladiators?
Or ever been in a Turkish prison?
Packmule,
He shouldn’t have been sent in the first place. He was out by a mile. That was a mistake by Glen, not by Danny. Sliding would have accomplished nothing. He would have been out by 5 feet. His only real option was to bury the shoulder and try to run him over.
I think Danny was having a bad day. He and Dinys had those two errors to start of game one , he jogged in . From my angle Dom looked very safe.
My vote for player of the year goes to Derrick “Lights Out” DePriest. Think about how many more games we would have given away this year if not for him.
Non player of the year - Dave Collins, who is, without peer, the best minor league baseball announcer I have ever heard.
I was at today’s doubleheader and the stormers stunk up the place…I mean how many times has Dave or anyone including me said..they just can’t hit with men in scoring position. I’ll give Derrick a cudoo for saving our butts in the 2nd game.
oh ..I hope they let Murray go as 3rd base coach…Klebe wasn’t such a great manager but when he sent them home they scored.
the fan that got hit was ok I hear he may not even needed stiches he got hit in the chin. They all looked tired today. Lets hope they all come alive tommorow
Stormin - nice to meet you today. “My sources” confirmed that the fan hit in your section was ok. The place really emptied out after the first game. I was moving around in the 2nd game, ending up in section 4 which must have been a private section since by the 5th inning I think I was the only one in the section. It’s a shame it was such a beautiful day for baseball.
Dawes,
Thanks for the compliments. I am just a person doing his job and enjoying (almost) every minute of it. Free food, free clothes, free baseball tickets…
What a day for Crozier!
Great Job Crozier!!!
Dave,
I will stop by and say hi tomorrow night perhaps. I’d like to meet you.
-Dawes
Remember, the game is Monday afternoon at 1:35. But, please do.
Ahh, thanks for the reminder.
Agree with you kelley…they did look tired today…long season taking a huge toll on everyone!