Game 52: Stormers 9-6

	Josh Hall 1-0, 6.18 ERA		Carlos Castillo 1-2, 4.94 ERA

Eric Ackerman’s gem against the Ducks was the second terrific starting pitching performance in the last three days for the Barnstormers. Nick Renault, of course, handcuffed the Revolution for eight innings on Sunday. These two outings, combined with the recent bullpen dominance, are further evidence this team has enough pitching to win.

The Barnstormers’ team ERA is 4.55, which ranks third in the league. This franchise has never ranked higher than fifth in ERA in its three previous seasons. Some of that has been caused by a lack of pitching. Some of it is caused by playing at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

If you look a little deeper, the Barnstormers have the lowest batting average against in the league at .261 and are the only team that is allowing just one hit per inning. In other words, this is the most difficult staff to hit, even more difficult than Somerset’s highly-regarded group of pitchers.

The team deserves some credit here. Not much went according to the original plan. The projected 1-2-3 starters are no longer in the rotation and it took three weeks to put the bullpen together properly. If you lose four pitchers to injury and an ace to affiliated ball and still rank among the league leaders in ERA, you’re doing something right.

Now the Barnstormers will try to work the same magic with the offense.

---

Pitching matchup:

Josh Hall has been a lucky charm since joining the rotation. Even though his ERA is inflated, mostly because of his last bad start, the Barnstormers are 5-0 when Hall pitches. In fact, the team is 8-1 when Hall or Zack Parker takes the mound and 12-30 when it’s someone else.

Carlos Castillo was among the best pitchers in the Atlantic League for the Road Warriors last season. He posted a 3.34 ERA in 20 starts. He was nearly traded to the Barnstormers last August, but opted to leave for Taiwan instead.

---

Alumni news:

*Kyle Nichols, who was released by the Barnstormers Saturday, has resurfaced with the Riversharks. The DH went 3-for-4 in his debut for Camden Tuesday night. This is Nichols’ third Atlantic League team in the span of two months. He started with Southern Maryland before being traded to Lancaster in May.

*Reggie Taylor made his season debut in the Mexican League Tuesday night. The OF went 3-for-4 with two doubles for Tabasco.

---

Lineups …

(20-31)	(24-27)
Juan Francia, 2B	Alex Sanchez, CF
Mike Woods, LF	Donaldo Mendez, SS
Danny Gonzalez, SS	Pete Rose, Jr., DH
Greg Blosser, DH	Ray Navarrete, 2B
Jutt Hileman, CF	Jay Gibbons, LF
Ivanon Coffie, 1B	Kevin Haverbusch, RF
Lance Burkhart, C	Jamie Pogue, C
Lloyd Turner, 3B	Pete Maestrales, 3B
Jarred Ball, RF	Damian Rolls, 1B

Scoring summary …

Barnstormers	202	211	100	9	16	0
Ducks	100	000	050	6	7	2

WP: Josh Hall (2-0)
LP: Carlos Castillo (1-3)
SV: Jose Cabrera (4)

FINAL: Barnstormers 9, Ducks 6

Stormers 1st: Francia hits solo home run. Hileman’s sacrifice fly scores Woods.
Lancaster leads 2-0.

Ducks 1st: Sanchez hits solo home run.
Lancaster leads 2-1.

Stormers 3rd: Gonzalez hits solo home run. Coffie’s sacrifice fly scores Blosser.
Lancaster leads 4-1.

Stormers 4th: Woods’ sacrifice fly scores Turner. Gonzalez’s sacrifice fly scores Ball. Lancaster leads 6-1.

Stormers 5th: Burkhart’s single scores Hileman.
Lancaster leads 7-1.

Stormers 6th: Blosser’s single scores Woods.
Lancaster leads 8-1.

Stormers 7th: Turner hits solo home run.
Lancaster leads 9-1.

Ducks 8th: Gibbons’ double scores Mendez. Haverbusch’s home run scores Navarrete and Gibbons. Maestrales hits solo home run.
Lancaster leads 9-6.

---

Box score:

RECORD: 21-31

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Lloyd Turner (3-for-5 with a triple and home run)

The utility man is showing why he has become a full-time starter. Turner is 19-for-46, which equates to a .413 average, this month. Whether he’s at 2B, 3B or RF, he keeps producing. He’s on pace for one of the best seasons of his career.

---

The pitchers:

*Josh Hall improved to 2-0:

7 IP

4 H

1 R

1 ER

4 BB

3 K

Hall allowed Alex Sanchez’s leadoff homer and then put together five consecutive hitless innings. It wasn’t an overpowering performance – only three strikeouts – but it was outstanding. Hall lowered his ERA to 5.19 as the team improved to 6-0 in his starts.

*Sendy Rleal remains a mystery. One night he looks great. Another night he looks like this:

0.1 IP

2 H

4 R

4 ER

2 BB

0 K

The bullpen, brilliant for the last few weeks, faltered. The Ducks were trailing 9-1 when the eighth inning began, but came within one baserunner of bringing the tying run to the plate.

*Jose Cabrera calmed the nerves. He worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth to record his fourth save in five chances.

---

The hitters:

*Greg Blosser’s comeback started slowly at 0-for-10. That didn’t deter manager Von Hayes from putting the new addition in the cleanup spot Wednesday night. The move paid off. Blosser went 2-for-4 with a double. As the Barnstormers look to ignite their offense, Blosser is a real wildcard. Can he resemble the elite hitter from 2000-02? If so, things look a little different for this group. It’ll be an interesting story to follow.

*Juan Francia continued his hot streak with a leadoff homer. Francia is batting .345 this month. The Barnstormers may have found something with Francia and Mike Woods in the 1-2 spots.

*Woods had three singles and scored a pair of runs. He also registered his league-leading 17th steal, which is a career high. It would be nice to see a big-league organization give this guy another chance. He deserves it.

*Every member of the lineup had at least one hit. The team registered 16 in all, which was its second-highest total of the season.

*Manny Mejia was out of the lineup for the first time since May 22.

---

The bottom line:

A flawless first seven innings gave way to some tense moments in the eighth, but the Barnstormers held on for a series win at Long Island – traditionally a tough place to play. The team is 13-12 since its dreadful 8-19 start and is showing some real signs of improvement.