Game 70: Revolution 6-2

Shane Youman

	Shane Youman 1-1, 5.63 ERA		Wayne Franklin 4-2, 5.36 ERA

It’s the final game of the first half. Although it seems like the Barnstormers have already played about 2,000 games, the actual number will soon be 70. Since they left spring training bristling with optimism, not much has gone according to plan for the local boys.

The Barnstormers have fielded 43 players — including 23 pitchers. They’ve sent five guys to affiliated ball — including one who was hitting .190. They’ve put eight players on the disabled list, including their All-Star catcher, their cleanup hitter and their top RBI man. They’ve lost guys to broken bones, an autoimmune disease, pulled muscles and an emotional meltdown. They’ve had 15 pitchers start games.

They’ve played three guys with no prior professional experience, one who hadn’t played anywhere in five years and another who hadn’t played in the U.S. in four years. Their active roster includes only 11 guys who were here on opening day.

If you want to look on the bright side, the team is 22-20 since its dismal 8-19 start. If you want to look on the dark side, the team has been outscored by 40 runs in its last 12 games. So it’s not exactly steamrolling into the second half.

Something is at stake today. A win locks the Barnstormers in third place by themselves. A loss leaves Lancaster and York tied. Despite all their woes, the Barnstormers haven’t finished alone in last place since the first half of their inaugural season.

In the actual pennant race, Somerset and Newark play one game for all the first-half marbles today. It’s Pat Stanley for Newark and Jim Magrane for Somerset in Bridgewater, N.J. The winner clinches a playoff spot. The loser becomes the second-half favorite, the team Lancaster and York will be chasing.

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Lineups …

(30-39)	(29-40)
Mike Woods, LF	Kennard Jones, CF
Lloyd Turner, 2B	Jose Enrique Cruz, 2B
Danny Gonzalez, SS	Chris Ashby, LF
Matt LeCroy, 1B	Matt Esquivel, RF
Manny Mejia, C	Matt Dryer, DH
Jutt Hileman, CF	Sandy Aracena, C
Kevin Kotch, DH	Shea Hillenbrand, 3B
Jordan Herr, RF	Keoni De Renne, SS
Joe Evans, 2B	Sam Rosario, DH

Scoring summary …

Barnstormers	001	100	000	2	9	0
Revolution	150	000	00x	6	10	2

WP: Wayne Franklin (5-2)
LP: Shane Youman (1-2)

FINAL: Revolution 6, Barnstormers 2

Revs 1st: Esquivel’s single scores Jones.
York leads 1-0.

Revs 2nd: Hillenbrand scores on wild pitch. Jones’ double scores De Renne. Cruz’s double scores Jones. Ashby’s home run scores Cruz.
York leads 6-0.

Stormers 3rd: Turner hits solo home run.
York leads 6-1.

Stormers 4th: Herr’s single scores LeCroy.
York leads 6-2.

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RECORD: 30-40

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Chris Ashby

York’s left fielder had a single and home run in the first two innings. His two-run shot capped a five-run rally that put York ahead 6-0.

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NOTABLE:

*Shane Youman suffered his second consecutive loss. The lefty was tagged for six runs on eight hits in the first two innings before settling down. He allowed no runs on one hit over his final four innings. The search for consistency continues.

*Matt LeCroy went 3-for-4 with a walk to hike his average to .255. He’s hitting .383 with three homers and 12 RBIs in 12 games since returning from the shoulder injury. It looks like he’s going to be an impact player in the second half. So that’s one positive.

*C Kevin Kotch and 2B Joe Evans – both lefty batters – got the start against Wayne Franklin, a lefthander who was in the big leagues as recently as 2006. That sums up the state of affairs for the offense.

*The Barnstormers left 11 men on base. They failed to score despite loading the bases in both the sixth and seventh innings. They fell behind York into last place in the league in runs scored. Lancaster’s lineup simply isn’t good enough.

*Over the last 13 games, the Barnstormers have been outscored by 44 runs.

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The bottom line:

The Barnstormers and Revolution each finished the first half at 30-40, 10 games behind Freedom Division champ Somerset. That’s fitting since Lancaster and York were clearly the two weakest teams in the league through the first two months.