Game 109: Bluefish 11-5

Eric Ackerman

	Eric Ackerman 5-6, 4.31 ERA		Barry Hertzler 7-7, 5.14 ERA

Brian Munhall figures to be a key part of the lineup as the Barnstormers embark on a five-game road trip starting tonight. With Matt LeCroy expected to miss a few more games with a deep bone bruise in his left knee (X-rays were negative), Munhall will likely continue to play every day.

Munhall has brought value to the team since the trade with Bridgeport on Aug. 4. He has excelled while hitting with runners in scoring position, which is one reason he has spent time in the No. 5 slot in the order. The backup catcher is 5-for-12 with RISP since coming to the Barnstormers and is hitting .350 in 100 at-bats in those situations this season.

“Those are the most important times,” Munhall said. “… It’s just being patient. Thankfully my approach is working and I’m getting a pitch I can handle instead of trying to swing at something I can’t do something with.”

Hitters and hitting coaches say the key to succeeding in clutch situations is maintaining the same approach as when there are no men on base. Batters have to fight the urge to try to hit home runs and put a crooked number on the board.

Munhall doesn’t have that problem.

“For a guy like me who doesn’t hit too many, you don’t get that urge too often,” he said. “You realize it’s only going to happen a handful of times each year. When I try to make it happen, I hit a pop up to the infield. As you get older and you’ve done it enough, you learn what you can do and what you can’t do.”

Munhall will get his first shot to play against his old team starting with this four-game set. He was surprised when Bridgeport traded him away. He was the starter there for most of the season before the Bluefish acquired Luis Rodriguez from the Can Am League’s Nashua Pride and gave Munhall the boot.

Players love to take on the team that traded them away or released them. Just ask Kyle Nichols or Kevin Kotch.

The Barnstormers’ offense, meanwhile, has only scored six runs in its last 25 innings. LeCroy’s injury certainly plays a role in that drop-off in production. He was drilled by a pitch in the first inning against Camden Monday night.

The key during this road trip will be continuing to get excellent pitching and scratching across enough runs to pull out wins. That means hitting in the clutch, which is something Munhall has done better than most.

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ROSTER MOVE:

Paul Thorp’s departure has created an opening in the bullpen. The righthander is going back to school and will be placed on the inactive list today. Nick Renault will be activated from the DL to take Thorp’s spot.

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Scoring summary …

Barnstormers	110	001	200	5	10	4
Bluefish	030	020	06x	11	12	0

FINAL: Bluefish 11, Barnstormers 5

Stormers 1st: Hileman’s single scores Woods.
Lancaster leads 1-0.

Stormers 2nd: Campbell’s triple scores Turner.
Lancaster leads 2-0.

Bluefish 2nd: Rodriguez’s double scores Doetsch. Gonzalez’s error scores Batista. Bladergroen’s error scores Rodriguez.
Bridgeport leads 3-2.

Bluefish 5th: Hoorelbeke’s double scores Lopez. Batista’s single scores Hoorelbeke.
Bridgeport leads 5-2.

Stormers 6th: Munhall’s groundout scores Gonzalez.
Bridgeport leads 5-3.

Stormers 7th: Castillo’s home run scores Campbell.
Game tied at 5.

Bluefish 8th: Caligiuri’s walk scores Batista. Lopez’s double scores Prieto, Rodriguez and Caligiuri. Hoorelbeke’s double scores Lopez. Bear’s single scores Hoorelbeke.
Bridgeport leads 11-5.

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PLAYER OF THE GAME: Luis Lopez

The third baseman’s three-run double in the seventh inning was part of a six-run rally that broke the game open for Bridgeport. Lopez went 2-for-5 with two runs scored. He’s hitting .331 with 68 RBIs.

BOTTOM LINE: The Barnstormers committed four errors as they slipped back to 3.5 games behind York in the Freedom Division. The quest for the playoffs is starting to resemble Sisyphus and the mountain.

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