Lancaster 9, Charleston 4

Shawon Dunston, Jr. launched a three-run homer down the right field line to cap a six-run first inning that led the Lancaster Barnstormers to a 9-4 victory over the Charleston Dirty Birds in the opener of a three-game series at Clipper Magazine Stadium

With the win, the Barnstormers advanced to a two-game lead over Southern Maryland in the North race.  Staten Island is now four games back while York trails by 4 ½.  Long Island has stayed within five.

Yeison Coca reached Colt Webb (4-4) for a one-out single to left in the first.  Andretty Cordero also singled into left, and Coca raced home as the ball scooted past left fielder Dwight Smith, Jr.  Ariel Sandoval followed with a double to left for a 2-0 lead.  Wilson Garcia was hit by a pitch before Sandoval stole third.  Joseph Carpenter punched a single into right to score Sandoval.  After Chad Sedio was retired on a fly ball to left, Dunston unloaded on Webb’s 3-2 pitch to push the Barnstormers ahead, 6-0. 

Lancaster’s offense went dormant for the next six innings, offering the Dirty Birds the opportunity to make the game competitive.  Charleston got nowhere against starter Matt Swarmer (2-1), who threw no-hit baseball for five innings before being lifted.  A double by Justin O’Conner and RBI single by Jalen Miller got the Dirty Birds on the board against Brian Marconi in the eighth. 

Charleston put a scare into the Barnstormers faithful in the top of the eighth.  Isaias Tejeda and Diego Goris snuck grounders into right field to start the inning off Garrett Granitz.  O’Conner doubled off the wall in right to cut the lead to 6-3 with the tying run moving into the on deck circle.  Granitz picked up two outs before giving way to Nick Duron who made one pitch to Smith, Jr., getting out of the inning on a weak bouncer back to the mound. 

Garcia clubbed a leadoff homer in the bottom of the eighth, and the Barnstormers would score two more before Duron put the game to bed in the ninth, earning his first save.

Lancaster will entertain Charleston again on Wednesday.  Dominic DiSabatino (3-8) will make his first start in more than three weeks, squaring off against Charleston player/coach Joe Testa (8-4).  Fans may tune into the broadcast on FloBaseball, beginning at 6:25. 

NOTES:  Cordero hit safely for the ninth straight game…Garcia has hit safely in 10 of 11…Sedio made only his second start since being hit by a pitch, August 2…Charleston hit him with a pitch for the third straight game…Swarmer has allowed only two runs on seven hits in 17.2 innings over his last three starts…Lancaster leads the season series, 8-6.

Long Island 2, York 0

(York, Pa., Aug. 29, 2023) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the York Revolution 2-0 on Tuesday night in the opener of a four-game series at WellSpan Park.

The Ducks took a 1-0 lead in the top half of the third inning against Revolution starting pitcher Andrew Cabezas as Sam Travis plated Ruben Tejada by way of an RBI single to left field after Tejada began the frame reaching base on a fielding error committed by shortstop Trent Giambrone. Long Island made it 2-0 in their favor with a huge insurance run in the ninth as Tejada cracked a run-scoring double to left on the tenth pitch of the at bat thrown by York reliever Emilker Guzman that drove home Scott Kelly after he began the rally being hit by a pitch to begin the inning.

The story of the night was the Flock pitching staff, as starter Ian Clarkin and the relief quartet of Franklin Van Gurp, Jack Anderson, Al Alburquerque, and Jose Jose were able to hold the Revs offense in check limiting the York offense to just five hits allowed while recording the sixth shutout of the season in the process for the pitching staff.

Clarkin (3-3) picked up the win after firing five and two-thirds scoreless innings on just three hits allowed, walking two and striking out six. Cabezas (1-4) was tagged with the loss, allowing an unearned run on four hits in five and one-third innings of work, walking a pair while striking out three.

Carlos Castro and Joe DeCarlo each had a pair of hits in the ballgame, with DeCarlo extending his on-base streak to 20 consecutive games overall. Tejada was hit by a pitch in the fifth to go along with his run-scoring two-base hit as the Long Island infielder has now reached base safely in a team-high 33 straight contests.

The Ducks and Revolution continue their four-game set on Wednesday evening as part of a single admission doubleheader. First pitch in game one is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Game two will begin approximately 30 minutes after the completion of game one, and both games will be slated for seven innings. Fans can follow the action live on Flo Baseball by CLICKING HERE. Right-hander Justin Alintoff (2-1, 4.66) toes the rubber for the Flock in game one against Revolution lefty Nick Raquet (11-7, 3.79), with both starting pitchers in the nightcap yet to be determined

High Point 7, Southern Maryland 6

WALDORF, Md. – The High Point Rockers built a 7-1 lead before nearly letting it slip away and claiming a 7-6 win in the series opener at Southern Maryland on Tuesday night at Regency Furniture Stadium.

With the Rockers leading 7-1 in the eighth, the Blue Crabs rallied for five runs in the bottom of the eighth to make it a one-run game going into the ninth.

Jameson McGrane came on in the ninth and allowed a single to shortstop Michael Baca who took second on a wild pitch. McGrane was able to retire Jack Sundberg on an infield popout and struck out pinch-hitter K.C. Hobson. Braxton Lee and Khalil Lee each drew a walk to load the bases. McGrane then fanned Alex Crosby on a 3-2 pitch to preserve the win.

The win helps the Rockers preserve a half-game lead in the Atlantic League’s South Division race. High Point improved to a league-best 69-36 and 28-14 in the second half. Gastonia was a full-game back at 27-15 but was leading Spire City 6-0 in the fifth inning of their game. A Gastonia win would pull the Honey Hunters to within a half-game at 28-15.

Zander Wiel drove in a season-high five runs for the Rockers with a three-run homer, a sac fly and a fielder’s choice.

Shed Long, Jr. led off the game with an opposite field double. Southern Maryland starter Ian Kahaloa (L, 9-7) walked D.J. Burt who reached base for the 60^th consecutive game. After a double steal, Wiel sent a sac fly to centerfield, allowing Long, Jr. to scamper home with a 1-0 lead for the Rockers.

The Blue Crabs tied the game in the fifth when Rockers starter Brandon Leibrandt (W, 3-2) walked Jimmy Kerrigan with two outs before Baca tripled to knot the game at 2-2. High Point regained the lead in the sixth when Burt doubled, moved to third on a wild pitch and then scored on a groundout by Wiel.

Leibrandt left after six innings with a 2-1 lead, having allowed just three hits and one run while walking one and striking out eight. Cam Bedrosian put the Blue Crabs down in order in the seventh.

High Point put up a five spot in the seventh to leap in front 7-1. Kahaloa walked DH Emmanuel Tapia who scored on a double by Michael Martinez. Long, Jr. then singled to plate Martinez to make it 4-1. Long, Jr. moved to second on a wild pitch as Ben Aklinski drew a walk to put runners at first and second. The Blue Crabs went to the bullpen and Andre Scrubb came on and immediately allowed a three-run homer to Wiel, his 26^th of the year.

Things unraveled a bit in the bottom of the eighth when Taylor Guerrieri came on for the Rockers with a 7-1 lead. Isaias Quiroz singled to lead off and a single by Baca and a walk to Sundberg loaded the bases. Ian Yetsko grounded out in the infield as Quiroz scored to make it 7-2. Sam Selman relieved Guerrieri and walked Khalil Lee to force in a third run. A Crosby single made it a 7-4 contest and Jimmy Kerrigan’s single under the glove of Martinez brought in two more as So. Maryland closed it to 7-6.

The Rockers nearly added an insurance run in the top of the ninth but Martinez was thrown out at home trying to score on a fly ball by Aklinski.

Game two of the series with Southern Maryland will take place on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. at Regency Furniture Stadium. The game will be streamed live on FLO Baseball and also available on the Mixlr app.

NOTES: D.J. Burt has reached base in 60 consecutive games after drawing a walk and collecting a base hit vs. So. Maryland… The save was McGrane’s second of the year but the 27^th of his Atlantic League career… Wiel now has 26 homers and 82 RBI on the season.

Lexington 5, Staten Island 4

Lexington’s Zach Watson doubled home Justin Williams in the bottom of the ninth to give the Counter Clocks a 5-4 win.

Connor Owings homered for Lexington while Chris Brito and Roldani Baldwin each hit homers for the Ferry Hawks.

Gastonia 6, Spire City 4 (7 innings)

Gastonia shortstop Jack Reinheimer marked his return to the Honey Hunters by collecting two hits including a double in leading Gastonia to a 6-4 win over Spire City in a game halted by rain after seven innings. Steven Moya and Jack Hoover each contributed a homer during a five-run second inning. Braxton Davidson hit a solo homer in the third.

Spire City’s Leobaldo Cabrera hit his 32^nd homer of the year in the fifth with two aboard.