Staten Island 4, Lancaster 3

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - After two batters on Tuesday evening, you would have thought the Lancaster Barnstormers were on their way to a rout on Staten Island.

The bats went quiet, then back-to-back errors in the bottom of the seventh proved costly as the host Ferryhawks rallied for a 4-3 victory over the ‘Stormers in the first ever meeting between the two clubs.

BJ Boyd opened the game with a home run, and LeDarious Clark followed with a double to left center off emergency starter Nick Carrell, re-signed by the Ferryhawks earlier in the day.  Clark eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Colton Shaver as Lancaster grabbed a 2-0 lead.

Newcomer Ed Reichenbach slammed a solo homer with two outs in the fourth to grab a 3-0 edge behind Cameron Gann.

A leadoff homer in the bottom of the fourth by Angel Aguilar cut the ‘Stormers lead back to two.  Gann picked up two quick outs before Ricardo Cespedes singled into right and stole second.  Jon Nester walked, and Javier Betancourt doubled inside the first base bag, scoring one more before Gann picked up his third strikeout on the inning to close it out.

Gann worked through the sixth, maintaining the 3-2 edge, but the seventh inning proved disastrous for the Barnstormers.

Erik Cha (0-1) walked Betancourt on five pitches.  Alfredo Reyes dropped a bunt down which Cha fielded then made a high throw to first, pulling Andretty Cordero off the bag.  Leadoff batter Joseph Monge also bunted, and Cordero failed to pick up a low throw.  A walk to Ben Ruta tied the game at 3-3.  Lancaster switched to right-hander Cole Aker, who allowed the go-ahead sacrifice fly by Aguilar before getting out of the inning.

Alex Katz (1-1) retired six straight Lancaster hitters, three on strikes, to earn the win.  Chris Nunn struck out the side on 11 pitches in the top of the ninth for his second save.

Dominic DiSabatino (2-2) will make the start for the Barnstormers on Wednesday and will be opposed by lefty Anthony Auletta.  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube channel, starting at 6:25.

NOTES:  Boyd has now hit safely in 11 of 12…Clark has hit safely in 20 of 23…Lancaster is 0-7 in one-run games on the road…Gann struck out seven to take the league lead with 45…He tossed his third quality start.

High Point 18, Charleston 3

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point Rockers set numerous records on Tuesday night en route to an 18-3 win over the Charleston Dirty Birds at Truist Point.

The Rockers set franchise records by scoring 18 runs, winning by 15 runs, collecting 16 RBI and carding four sacrifice flies. Michael Russell’s five runs scored are the most-ever by a High Point Rocker in a game while the club’s 20 victories in May set a new standard for wins in a month.

The Rockers are now 26-9 on the season and have a two-game lead over Gastonia (24-11) in the Atlantic League’s South Division. The Honey Hunters fell to Long Island 8-7 on Tuesday night.

Both teams struck for runs in the first inning. The Dirty Birds used a lead-off single by Scott Burcham, a wild pitch, a ground out and a sac fly from Juan Perez to forge an early 1-0 lead. High Point countered with three runs in the bottom of the first. Singles by Michael Russell and Ben Aklinski along with a walk to Quincy Latimore loaded the bases. Michael Martinez’s ground ball to third led to an infield hit and a throwing error that cleared the bases.

In the fourth, High Point expanded its lead to 5-1 when Johnny Field doubled and scored on a sac fly by Giovanny Alfonzo, before Russell was hit by a pitch and came around on a double into the rightfield corner by Aklinski.

High Point scored three times in the fifth for an 8-2 lead including a run-scoring single from Chris Proctor, an RBI double off the bat of Martinez and a sac fly from Johnny Field. Three more runs crossed for the Rockers in the sixth, courtesy of an RBI single by Jerry Downs and sacrifice flies by Logan Morrison and Field.

The Rockers continued to hit, pouring on five more runs in the seventh. Downs contributed a two-run double before Quincy Latimore unleashed a three-run homer, his seventh of the year. Charleston sent infielder Angel Garced to the mount to pitch the eighth and Downs and Latimore concluded their night with RBI singles.

Neil Uskali (3-1) won his second consecutive start, going six innings and allowing just four hits and a walk. Charleston starter Derrick Adams (1-3) yielded eight hits and eight runs in his 4.1 innings of work.

High Point and Charleston will continue their three-game series on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point.

Long Island 8, Gastonia 7

(Gastonia, N.C., May 31, 2022) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Gastonia Honey Hunters 8-7 on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series at CaroMont Health Park. 

The Honey Hunters took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Joseph Rosa’s two-run home run down the right field line off Ducks starter James Varela. Gastonia made it 3-0 in their favor in the second frame courtesy of a run-scoring triple from Alex Holderbach. 

The Ducks scored five times in the top of the third versus Gastonia starter Reilly Hovis to open up a 5-3 advantage thanks to run-scoring base knocks from Dustin Woodcock and L.J. Mazzilli and a three-run home run to right off the bat of Alejandro De Aza. Woodcock was at it again in the fourth as he launched a massive two-run home run over the batter’s eye in straightaway centerfield to make it 7-3 in favor of the visitors. A sacrifice fly in the seventh from Rusney Castillo scored Mazzilli with some much needed insurance as Long Island grabbed an 8-3 advantage. The Honey Hunters would get to within 8-7 with four runs in the home half of the inning but would get no closer as Tyler Webb retired the side in order in the last of the ninth for his team-leading fifth save of the season.

Varela (1-0) registered the win, allowing three runs on three hits (one home run) in five innings pitched, walking two and striking out five. Hovis (1-2) was tagged with the loss, surrendering seven runs on nine hits (two home runs) across five innings of work, striking out three. 

Woodcock, Mazzilli, De Aza, and Nick Bottari each had a pair of hits to lead the Flock, with Woodcock and De Aza plating three runs apiece. 

The Ducks and Honey Hunters continue their three-game series on Wednesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. at CaroMont Health Park. Fans can follow all the action on the Long Island Ducks Broadcast Network. Live streaming HD video and audio will be available via BoxCast on LIDucks.com as well as on the Ducks official Facebook page and YouTube channel. Right-hander Anderson DeLeon (2-1, 3.08) gets the start for the Ducks against a pitcher yet to be announced for the Honey Hunters. 

Long Island returns home on Friday, June 3, to begin a three-game series with the Staten Island FerryHawks. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with the Fairfield Properties Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders). 

Lexington 5, Kentucky 1
Kentucky 12, Lexington 5

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Lexington Legends and the Kentucky Wild Health Genomes split a doubleheader on Tuesday night.

In the opener, the Legends raced out to a 5-0 lead after the first three innings and cruised home with the victory. Courtney Hawkins hit his league-leading 13^th homer of the season and drove in three runs. Keyviuys Sampson (1-1) earned the win for Lexington while Elih Villanueva (2-4) took the loss.

In the nightcap, Kentucky scored five runs in the bottom of the first before Lexington closed to 6-5 after five. But the Wild Health Genomes exploded for six runs in the sixth to go on and post a 12-5 win. Jimmy Paredes and Moises Sierra each drove in three runs for Kentucky. All three of Parades’ hits were doubles. Tillman Pugh hit a two-run homer for the Legends.

Tim Peterson (2-0) grabbed the win for Kentucky with a shutout sixth inning. Jalen Miller (1-2) was credited with the loss.

Southern Maryland 10, York 9

(May 31, 2022, York, PA) The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs squared off with the York Revolution for the first time this season.  The Blue Crabs’ bats came alive as they scored 10 runs on 16 hits in the 10-9 victory. 

Daryl Thompson (W, 4-2) won his 80^th career game in the Atlantic League despite running into trouble in the bottom of the first inning.  After a leadoff single from Yefri Perez, the Revs picked up a trio of RBI doubles, taking a 3-0 lead.  From there, Thompson settled down, allowing only four runs across six innings of work.  

Merandy Gonzalez (L, 1-3), the starter for York, struggled in the second inning. Braxton Lee blasted a line drive off the left-field wall for a leadoff triple.  Joe DeLuca bounced one to short, scoring Lee and cutting the deficit to 3-1.  Later in the inning, with runners on first and third, the Blue Crabs executed a double steal.  Michael Baca took off for second base, while Ryan Haug stole home, getting the Blue Crabs back within a run.

In the third inning, the Blue Crabs bats continued to hit. Jared Walker ripped a one-out double into the right-center field gap.  The next batter, Alex Crosby, knocked a single into shallow right field, scoring Walker and tying the game at 3-3.  Braxton Lee then roped another triple, this one to right-center field, giving the Blue Crabs a 4-3 lead.  With runners on the corners and two outs, Michael Baca drove in Braxton Lee on a base hit up the middle, putting the Blue Crabs ahead 5-3.   

Southern Maryland tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning.  After Collier worked a one-out walk, Jared Walker ripped a base hit into left-center field.  Collier originally pulled up at third base, but Jack Kenley, York’s second baseman, did not catch the cutoff throw.  This allowed Collier to score, extending the Blue Crabs’ lead to 6-3.  Later in the inning, with a runner on second base, Alex Crosby blooped a single into right field, scoring Jared Walker to put Southern Maryland ahead 7-3. 

In the sixth inning, the Blue Crabs put together a two-out rally.  Alex Crosby punched a single into right field before Braxton Lee shot a double to left-center field, scoring Crosby and giving the Blue Crabs an 8-3 lead. 

York battled back in the seventh. With runners on first and second with two outs, Carlos Franco smashed a three-run home run over the wall in right field, getting York within two runs.  The Revolution tacked on another run in eighth, cutting the deficit to 8-7.

The Blue Crabs maintained a one-run lead going into the ninth inning.  Braxton Lee picked up his fourth hit of the game on a line drive into right field.  The next batter, Joe DeLuca crushed a two-run shot over the wall in right field, putting the Blue Crabs ahead 10-7. 

Southern Maryland took a three-run lead into the bottom of the ninth.  Mat Latos (SV, 12) entered the game and allowed a leadoff walk. The next batter, Carlos Franco, destroyed another home run over the wall in left-center field, getting York back within a run.  From there, Latos shut the door, retiring York in order and earning his 12^th save. 

With the win, the Blue Crabs improve to 26-9 and hold a ten-game lead in the North Division.  Southern Maryland has also won three-straight games with the victory.  The Blue Crabs look for their fourth straight win tomorrow as they take on the Revolution in game two of the series.