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Those 10 feet made a huge difference Sunday afternoon as the Barnstormers dropped a 9-6 decision to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in the finale of a four-game series and seven-game road trip.
Trailing 6-4, heading into the top of the fifth inning, the Barnstormers battled back against starter Ryan Bicondoa. Michael Woods rapped a one-out single up the middle, and Jed Morris followed with another. Gerard Haran walked to load the bases. Bicondoa then walked Danny Bravo, forcing home a run and bringing Lancaster within one.
Blue Crabs manager Butch Hobson went to right-hander Edward Rodriguez (2-1) to face Ryan Mulhern. The Barnstormers left fielder, who hit a grand slam at York just two weeks ago, fell behind, 0-2, but gave the next pitch a ride to deep left center. Rich Giannotti reached up at the wall to make the catch as Morris tagged and scored the tying run.
Then, in the eighth, facing a three-run deficit, Lancaster put runners at first and second with two outs. This time, it was Dan Williams' turn to come up just short with a drive to left off Byron Batson. Again, it was Giannotti latching on at the wall to protect the lead.
Lancaster bolted out to a 4-0 start on the afternoon. Lloyd Turner walked and scored on a triple to right center by Woods in the first inning. Woods scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Morris. Haran followed with a homer to left for a 3-0 edge.
A double by Haran over the head of center fielder Jeremy Owens and a single by Danny Bravo produced an additional run in the third inning.
Jason Scobie cruised into the bottom of the fourth having allowed one hit while striking out four but could not last the inning. Owens greeted him with a homer onto the top of the picnic tents. Jermy Acey stroked a grounder to third, which skipped under Bravo's glove for an error. Lance Burkhart worked out a walk after falling behind in the count.
Lancaster missed a second chance to get Acey. He took too wide of a lead off second base, and Morris threw behind him. Turner could not handle the throw cleanly but still had a chance at third. The return throw to Bravo was high, however, and Acey slid underneath the tag.
Giannotti produced a second run with a grounder to Williams at second. Octavio Martinez singled to center to score Burkhart and went to second on the throw to the plate by Woods. From there, Martinez raced across the plate with the tying run on John Ramistella's single to left.
Mike Just hit a liner that sailed over the head of Mulhern in left for an RBI double and a 5-4 lead. Travis Garcia produced the sixth and final run of the inning with a two-out single into center.
Juan Ovalles (2-4) ended the fourth inning by striking out Owens but gave up a leadoff bloop hit to right center by Acey in the fifth. One out later, Giannotti grounded a single through the hole on the right side. Martinez followed with a sinking liner into left center scoring Acey for a 7-6 lead.
Acey hit a two-run homer to left center in the sixth for the final margin of victory.
Matt Hensley recorded the final four outs to pick up his fourth save for the Blue Crabs, who maintained a five-game lead in the Liberty Division.
Lancaster returns home tonight to kick off a seven-game homestand against the Somerset Patriots. The Barnstormers will honor the Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears with the Cup on hand.
Kip Bouknight (4-4) will start for Somerset. Lancaster will counter with Zack Parker (0-1).
Notes: Haran has had six two-hit games in the last seven, going 12-for-28 (.429). … Bravo, who was 3-for-4, had his first multi-hit game since June 14.
