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It appeared the Somerset Patriots were going to come back and beat the Lancaster Barnstormers like they had so many times before, including 11 games this season. But this time Michael Woods would not let it happen.
Woods led off the bottom of the ninth with a homer off Somerset reliever Casey Cahill to give Lancaster a 4-3 win.
The Patriots' Joe Burke had homered in the top of the ninth off Lancaster reliever Neal Musser to tie the game 3-3.
"We couldn't hold on to that lead in the ninth inning," Lancaster manager Tom Herr said. "But we kept it tied, which allowed us to have that walk-off."
The Barnstormers have had their problems this season. But starting pitching has not been among them. The 'Stormer starters have had quality starts in 44 games this season. But the Lancaster starter has won just 14 times in those games and Monday was no exception.
This time, Trey Hodges pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up just two earned runs.
"He gave us a real good chance to win and did a real nice job, kept them off balance," Herr said. "He's done a good job for us. He's really had solid starts ever since he's come back (from the disabled list). He's been really solid."
Lancaster reliever Nick Abel did his part to try and get Hodges a win. With Lancaster leading 3-2, Somerset threatened in the eighth inning. But Abel came to the rescue when he entered the game with runners on first and third and no outs and did not allow a Somerset run.
Jim Heuser, who had relieved Hodges, gave up a leadoff walk to Anthony Granato in the eighth. Heuser picked Granato off, but first baseman Ryan Mulhern's throw was late to second and Granato had a stolen base. A single by Josh Pressley moved Granato to third.
Herr went to the mound and summoned Abel to face Matt Hagen. Abel picked off Elliott Ayala (who pinch-ran for Pressley). Then he got Matt Hagen, who leads the league in hits, to pop out to third. After walking Jeff Nettles, Abel got Teuris Olivares to foul out to catcher Jed Morris to end the inning.
"That was big," Herr said of Abel's effort. "Nick did a really good job. He was throwing hard."
Somerset scored twice to take a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Sean Smith's RBI single made it 1-0 and Josh Pressley plated the other run. They were all the runs the Pats would score.
Hodges gave up five hits, walked one and struck out three and was in line to win for the first time since July 26.
But Musser, after getting the first out in the ninth, gave up the homer. "He hung a curve ball and Burke hit it out," Herr said.
Musser then gave up a single to Sean Smith, who stole second. But Smith was thrown out trying to steal third as Mike Rodriguez walked. Antonio Alfonseca came on to get the final out on a 3-1 grounder.
Alfonseca (3-4) picked up the victory after Woods' game-winner.
Lancaster tied the game at 2-2 on Lloyd Turner's two-run triple in the bottom of the third. Matt Watson's infield single in the fifth inning, off Pats starting pitcher Jason Standridge, gave Lancaster a 3-2 lead.
"It's nice to be on this end of it," Herr said of the ending. That has not been happening a lot recently for the Barnstormers.
Notes: The game was the first of three in the final series between the two teams this season. … Season series stands 11-4 in favor of Somerset. … Cesar Suarez, who doubled and scored in the third inning, now has a hitting streak of six games.
E-mail: bwilson@lnpnews.com
