Lancaster Outlasts Bridgeport Behind Baserunning
(Bridgeport, Conn. – July 20, 2010) – The Bridgeport Bluefish (7-4, 43-38) suffered a 17-inning defeat to the Lancaster Barnstormers (8-3, 39-42) by a score of five-to-four.
In the 17th inning, with Jed Morris at first and Lloyd Turner at third, an attempted steal of second turned into a swipe of home. Arroyo held the ball for a few seconds, on a pickoff, and threw the baseball to Joe Jiannetti at second. Once the ball was hurled to Jiannetti, Turner sprinted for home and slid safely as the throw was high. The designed play resulted in the winning run coming across.
Matt Pike and Jose Sanchez did not earn the decision as both starters surrendered two earned runs. Bridgeport’s righthander allowed eleven hits and one walk in five innings while striking out a batter. Sanchez delivered six frames and gave up eight hits and one walk on the night. Tim Hamulack (4-3) earned the victory as he served a scoreless frame. Luis Arroyo (0-2) pitched three innings but allowed the winning run to cross in the top of the 17th inning.
Bridgeport ignited a rally in the first by scoring two runs. With one out, Brandon Chaves singled to left and Steve Moss served a knock to center. Josh Phelps grounded to the mound but Sanchez could not turn the double play. The second out of the inning pushed the runners to second and third. Danny Putnam scalded a double over Michael Woods’ head in left to give Bridgeport a two-nothing advantage.
Bryant Nelson helped lead the charge for Lancaster in the fifth as the Barnstormers tied the game. Nelson, Woods, Jason Perry, and Aaron Herr collected consecutive singles to plate two runs. Perry and Herr drove in Nelson and Woods to knot the game at two.
The Bluefish had too much offensive firepower, though, on Tuesday. Bridgeport scored a couple of runs in the seventh. Adam Greenberg singled with one batter retired. After a fielders’ choice grounder by Chaves, Steve Moss lifted a two-run blast to leftcenter. The shot was Moss’ eleventh of the season to catapult Bridgeport to another two-run lead.
Lancaster would respond with two runs in the top of the eighth. Jed Morris smacked his seventh homer of the season. The one out, solo shot to right closed the gap to four-to-three. Joe Gaetti followed with a double to rightcenter and advanced to third on an error. Octavio Martinez served an RBI single to center and tied the contest at four.
The Bluefish and Barnstormers will square off tomorrow in a special matinee doubleheader beginning at 10:35 a.m. The Ballpark at Harbor Yard gates open at 9:35 a.m. and everyone in attendance will be able to experience “Winning Inning Wednesday” and have the chance to take home $10,000. The second contest will begin approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of the first. Fans unable to make it to The Ballpark can listen to the game live on www.bridgeportbluefish.com. Tickets are still available by visiting The Harbor Yard box office, calling (203) 345-4800, or by visiting www.bridgeportbluefish.com and clicking the tickets icon.
The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2010 group outings and individual tickets are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.
###
