Season High Five Hits For Luis Hernandez
(Lancaster, PA– June 29, 2016) – The Bridgeport Bluefish (28-38) defeated the Lancaster Barnstormers (33-32) 4-2 at Clipper Magazine Stadium on Wednesday evening as Bridgeport notches their first victory of the series with the finale of the four-game set taking place tomorrow night in the Keystone State. The Bluefish snap a five game losing streak and in doing so bring Lancaster’s string of four consecutive games with a victory to a close.
Bridgeport Starting Pitcher Jonathan Albaladejo (6-3) was spectacular in collecting the win, allowing just one run on three hits in seven innings of work, walking three and striking out five. The right-hander leads the team in victories and notches his sixth quality start, second on the staff only behind Mike Antonini who has seven. Lancaster Starting Pitcher Terry Doyle (2-4) was tagged with the loss, surrendering four runs on nine hits in six and one third innings on the mound, walking and striking out two. Taylor Thompson fired a scoreless ninth inning in relief for the ‘Fish to earn his team-leading sixth save of the season.
Lancaster cracked the scoreboard first in the home half of the fifth inning against Albaladejo when Doyle, who was forced to be penciled into the batting order in the number nine spot by Lancaster Manager Butch Hobson because of a short bench, brought home K.C. Hobson with the game’s first run via a sacrifice fly, and the home team took a 1-0 lead. Bridgeport answered back against Doyle by sending eight batters to the plate in the top half of the seventh inning, scoring four runs on five hits to take their first lead, one they would never relinquish. Josh Vitters began the rally with a leadoff single, and Angelys Nina replaced Vitters at first base as a pinch-runner. Jose Gil sacrificed Nina into scoring position. Adron Chambers followed with a walk, putting runners at first and second. Luis Hernandez singled to load the bases, and Endy Chavez tied the game at one with an RBI single, plating Nina. Welington Dotel followed with a two-run base knock as Chambers and Hernandez crossed the plate to make it 3-1 in favor of Bridgeport, sending Doyle to the showers. Former Bluefish R.J. Hively was greeted rudely out of the bullpen by his former club as Jose Cuevas completed the rally sending home Chavez with a single of his own as the cleanup hitter picked up his team leading 36th run batted in to make it 4-1 in favor of the visitors.
Down by three runs, Lancaster cut the deficit to 4-2 in the bottom half of the eighth inning when Caleb Gindl drove in Charlie Cuter with a run-scoring single, but Paul Demny ended the frame by striking out Gindl with two men on. With their First Half playoff hopes hanging by a thread, the Barnstormers came to bat in the bottom of the ninth down by a pair against Thompson. After a one-out walk to Hobson brought the tying-run to the plate, Thompson finished the game off by inducing Sean Halton to fly out to left field and striking out Cutler looking to give Bridgeport the 4-2 win, their tenth come from behind victory on the season. Rodriguez led the way with a the first five-hit game of the 2016 campaign for the Bluefish, as they racked up ten or more hits in a single game for the 26th time in 66 games played. Photo provided courtesy of Paul Herrmann.
The Bluefish play the fourth of their seven-game road trip to Lancaster and Somerset tomorrow night in the Keystone State before they return to the Ballpark at Harbor Yard on Monday, July 4th for an Independence Day matchup with the York Revolution which kicks off a three-game homestand and the second half of the 2016 regular season. First pitch is scheduled for 4:12 P.M. There will $4 tickets for the 4th and the second Collector’s Pin will be given away as Bridgeport says Happy Birthday to America in the Park City. CLICK HERE for tickets.
The Bridgeport Bluefish are members of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and play their home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard. For further information, call 203-210-BLUE (2583) or visit BridgeportBluefish.com
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