Gann, Bullpen Blank Crabs
September 4, 2022 – Atlantic League (AtL) – Lancaster Barnstormers News Release
Cameron Gann and the Lancaster bullpen came up big on Sunday afternoon, combining on a four-hit shutout of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs as the Barnstormers took the rubber game of a three-game series, 3-0, at Regency Furniture Stadium.
With the win, the Barnstormers hold a five-game lead in the second half race with 13 left on the schedule. A tie would also match the Barnstormers with the first half champion Blue Crabs in the opening round of the playoffs by league rule.
Gann (7-8) worked the first five innings, yielding one single and three walks. He got through the first four innings on one hit and one walk, throwing just 47 pitches. The fifth turned out to be a good deal stickier as the right-hander required 34 pitches to get through five hitters, walking two and striking out a pair.
Brandyn Sittinger allowed a leadoff single by Michael Baca in the sixth before retiring the side in order afterward. The right-hander also set the side down in 1-2-3 fashion in the seventh as did Josh Graham in the eighth.
In the ninth, West Tunnell, retired Braxton Lee leading off , but Joe DeLuca and Alex Crosby drilled one-out singles into center. Zach Collier flied to Melvin Mercedes in center for the second out. After falling behind Jared Walker, 3-1, Tunnell got him to bounce out to first, to earn his 10th save.
Lancaster reached Eddie Butler (12-4) for all three runs in the top of the third. Joseph Carpenter lined a single into center to start the inning. Trace Loehr split the gap in left center for a double, getting Carpenter to third. Mercedes drove in both with a double inside the first base bag. He later scored from third on a single into left by Colton Shaver.
Overall, the Barnstormers managed only eight hits in the game.
The Barnstormers will take on the High Point Rockers on Tuesday with right-hander Brooks Hall (4-1) taking the hill at Truist Point. Fans may tune into the YouTube channel, beginning at 6:30.
NOTES: Lancaster is 6-3 on the current 15-game road trip…The shutout was the first thrown by the staff since June 9, also started by Gann…Gann fanned four and now has 132 for the year, eight from the club record…Mercedes had his first multi-hit game and his first RBI of the road trip…Lancaster has gone seven games without a home run…Lancaster is now 2-12 against Southern Maryland on the season.
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