June 19-22

Friday night on North Prince Street for the start of a busy baseball weekend. The Atlantic League's "War Of The Roses" moved east as the York Revolution trekked across the river for a four-game series of the "wraparound" variety. In the Friday opener the Revs won 3-1 thanks to an Andres Perez two-run double and a Nick Ferdinand solo home run, Kevin Rivers went yard to account for the lone Barnstormers score. Logan Williamson was the winning pitcher for the Revs, the Stormers' Dan Osterbrock took the loss. On Saturday Jenny and her mother cam into town for game #2, at the ballpark the Barnstormers hosted an umbrella giveaway. It was ironic as they came in handy when rain arrived during the middle innings and stayed for the duration. The Stormers took a 2-0 lead in the first on a Kevin Rivers two-run shot to the picnic deck in right field but RBI hits from Luis De La Cruz, Wilson Valdez and former New York Yankee property Yeicok Calderon gave the Revs a 3-2 edge in the fourth. The Barnstormers tied the game 3-3 in the fifth inning on a Revs error and broke it wide open with a six-run seventh. Jerry Owens' bases-loaded single scored two runs, Yusuke Kajimoto tripled home two more, an RBI hit by Rivers scored Kajimoto with the fifth run of the inning. Rivers would score the last run on a sac fly from Wilson Batista (recently returned from a stint in the Mexican League). The game was effectively over at that point, with the rain coming down the ladies and I opted for the exits. In the bottom of the eighth play was suspended, after the required wait the game was called official as the Stormers won 9-3. The bullpens figured in the decision, ex-Toronto property Marcus Walden won it for the Barnstormers while former Chicago White Sox Leyson Septimo suffered the loss. On Sunday (in my usual absence) the Barnstormers rebounded from an early deficit to win 9-4, on Monday in the finale a similar situation unfolded. A two-run single by ex-Yankee prospect Anderson Feliz gave the Stormers a 2-0 lead in the second, former Boston property Shannon Wilkerson's fourth-inning hit tied the game at 2-2. The Revs scored four in the sixth on a Nick Ferdinand solo shot and a three-run bomb by Yeicok Calderon. In the eighth the Stormers replied in almost identical fashion, Brandon Jones' RBI hit was followed by a Keith Castillo three-run shot to tie matters at 6-6. In the tenth inning Feliz drew a two-out walk and stole second, Yusuke Kajimoto' base hit scored Feliz with the winner as the Barnstormers won 7-6. One-time Phillies property Kyle Simon won in relief, Josh Judy suffered the defeat. Take care, thanks for reading.