July 1-5

The second half of 2015 began on a Wednesday, Jenny and I had our usual lunch visit. In the evening we resumed street hockey playoffs at the rink. The East finals concluded on this night as the UniLords defeated the Steamers to clinch the title four games to one. The one remaining West semifinal was decided as well, the Kings ousted JBE Auto Transport to claim a finals berth opposite the Killbots. Since league rules provide for a day off between series there were no games on Thursday, the West finals begin on Tuesday the 7th. On Friday the Barnstormers returned home for the opener of a three-game set with the Camden Riversharks. The Sharks played a series on North Prince Street in early June but this was my first look at them since the exhibition game back in April. In the Friday opener the Stormers took a 1-0 lead in the second on a home run from ex-Toronto property Mike McDade, in the fifth newcomer Jake Luce (pronounced "loo-chee") reached on a Camden error and scored on a Jerry Owens sac fly. Brian Cavazos-Galvez went yard with a man on in the sixth to extend the advantage, the Sharks got on the board in the eighth but it wasn't enough as the Barnstormers won it 4-1. Joe Gardner pitched eight innings for the win, Marcus Walden worked the ninth for the save. On Saturday Jenny and Helen came into town as usual, there was a huge holiday fireworks show scheduled for after the game which we (of course) did not plan to stay for. There was rain in the forecast for the late afternoon but the game managed to get started on time. On this night Camden took a 2-0 lead in the third and added three more in the sixth as they won easily 5-0. Relief pitcher Bryan Morgado made a spot start for the Stormers working five innings and taking the loss, he was followed for an inning each by Kyle Simon, Scott Patterson, Scott Gracey and Chad Beck. The series wrapped up on Sunday afternoon, I was not there as usual as the Sharks won again to take the series. The first half of the Atlantic League season is over, the Somerset Patriots and Southern Maryland Blue Crabs are in the postseason as a result of winning their division titles. The second half starts after the all-star break, the game itself is in Bridgeport on Wednesday the 8th. Take care, thanks for reading.