May 27-29

I've often said that we don't have SEASONS anymore, we just have WEATHER. The past few days have gone from one extreme to the other, over the weekend the oven door was still open. On Friday we were at the ballpark in Lancaster, the Sugar Land Skeeters were the opponent. Before the game the Barnstormers hosted the annual Salute To Veterans, the first one was in 2008 and it is always well-received. The game was delayed forty minutes at the start because the ceremonies ran long, once it began the fans were treated to some on-field pyrotechnics. The Skeeters took an early lead in the first, Caleb Gindl's home run in the bottom half evened it at 1-1. In the second the Stormers scored twice on a Mike McDade RBI hit and a Jeff Kobernus sac fly, three more were added in the third on an RBI double from Josh Bell and a two-run triple from former Milwaukee Brewer Sean Halton. Sugar Land picked up a run in the fourth and three in the sixth to close within 6-5 but the Stormers bullpen closed the door from there for the one-run victory. Starting pitcher Terry Doyle (from the Orioles system) worked six innings for the win, former big-leaguer Cory Burns earned the save. On Saturday we had our usual weekend lunch in Quarryville, in the evening Jenny and her mother made their second appearance of the season at the ballpark. On this night the Skeeters would score single runs in four different innings but the Barnstormers took advantage of one big inning for a 7-4 win. Sean Halton hit two home runs early on, a second-inning solo and a two-run shot in the fourth. With the game even at 3-3 in the seventh Mike McDade singled and scored on a double by former Dodger property Travis Witherspoon. Jeff Kobernus' RBI double plated Witherspoon, ex-Milwaukee Brewer Logan Schafer followed with a two-run homer to put the game away. Ryan Dennick (former Cincinnati property) won it in relief of starter Bryan Evans. The series continued with a 2:00 game on Sunday but as one would expect I elected to stay inside and keep cool. Take care, thanks for reading.