Barnstormin’

	Ricardo Gomez 3-2, 4.57 ERA		Jim Magrane 4-8, 5.88 ERA

The Barnstormers’ latest offensive funk can be traced to a long-lamented problem: poor lineup depth. While Von Hayes has shuffled different guys into different spots recently, the bottom third of the order remains the issue. It’s simply not producing.

Over the past six games, the 7-through-9 slots are a combined 12-for-68 with 26 strikeouts. That equates to a .176 average. The Barnstormers have scored 15 runs during that time and have scored more than three runs in a game only once.

When any portion of the lineup is striking out twice as often as it is delivering hits, this is a giant impediment to offensive success. The Barnstormers have been basically giving away nine to 12 at-bats each game, which is roughly three innings worth of possible offense.

No one is expecting Lancaster to have Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Bob Muesel in those spots, but this has been a problem for two months and it has become amplified over the last week or so. It needs to be addressed.

What’s the solution? Obviously, adding a high-impact bat is the best antidote. We’ve been down this road a thousand times before. That would allow the team to push both Ivanon Coffie and Lloyd Turner into the bottom third. Coffie, despite his defensive struggles, is slugging .504. That five-game winning streak last month was greatly aided by his hitting tear. Turner also produces his share of extra-base hits.

Maybe newcomer Mike Caruso can make a difference. The infielder wasn’t in the lineup against a lefty Monday night and, mysteriously, wasn’t used as a pinch hitter when Somerset brought in a series of right-handed relievers. Caruso won’t hit for power, but he also won’t strike out. If he can hit over .300 with a .350-.360 on-base, that would be an upgrade.

But without a big move, it’s hard to see the Barnstormers making any kind of long-term leap offensively because they’re giving away too many outs and those outs are often coming in succession. This team has scored 51 fewer runs than any of its Atlantic League rivals.

If you’re looking for a reason for optimism, Ian Bladergroen is starting to heat up and that will provide a much-needed boost. Bladergroen is 6-for-14 with two homers and a double in his last four games. Having his rejuvenated bat in the No. 3 or 5 spots will certainly help.

NICHOLS TOUR:

Two days after getting released by Camden, former Barnstormers DH Kyle Nichols has signed with the Ducks. This will be his fourth Atlantic League team in the past three months. That has to be a record. It also says something about the available pool of position player talent.

YOUMAN, ACK SCRATCHED:

Shane Youman has been scratched from his Wednesday start. The Barnstormers decided to go with a bullpen game tonight with Ricardo Gomez getting the nod. Nick Renault, tonight’s original starter, was pushed back to Wednesday.

Eric Ackerman won’t be making his scheduled start Friday. The Barnstormers have signed lefty Chris Steinborn to take that turn in the rotation. Steinborn went 8-14 with a 6.13 ERA in 24 starts for York last season.

Lineups …

11-11	12-11
Sean Smith, CF	Lloyd Turner, RF
Teuris Olivares, SS	Mike Caruso, 2B
Brandon Larson, DH	Danny Gonzalez, SS
Josh Pressley, 1B	Matt LeCroy, DH
Vito Chiaravalloti, RF	Ian Bladergroen, 1B
Travis Anderson, C	Mike Woods, LF
Gera Alvarez, 3B	Ivanon Coffie, 3B
Elliott Ayala, LF	Brian Munhall, C
David Housel, 2B	Jutt Hileman, CF

Scoring summary …

WP: Ryan Cullen (5-4)
LP: Byron Batson (0-2)

FINAL: Barnstormers 3, Patriots 2

Patriots 1st: Larson hits solo home run.
Somerset leads 1-0.

Stormers 1st: Gonzalez’s sacrifice fly scores Turner.
Game tied at 1.

Stormers 4th: Woods’ single scores LeCroy.
Lancaster leads 2-1.

Patriots 5th: Anderson hits solo home run.
Game tied at 2.

Stormers 9th: Munhall’s single scores Juan Francia.
Lancaster wins 3-2.

Pitchers:

Barnstormers: Ricardo Gomez, Sendy Rleal (6), Paul Thorp (8), Ryan Cullen (9).

Patriots: Jim Magrane, Byron Batson (9).

Box score:

RECORD: 13-11 (43-51)

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Brian Munhall

The catcher knows how to make an entrance. Munhall went 2-for-4 with a triple. His single in the ninth inning led to Juan Francia scoring the game-winning run. Because of the crazy way the play unfolded, Munhall actually wasn’t credited with an RBI.

With a runner at second and one out, Munhall expected to get walked.

“I didn’t think they were going to pitch to me, to tell you the truth,” he said. “I thought they were going to pitch around me. I actually was looking for a slider. I thought he was going to slide one off the plate, but he sunk one in and caught a little bit more of the plate than he wanted. With (Francia) out there, that was probably going to be the game winner.”

It almost wasn’t. Francia hit the third-base bag awkwardly and lost his balance. He was going to retreat to third base before left fielder Elliott Ayala made an errant throw to the plate. Francia raced home and barely beat catcher Travis Anderson’s tag.

NOTES:

*Ricardo Gomez was thrust back in the rotation:

Gomez is a rarity. Usually guys with high strikeout rates and a low batting average against don’t surrender a ton of homers. Gomez gives up his share: 13 in 70 innings. But the hard-throwing righthander is 2-1 with a 4.31 ERA as a starter. If Shane Youman or Eric Ackerman is out for more than one turn, Gomez could be the fill-in.

“He pitched outstanding,” manager Von Hayes said. “I asked him for three (innings) and he gave me five. He wanted that win. We gave him a shot.”

*The Barnstormers left five men in scoring position and failed to take full advantage of four Somerset misplays in the first four innings. The offense sputtered again. It did not score an earned run in this game and has just 18 runs in the last seven games.

*INF Mike Caruso made his first start and played 2B. He was plugged into the 2 hole as the Barnstormers dropped Mike Woods to No. 6 for the first time. Lloyd Turner moved from 2B to RF.

*If you missed it above, the Barnstormers have signed P Chris Steinborn, who went 8-14 with a 6.13 ERA in 24 starts for York last season. Steinborn will start Friday in place of Ackerman.

BOTTOM LINE:

A morale-boosting win. With the Barnstormers’ pitching staff depleted by injuries, it would have been a huge downer to waste the performance by Gomez and the relief corps. Somerset’s costly mistakes helped Lancaster steal one.

“We’ve been playing a lot better now,” Francia said. “Sometimes the pitching is pretty good, though, and we’re not scoring many runs. It’s part of the game. Sometimes we need the excitement to win games. Right now we’re in first place. That’s all we need.”