Newark Loses on Walkoff Blast

By Atlantic League Independent Wire Services on May 26, 2009

Newark, NJ – In less than 48 hours, David Housel has gone from spare part to Barnstormers legend.

Two days after homering from each side of the plate against Bridgeport, the Lancaster utility player belted a walkoff home run to right field in the bottom of the 10th, giving the Barnstormers a 4-3 victory over the Newark Bears.

Housel had entered the game as a pinch runner for Adam Shorsher in the eighth inning and stayed in to play left field. With both clubs continually failing to take advantage of run scoring chances in the later innings, Housel was given the opportunity to play the hero. It wasn’t looking promising as the switch hitter from New Jersey fell behind Oneli Perez (3-2) at 0-2, but he came through taking the two-strike offering over the picnic tents in right field for his third homer in three games. A mob awaited Housel at home plate as the Barnstormers ended a six-game losing streak against the Bears and climbed to within 4 ½ of the division leaders.

The win was also Lancaster’s fifth straight and tenth in the last 11 tries at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Prior to Housel’s deciding blast, the game was an exercise in futility for both offenses as a parade of pitchers kept getting off the hook.

Newark grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second against Eric Ackerman. Salomon Manriquez doubled to left center with one out and advanced on a single to left by Mike Sandoval. Michael Hernandez doubled home one run, and Sandoval scored on a ground out by Alberto Castillo.

Lancaster answered with three in the bottom of the inning. Jed Morris belted a one-out solo homer, his second of the homestand. Ryan Mulhern followed with a single to the hole at shortstop and stole second. Following a ground out, Rodney Medina tied with game with a lined single into center field. He would also steal second and then scored as Lloyd Turner tripled to the alley in right center.

Eric Ackerman held the lead until the sixth inning, thanks in part to a perfect relay that gunned down Ramon Nivar at the plate in the third inning. Newark tied the game in the sixth on a single by Manriquez, a wild pitch, and Sandoval’s double to left.

Lancaster left the bases loaded in the eighth as Danny Bravo lined to right fielder Jay Gibbons to end the threat. They did likewise in the ninth. Michael Woods led off with a double. L.J. Biernbaum was intentionally walked. The duo pulled off a double steal as Aaron Herr struck out. Perez put Jed Morris on first, then proceeded to strike out Ryan Mulhern on a 3-2 pitch and Bryan Sabatella on three straight pitches to send the game to extra innings.

The teams combined to leave 27 runners on base overall.

Ryan Cullen (2-2) worked two shutout innings to record the win.

Lancaster continues the homestand against the Newark Bears on Tuesday with Baseball in Education Day at 11:05. Ben Fritz and Ryan Bukvich are the scheduled pitchers.

NOTES: Lancaster has three one-run wins on the homestand…Housel’s season high in homers is nine, set in 2007 with the Road Warriors…Turner’s triple was his first of the year after setting the league record with 13 in 2008…Woods has hit safely in seven straight games and is hitting .387 since coming to Lancaster.

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