Miracle Late-Inning Rally Propels Sharks To Victory

Things looked bleak early on for the Riversharks.

The Lancaster Barnstormers batted around in the second inning, scoring 6 runs on 5 hits to take an 8-2 lead and knock starter Humberto Sanchez out of the game. It looked like Sharks fans were in for a long night.

But Camden slowly chipped away. Single runs in the 4th and 5th, and two more in the 6th made it 8-6, Lancaster. No longer a blowout, it seemed the momentum had shifted. Stormers starter John Halama exited after 6, having surrendered 6 runs on 11 hits.


Meanwhile Zac Cline, on in relief of Sanchez, was cruising. Over 5 innings of work, Cline allowed just one run on four hits. He was relieved by Santos Hernandez, who struck out 3 Stormers in an inning an a third of work, allowing only one hit.

Lancaster made it 9-6 in the 7th when an Iggy Suarez single scored Travis Metcalf, and it seemed like the Sharks rally was squashed.

But Jonel Pacheco lead off the top of the 9th with a solo homer to right off reliever Jonah Bayliss, and suddenly the rally was on again.

Toby Hall singled. Juan Francia reached on an error. Lloyd Turner singled. With the bases loaded and no outs, Noah Hall grounded into a fielder's choice that scored one run. Next, Alvin Colina, who earlier had blasted his 14th home run of the 2011 season over the centerfield wall, smoked a double down the left field line that scored two more runs. The Sharks lead 10-9 going into the home half of the 9th.

Enter Fernando Hernandez, who retired the Stormers 1-2-3 in the bottom of the frame to pick up his first save and seal an incredible comeback victory for the Camden Riversharks.

Both teams gave up a combined total of 27 hits. The game took nearly four hours to complete.

The Hernandii combine for the win (Santos) and the save (Fernando).

Jake Eigsti blasted a 2 run dinger in the 6th and came up with two huge defensive stops at second later in the inning.

Despite Downpour, De La Rosa Deals.

Wilkin De La Rosa pitched six strong innings, allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out six in the Riversharks 3-2 victory over the division leading Bridgeport Bluefish tonight at Campbell's Field.

The Sharks took an early 1-0 lead when left fielder Noah Hall blasted his 15th home run of 2011 over the wall in left center.


The Bluefish tied the game in the 2nd when De La Rosa uncorked a wild pitch that scored left fielder Steve Moss. They threatened again in the 3rd, but with the bases loaded and no outs, De La Rosa got back-to-back strikeouts of second baseman Andres Perez and third baseman Luis Lopez, and got Wes Bankston to ground out to short to end the inning.

Camden managed another run in the 3rd when a Lloyd Turner double scored Ruddy Yan to make it 2-1.


In the 6th, Bridgeport rallied to tied the game again when Moss doubled in Bankston, but the Sharks tacked on one more in the bottom of the frame when third baseman Danny Richar's ground out scored Hall and made it 3-2.

The bullpen trio of Zach Hammes, Fernando Hernandez and John Bale shut the door on the Bluefish in relief of De La Rosa. In total, Sharks pitcher recorded 10 strikeouts in the victory.

OMG, GI(4)DP WTF? FML...

Starter Wilkin De La Rosa battled control issues, and the Riversharks just couldn't plate enough runs to overcome the Lancaster Barnstormers early onslaught. The Stormers piled on the runs early and held on to beat the Sharks 7-5.

Lancaster batted around in the 2nd, but tallied just three hits, in what was really a nightmare inning for De La Rosa. A combination of walks, errors and timely hits, including a bases clearing RBI double from Lancaster first baseman Tommy Everidge eventually plated six runs for the Stormers.

The Sharks got one run back in the bottom of the frame when designated hitter Alvin Colina absolutely CRUSHED a J.D. Durbin fastball over the left field wall.

Camden cut the deficit to 6-4 in the 3rd, but caught a really bad break in the process. With the bases loaded and no outs, first baseman Willis Otanez grounded into a 4-6-3 double play that scored shortstop Juan Francia. Next, Colina singled in Lloyd Turner, and finally a Danny Richar triple scored Colina. The inning ended when left fielder Brian Burgamy struck out swinging.

In the 4th, Wayne Lydon scored on a double from left fielder M Watson to make it 7-4, and the Sharks added one more in the 9th to again cut the deficit to 2, but Otanez grounded into another 4-6-3 double play, and two batters later Richar lined one right to shortstop Iggy Suarez to end the game.


The Sharks outhit the Stormers 17-7, yet they scored only 5 runs. Part of the problem was Otanez grounding into THREE rally killing double plays (combined the Sharks grounded into four. FOUR. IN ONE NIGHT), and Burgamy narrowly avoiding the titanium sombrero, going 0 for 3 with three K's.

If you want to look for a silver lining in all of this, look no further than the Sharks bullpen. In four innings of relief, the combination of Zach Hammes, Fernando Hernandez and Mike Koplove allowed just two hits and no runs, while striking out five.

Also Colina, who apparently was so thrilled he didn't have to squat for 3 hours he went 4 for 5 with a homer and two RBI's.