Lancaster blanks Skeeters, takes 2-0 series lead

SUGAR LAND - The Sugar Land Skeeters got off to another slow start in the Atlantic League Championship Series. And again it cost them.

Lancaster coasted to a 5-0 win over the Skeeters on Wednesday at Constellation Field, giving the Barnstormers a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

The loss puts the Skeeters in the position of having to win three consecutive games to capture the first league championship in the club's three-year history.

The series shifts to Lancaster, Pa., for Game 3 on Friday at 6 p.m. Lancaster won Game 1 on Tuesday 10-6.

"We're not worried," said right fielder Rene Tosoni, who had two of the Skeeters' four hits Wednesday. "It's tough losing at home, but it's going to be more fun winning there. We'll be all right."

Lancaster scored two runs in each of the first two innings on two-run doubles by Olmo Rosario and Blake Gailen. In the third inning, the Barnstormers left the bases loaded without scoring.

Submarine pitcher Shunsuke Watanabe got the start for the Barnstormers. The righthander didn't have a lot of velocity, but he had good ball movement and elicited a good number of swings and misses from the Skeeters.

"He had no velocity," said Tosoni. "It makes it really tough, especially because we've been seeing guys that have been throwing 88, 91 (mph). When you see someone throwing 63-75 from the dirt, he changes it up, and it's tough to make the adjustment."

The Skeeters tried to rally in the eighth inning. But a long fly ball hit by Denny Almonte with two runners on base was caught by right fielder Brett Carroll for the third out. Almonte was the first batter faced by Ross Peeples, who relieved Watanabe, who pitched 72⁄3 innings.

"He (Watanabe) just pitched well tonight," said Skeeters manager Gary Gaetti. "I can't fault our guys as much. He had command of everything."

Sugar Land loaded the bases without scoring in the first inning. Almonte flied out to right field for the third out. In the fourth inning, the Skeeters stranded a runner at third base.

Richard Dean is a freelance writer.