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SAL1 Hagerstown Suns

Suns Shock Braves with Ninth Inning Rally to Sweep Opening Series

April 11, 2011 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release


Much like the first three installments of the 2011 opening series for the Hagerstown Suns and Rome Braves, it was another close decision on Sunday afternoon at State Mutual Stadium in the interest of garnering a Game Four victory. All four games would be decided by two runs or less, and all four contests would inevitably swing towards the visiting Suns. With a win in the finale, Hagerstown completed a four-game sweep of Rome to open up the 2011 campaign with stellar pitching, terrific defense, and excellent clutch hitting.

The Suns received 21.0 innings of work from their starting pitchers in the series and allowed just three earned runs. The defenders on the diamond for Hagerstown committed just two errors through the first four games and made a number of highlight-caliber plays. Each ballgame featured a key base hit to propel the Suns to victory. In Game One, SS Jason Martinson broke up a 2-2 tie with an RBI single in the 7th inning, in Game Two, DH Blake Kelso put the Suns ahead in the 7th stanza with an RBI one-base knock to break a scoreless stalemate, in Game Three, RF Bryce Harper's RBI fielder's choice chopper stood up as the difference maker, and in the finale, timely hitting prowess showed up once again.

Suns LHP Bobby Hansen, who did not factor into the decision, progressed well in his first start of the season, going 5.0 innings and striking out five, while allowing two earned runs on seven hits and one walk. Rome scored their first run in the 4th frame when LF David Rohm, who was 5-for-16 in the series with 2 doubles and 3 RBI, laced a single to right field that scored 3B Edward Salcedo, who go on board with a double down the right field line. Braves LHP Ronan Pacheco, who pitched to a no-decision, tossed 5.0 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits, while walking one and fanning two. The Suns would answer with two runs of their own in the 5th inning when CF Michael Taylor earned his first RBI of the season with a triple to left center chasing home 3B Sean Nicol, who got on base after 1B Barrett Kleinknecht misfielded a ball at first, before Kelso drove home Taylor with an RBI single.

An inning later, the Braves tacked on another run to tie the game with an RBI single by Kleinknecht through the hole at second base driving home DH Jacob Dalfonso, who singled to right field. Rome regained the lead in the last of the 6th stanza when CF Keenan Wiley ripped a 2 RBI triple, his second three-base hit in the series, to score Rohm and RF Ramon Flores, who collected back-to-back singles.

Down 4-2, Taylor scored the Suns' third run on a wild pitch by RHP Danillo Alvarez in the 7th, before the Braves received a two-run double in the bottom of that inning to left center from Rohm amidst a 3-for-4, 3 RBI day at the plate to score 2B Elmer Reyes and Salcedo, who reached on a dropped third strike and a base-on-balls respectively.

But then, headed to the 9th inning, facing a 6-3 deficit, the Suns would bring nine men to the plate and find a way to shock the Braves and continue their winning ways in the series. With the sequence sweep on the line, and one out, Taylor reached on a fielder's choice, Kelso singled, Martinson walked, before Harper ripped an RBI single to right center field to score the first run of the rally. With the bases loaded, DH Randolph Oduber was hit by a pitch from RHP Wes Alsup (0-1), the losing pitcher, to get the Suns within one run of the tie. Then, the most clutch hit of the 2011 season came to fruition as 1B Mills Rogers lined a 2 RBI single up the middle to summon home Martinson and Harper to give the Suns a 7-6 advantage. A magical series in Rome, Georgia was culminated with a 1-2-3 inning for right-handed closer, Sam Brown (1 SV) to grant his first save of the season.

The winning pitcher of record was LHP Chad Jenkins (1-0), who entered the game in the 7th inning with two outs. Jenkins pitched 1.1 scoreless innings while striking out one and giving up just one hit.

An unbelievable four-run 9th inning rally catapulted the Suns to the series sweep over the Rome Braves before the club hopped on the bus to head towards Lexington, KY to begin a four-game road series against the Lexington Legends of the Houston Astros farm system beginning Monday with a 7:00pm first pitch at Applebee's Park.

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South Atlantic League Stories from April 11, 2011


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