Sports stats



SAL1 Hagerstown Suns

Another Ninth-Inning Gaffe Slips Up Suns

August 26, 2009 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release


HAGERSTOWN, MD -- For the second time in five games, a ninth-inning error by the Hagerstown Suns (18-37) helped steer victory into the arms of their opponent, as the Lakewood BlueClaws (29-27) scored twice in their final turn at bat to break a long-standing tie and win, 3-1, at Municipal Stadium on Wednesday night.

With one out and a runner on first base in the top of the ninth, Suns reliever Patrick Arnold (3-5) appeared to have negotiated his way out of the inning when he induced a ground ball back to the mound by Lakewood's Korby Mintken. Arnold fielded the ball cleanly and threw to second to initiate a potential double play, but his throw was wide and the base umpire ruled that shortstop Steven Souza's foot was pulled off the bag attempting to make the play.

Souza argued to no avail, and the BlueClaws' very next batter, Anthony Gose, singled through the left side of the infield to score Troy Hanzawa for what proved to be the game-winning run. A bloop single by Harold Garcia gave Lakewood an insurance run, and the Suns went down quietly in the bottom of the ninth, as Santo Hernandez picked up his third save of the season for the BlueClaws.

The defeat came less than a week after Hagerstown suffered an equally frustrating ninth-inning loss to Lakewood -- also on an unearned run -- when a grounder slipped under Suns' third baseman Nick Arata's glove to give the BlueClaws a walk-off 3-2 win at home on August 21.

Wednesday night's miscue was the fourth of the game for Hagerstown, tying a season high. The gaffe came after the Suns and BlueClaws combined to hold each other scoreless over the seven middle innings of the game, keeping the game knotted at one from the end of the first inning onward.

Lakewood got to Hagerstown starter Marcos Frias early on a Jim Murphy RBI single in the top of the first, before Frias settled in to pitch six innings of four-hit ball. The Suns responded in the bottom of the first on back-to-back doubles by second baseman Steve Lombardozzi and catcher Derek Norris, but would not score again against Lakewood starter Justin De Fratus or reliever Jacob Diekman (2-0), who pitched the eighth inning to earn the win.

Check out the Hagerstown Suns Statistics



South Atlantic League Stories from August 26, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Hagerstown Suns Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central