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SAL1 Hagerstown Suns

Demny deals, Higly nails debut in Suns' win

August 29, 2009 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release


HAGERSTOWN, MD -- With right-hander Paul Demny posting six innings of one-hit, shutout ball in his team-high 22nd start for the Hagerstown Suns (19-38), right fielder J.R. Higley provided the offensive spark in his Suns debut, setting the table for both Hagerstown rallies in a 4-0 win over the Delmarva Shorebirds (28-29) at Muncipal Stadium on Saturday night.

Called up from the Vermont LakeMonsters of the Short-Season New York-Penn League prior to Friday night's rainout, Higley batted fifth, scored twice, and reached base in three of his first four at-bats as a Sun.

Higley's first trip to the plate came leading off the second inning, and he sprinted out of the box on a groundball to rush the throw of Delmarva shortstop Greg Miclat, reaching first base on the error. Shortstop Steven Souza followed with a groundball booted by Shorebirds' second baseman L.J. Hoes, and Higley came around to score on the second Delmarva error of the inning.

The 1-0 lead was all that Demny (3-10) needed in one of his strongest starts of the season, lowering his season earned-run average to 4.89 while striking out seven and walking only one batter. Demny did not allow a hit until the fifth inning, receiving a big helping hand from centerfielder Chris Curran, who leapt over the padded portion of Municipal Stadium's high centerfield wall to rob Delmarva's Elvin Polanco of extra bases in the fourth.

Like Demny, Shorebirds' starter Ryan O'Shea (8-7) surrendered only one hit and did not allow an earned run, but he gave way to reliever Brent Allar in the bottom of the sixth, and Hagerstown immediately enhanced its lead.

Higley faced Allar first, and drilled his inaugural hit as a Sun for a triple to deep center. After Souza walked, designated hitter Travis Reagan tripled the Hagerstown lead with a three-bagger of his own into the Suns' bullpen in right field. Two batters later, Reagan made the score 4-0 in favor of Hagerstown when he trotted home on an Allar wild pitch.

The Suns went to relief pitcher Robinson Fabian in the top of the seventh, and after allowing the first two Shorebirds to reach base in his first inning of work, Fabian settled in to pitch three frames of one-hit relief, completing a Hagerstown two-hit shutout.

The four Suns runs came on only four hits, but Hagerstown drew seven walks, including three by catcher Derek Norris.

With their season series now knotted at ten wins apiece, the Suns and Shorebirds will wrap up their three-game series with a doubleheader on Sunday at 1:05 p.m., with the second game starting approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the opener.

The Hagerstown Suns play at Municipal Stadium in Hagerstown, MD and are a Class "A" affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Ticket packages and sponsorships are available by calling the Suns at 301-791-6266. Visit the Suns on the web at www.hagerstownsuns.com. The Suns are owned by Los Angeles based Mandalay Baseball Properties.

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