SAL1 Hagerstown Suns

Early Starbursts for Suns Offense Burn Shorebirds

Published on August 12, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release


Salisbury, MD- The Hagerstown Suns (63-52, 23-22) used a couple of multi-run frames in Thursday night's first act to burn the Delmarva Shorebirds (52-64, 17-29) by a score of 6-2 in game two at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. The Suns won their tenth game of the season out of seventeen matchups against the Shorebirds to even the current four game road series at one win a piece.

Suns LHP Paul Applebee (6-2), the winning pitcher, tossed 5.0 scoreless innings on two hits and surrendered just one walk, while striking out three.

Hagerstown brought eight men to the plate in the 1st inning and tagged LHP Matt Bywater (0-2), the losing pitcher of record, for two earned runs on just one base hit. LF Michael Taylor walked to lead off the game before 3B Blake Kelso sprayed a single through the right side of the infield. 2B Adrian Sanchez punched a fielder's choice back to Bywater and Taylor was caught between third base and home plate getting chased back to the third base bag after Kelso took third and Sanchez raced to second. DH David Freitas worked a walk and with RF Kevin Keyes batting, Bywater yanked a wild pitch to the backstop to score Kelso. Keyes would then wrap an RBI groundout to SS Garabez Rosa to score Sanchez. 1B Mills Rogers struck out to leave the bases loaded after SS Jason Martinson and C Adrian Nieto both drew free passes.

Bywater went on to pitch just 3.0 innings, giving up five earned runs on four hits, while walking eight men, a season-high, and fanning four batters.

The Suns earned three runs in the 3rd frame when eight more Hagerstown hitters came to the plate. Martinson began with a base-on balls, Nieto doubled down the left field line, and Rogers reached on an RBI fielder's choice knocked to 3B Ty Kelly who threw to home plate late as Martinson sled across safe. With two outs, Kelso went the other way with an RBI single to right field summoning home Nieto. Sanchez received a base-on-balls to load the bases and during Freitas' at-bat Bywater slung a wild pitch to score Rogers. Freitas grounded out to Rosa at shortstop to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded for the second time in the contest.

Delmarva didn't score until the bottom of the 7th stanza as the 'birds managed two runs off RHP Chris McKenzie. DH Michael Ohlman doubled to the right center field gap and advanced to third base on a passed ball through Nieto. Ohlman scored on an RBI groundout by Rosa towards Martinson at shortstop. RF Brenden Webb poked a single up the middle into center field before CF Mikey Planeta cued an RBI triple into the right field corner bringing home Webb.

Hagerstown added to their three run advantage with a single run tally in the 9th inning on an RBI double up the left field chalk by Rogers to score Keyes, who was hit by a pitch.

RHP Dean Weaver (1 SV), who pitched a scoreless 8th inning, retired the Shorebirds in order after allowing a leadoff double off the wall in left by Rosa in the last of the 9th frame. Webb pops out to Martinson at shortstop, Planeta lined out to Sanchez at second base, and Rooney struck out swinging to end the game.

Game Three in Salisbury, Maryland will feature a 7:05pm first pitch. Wall-to-wall radio broadcast coverage will begin with a 6:50pm Break Away 2 Sports Lounge Pre-game Show on WJEJ AM 1240. The pitching matchup will bring Suns LHP Matt Grace (10-5, 4.60) to the mound against Shorebirds LHP David Baker (2-2, 2.37).

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 12, 2011


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