SAL1 Hagerstown Suns

GreenJackets Walk-Off Suns in Rain Shortened DH

Published on August 8, 2018 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release


North Augusta, SC - The Augusta GreenJackets walked-off on the Hagerstown Suns, 7-6, in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday night. The second game of the twin-bill was postponed due to rain while the loss drops Hagerstown to 43-67 overall and 16-26 in the second half. The two teams will play a doubleheader to conclude the three-game series on Thursday with a 6:05 PM first pitch.

The Suns took an early lead in the second inning against Augusta starter Jose Marte. Alex Dunlap led off with a single to center and moved up a station when Omar Meregildo singled to left. Phil Caulfield reached on a sacrifice bunt to load the bases and Juan Pascal lifted a sacrifice fly to left to give the Suns a 1-0 lead.

Hagerstown extended their lead in the third with Marte still on the bump for the GreenJackets. Cole Freeman led off with a single and Gage Canning moved him to third with a single to right. Freeman scored when Jake Scudder singled to right while Canning went to second, giving the Suns a 2-0 lead. Dunlap was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Meregildo grounded into a force out, scoring Canning while Dunlap was put-out at second to leave runners at the corners. With a 3-0 lead, Caulfield laid down a sacrifice bunt for the second out of the inning that plated Scudder and extended Hagerstown's lead to 4-0.

Augusta tied the game in the bottom of the inning against Suns starter Tomas Alastre. With one out, Jeffry Parra doubled to right and with two outs, Malique Ziegler walked. Ismael Munguia singled to right, clearing the bases and pulling the GreenJackets within two runs, 4-2. Mungia stole second and Orlando Garcia homered to left, tying the game at 4-4.

The Suns took the lead back in the fifth in Marte's final inning of work. Scudder led off with a walk and Dunlap doubled to left, advancing Scudder to third. Marte fired home a wild pitch that allowed Scudder to score and Dunlap to move to third, giving Hagerstown a one-run lead. Marte dispatched the next three Suns batters in order, stranding Dunlap while the Suns took a 5-4 advantage.

Augusta evened the ballgame in the bottom of the frame against Alastre but walked-off Hagerstown in the seventh with Jorge Pantoja on in relief for the Suns. Logan Baldwin led off with a single to left, putting the game-winning run on the base paths. Ziegler laid down a sacrifice bunt that was fielded by Pantoja, but the reliever made an errant throw. Baldwin tried to score, but Canning threw him out from right field at the plate to preserve the tie while Ziegler moved to third on the play. On the next pitch, Mungia singled to second with Ziegler beating the throw to the plate to give the GreenJackets a walk-off victory with a 7-6 final score.

Alastre allowed six runs on eight hits with a walk and five strikeouts over five innings of work in a no decision. Pantoja (0-1) took the loss, allowing one unearned run on two hits over one and one-third innings of work.

Prior to game-two beginning storms rolled through SRP Park, delaying the start. Eventually the game was postponed and rescheduled as a doubleheader on Thursday, August 9 at 6:05 PM. Game two will begin approximately 30 minutes after the final out of game one.

Notes: Alastre has gone at least five innings in 12 straight starts this season... He's the second starter this year to throw over 100 innings for Hagerstown... The other is Jackson Tetreault... His five strikeouts fall one short of the righty's season high... Alastre picked off his fourth baserunner of the season... He's tied for the team lead with Sam Held... Canning had his first outfield assist of the season with the Suns.... It's his second as a professional after recording one with short-season Auburn earlier in the year... The Suns have 20 in 2018 and Canning's is the 11th at home plate... It's the most for any base... Canning had his seventh multi-hit game of the season... It also extended his hit streak to four games... Freeman had his 18th multi-hit game while extending his hitting streak to four games as well... Dunlap's two-hit night is his fifth multi-hit effort this season... Meregildo has a three-game hit streak... Hagerstown is now 1-6 on the road on Wednesdays... Game one's walk-off loss is the third they've suffered Since July 28 & 29 when Lakewood walked-off in back-to-back nights to sweep a three-game set... The Suns and GreenJackets will conclude their series on Thursday with a doubleheader beginning at 6:05 PM.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 8, 2018


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