SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

Hagerstown Edges Charleston

Published on June 27, 2003 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


(HAGERSTOWN, MD) -- A base hit down the leftfield line by Randy Walter scored Julian Benavidez from second base with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning, as Hagerstown defeated Charleston 5-4 Friday night.

The Alley Cats led by two runs as late as the seventh inning, before the Suns came back to tie it in the bottom of the seventh, and then win it in the ninth

.

Charleston (3-4, 31-40) was on top 4-2 going into the bottom of the seventh inning. Hagerstown loaded the bases with no outs. After Ramon Mora struck out Kevin Kelly, Walter hit a groundball that Scott Dragicevich gloved at third. Dragicevich cut down the middle runner and Jason Columbus scored. Benavidez rounded third base on the play and as John Schneider tried to gun him out, he threw it into leftfield and Benavidez scored the tying run.

The two unearned runs were charged to Cats starter Eric Stephenson. Stephenson pitched well, going six innings, allowing two earned runs on just three hits and striking out a season-high eight.

Hagerstown (4-3, 39-35) took the lead early in the game on a solo homerun by Benezvidez to right-center field, making it 1-0. Charleston got to Suns starter Brian Stirm in the fourth inning, scoring their first three runs of the series. Dragicevich singled with one out. Rodney Medina doubled into rightfield. Dragicevich scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Brad Hassey to tie the game at 1-1. Zeph Zinsman launched a two-run homerun to right, his first longball of the season, to give the Cats a 3-1 advantage.

Hagerstown scored a run in the sixth inning off of Stephenson to make it 3-2. The Cats then went back in front by two with a run in the top of the seventh. Charleston couldn't score again in the inning despite having the bases loaded and no outs.

Troy Ransom (2-0) picked up the win in relief. Felix Romero (1-3) gave up the winning run in the ninth and took the loss.

Charleston is now 6-17 in one-run games and 2-6 against Hagerstown.

Sandy Nin (4-4, 2.72 ERA) faces Glenn Woolard (5-2, 2.89 ERA) Saturday night.

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 27, 2003


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