SAL1 Hagerstown Suns

Hickory Edges Hagerstown in Ultimate Slugfest

Published on August 2, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release


Hickory, NC- The Hagerstown Suns (58-48, 18-18) and Hickory Crawdads (63-42, 23-14) engaged in a 10 inning slugfest at L.P. Frans Stadium on Monday evening resulting in a 14-13 victory for the Crawdads. The series opening game featured 33 hits, six errors, and 14 men left on base. The Suns are now (1-6) against Hickory this season.

Off RHP Nick Tepesch, the Suns scored two runs in the 1st inning on RBI singles from CF Chris Curran and DH Kevin Keyes. Both shots were line drives up the middle in front of CF Braxton Lane.

Hickory tallied one run in the 1st frame when DH Andrew Clark singled into right center field, bringing home 3B Christian Villanueva, who singled to right field to get aboard. Villanueva overran the third base bag but scored after the relay to home plate from 3B Blake Kelso was not in time.

The Suns scored one run in the 3rd inning on a sacrifice fly to right center field by SS Jason Martinson to plate 2B Adrian Sanchez, who went 3-for-6 with one run and one RBI in the contest.

Suns LHP Matt Grace, who like Tepesch did not receive a decision, allowed five runs, four earned, on nine hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

RF Michael Taylor blasted a two-run home run to straight away center field bringing home LF Wade Moore in the 4th frame. This longball was a part of two dingers crushed by Taylor in the game. Moore also had a big night, going 3-for-4 with four runs scored, a double, a triple, and one RBI. The Suns lead 5-1 after four innings.

Hickory hung a four run spot in the 5th frame on four consecutive singles to tie the game 5-5. Lane reached on an error by Grace before SS Jurickson Profar sprayed a single to right field, 2B Odubel Herrera laced an RBI single to center field, Villanueva knocked an RBI single up the middle, and Clark pulled a single to right field scoring Herrera. RF Josh Richmond lifted an RBI sacrifice fly to left field bringing home Villanueva. Suns RHP Greg Holt induced an inning-end double play off the bat of C Tomas Telis.

The Suns countered with four runs of their own in the 6th stanza, three of which came on the second home run of the game for Taylor, a three-run shot over everything in left center field. Martinson added an RBI fielder's choice scoring Kelso, who walked to make the score 9-5.

The Crawdads exploded with five runs in the last of the 6th inning. The first run came home when Holt threw away a ball at first base on a pickoff attempt allowing LF Alejandro Selen to score. Villanueva drew a bases loaded RBI walk to garner the second run. Richmond lofted a two-RBI single to left center field to bring runs three and four to fruition, before C Adrian Nieto airmailed a throw to third base on a steal attempt by Villanueva summoning home the fifth run to put the 'dads up 10-9.

The Suns jumped back on top with three runs in the 7th inning as Moore crushed an RBI triple to the right center field to bring home Nieto, who lead off with a single to center field. Taylor lifted an RBI sacrifice fly to right field plating Moore. And after Kelso walked, Sanchez ripped a liner to center field to propel the Suns ahead 12-10.

The Suns got a run of cushion in the 9th inning to garner 13-10 advantage when Curran knocked an RBI fielder's choice to Villanueva at third base allowing Moore to come home after reaching on an infield single.

However, in the bottom of the 9th inning, with runners on second and third base, after a balk from RHP Dean Weaver, who blew the save, Selen cranked a game-tying three-run homer over both tiers of signs in left center field to force extra innings.

LHP Jimmy Reyes (6-0), the winning pitcher, hung a zero in the top of the 10th frame after giving up a leadoff single to Keyes, who went 3-for-5 with an RBI in the game.

Then in the last of the 10th inning, RHP Sam Brown (2-5), the losing pitcher of record, allowed a single to Profar shot through the right side, Herrera was hit by a pitch while he tried to lay down a bunt, and a wild pitch pushed both into scoring position. The Suns brought Taylor from right field to the middle of the infield to add an extra glove in the dirt, but Villanueva got underneath the ball to right center field to serve as a game-winning RBI sacrifice fly with Profar crossing home plate.

The Suns continue their four-game road series. Wall-to-wall radio broadcast coverage will begin with a 6:45pm Break Away 2 Sports Lounge Pre-game Show on the Suns radio flagship station, WJEJ 1240 AM in preparation for a 7:00pm first pitch. The starting pitching matchup will feature RHP Luke Jackson (4-2, 4.56) against RHP A.J. Cole (2-6, 3.47).

The Hagerstown Suns play at Municipal Stadium in Hagerstown, MD and are a Class "A" affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Season ticket packages, group outings, and corporate 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 Hagerstown Baseball, LLC.

Check out the Hagerstown Suns Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



South Atlantic League Stories from August 2, 2011


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.

OurSports Central