Late rallies fall short in 2-1 Suns loss

August 10, 2009 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release

HAGERSTOWN, MD -- Down a run going into the bottom of the sixth inning, the Hagerstown Suns (15-26) put runners in scoring position in three of their final four trips to the plate, but never mustered the big hit in a 2-1 loss at the hands of the Rome Braves (19-23).

The Suns were hitless in eight at bats with runners in scoring position on the evening, unable to provide the offense to support a rock-solid performance by their pitching staff. Right-hander A.J. Morris, the Washington Nationals' fourth-round pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft, submitted five innings of one-run ball for the second consecutive start, striking out five Braves.

Hagerstown tied the game at one in the bottom of the fifth inning when centerfielder Chris Curran drew a two-out walk and scored on a double down the left-field line by second baseman Steve Lombardozzi. The Braves bounced right back against Suns reliever Robinson Fabian (0-1) in the top of the sixth, however, grabbing the lead for good on a Matt Kennelly RBI groundout.

In the bottom of the sixth, Hagerstown put runners at first and second with no outs, but a sacrifice-bunt attempt lined by designated hitter Michael Guerrero into the glove of Rome's first baseman resulted in a rally-terminating double play.

In the eighth, with shortstop Steven Souza on second base and two outs, right fielder Charlie Fermaint drove a high liner deep into centerfield, but Rome's Calvin Culver tracked it down for the final out of the inning.

The Suns' final threat of the game came with two outs in the ninth inning, but after Curran beat out an infield single to put runners at first and second, Lombardozzi struck out swinging to close out the contest.

Lombardozzi and Curran each had two hits on the night, as did Fermaint. Souza crushed the furthest ball of the night for Hagerstown in the fourth inning, driving one off the top of the centerfield wall, but he was called out at the plate attempting to stretch the blast into an inside-the-park home run.

J.J. Hoover (5-5) earned the win for Rome, outdoing Morris with six innings of one-run ball, and Matthew Small worked the final inning and a third for his second save of the year.

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