SAL1 Lexington Legends

Legends, Suns Split; Harper, DeShields Hit First Professional HRs

Published on April 13, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Lexington Legends News Release


The Lexington Legends overcame the first home run of Bryce Harper's professional career and rallied to beat the Hagerstown Suns 6-4 in the second game of a doubleheader at Whitaker Bank Ballpark Wednesday night. The victory earned the Legends a split after Hagerstown won the first game 1-0 behind the pitching of Cameron Selik and Wilson Eusebio.

In the opener, Hagerstown scored the only run of the game in the sixth inning. Adrian Sanchez was hit by a pitch leading off the inning, and Harper walked. David Freitas hit into a double play as Sanchez advanced to third, but Mills Rogers doubled to center field to score Sanchez.

Selik (1-0), pitched the first five innings to get the win. He allowed four hits, walked two and struck out five. Eusebio earned the save by pitching two hitless innings. South Atlantic League doubleheader games are seven innings in length. Mike Foltynewicz (0-2) was the losing pitcher, though he allowed just five hits and one run through six innings.

In the second game, Hagerstown built a 4-0 lead over the first three innings. In the first, Blake Kelso led off with a single and Sanchez walked. Harper flied to right, moving Kelso to third, from where he scored when Randolph Oduber grounded into a force play. The Suns added another run in the second on a single by Wade Moore, a walk to Cole Leonida, an infield out and a passed ball charged to Lexington catcher Roberto Pena.

Sanchez led off the top of the third inning with a single. Harper, the overall top draft pick in 2010 who signed a $9.9 million contract with the Washington Nationals, followed with his first homer, a line drive over the wall in left center, giving Hagerstown a 4-0 lead.

The Legends came back with two solo shots in the bottom of the third to cut the lead in half. Tyler Burnett hit one out to right field, and Delino DeShields, Jr., Houston's first round pick and the eighth overall choice in the 2010 draft, homered to left center, also his first as a professional.

Hagerstown still led 4-2 as the Legends batted in the fifth. Burnett led off with a walk, but Pena and DeShields struck out. Ben Orloff singled, moving Burnett to second, and Enrique Hernandez walked to load the bases. After Sam Brown relieved Hagerstown starter Paul Applebee, Chris Wallace grounded a single to right field, scoring Burnett and Orloff to tie the game, and moving Hernandez to second. Jhonny Medrano struck out, but the third strike was in the dirt. Medrano hesitated, then broke for first. Hagerstown players were already leaving the field, and Leonida, the catcher, had no one to throw to at first base. Wallace, who didn't leave first base until Medrano was nearly there, took off for second. The throw there was late, and Hernandez beat the return throw home to give the Legends a 5-4 lead. Adam Bailey then singled home Wallace to close out the scoring.

Gabriel Garcia, (1-0) relieved starter Ruben Alaniz at the start of the fourth inning, and pitched three scoreless innings to earn the victory. Jorge De Leon worked a scoreless seventh to get his first save. Applebee (0-1) was the losing pitcher.

Both managers were ejected. Lexington's Rodney Linares was tossed by plate umpire Ryan Clark for arguing after Clark ruled that the Legends' Adam Bailey had not crossed home plate before Daniel Adamson was tagged out at third for the last out in the fourth inning. Daubach got the thumb in the sixth inning after Kelso was ruled to have swung and missed on a third strike. The two teams will wrap up their four-game series Thursday night. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Check out the Lexington Legends Statistics

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



South Atlantic League Stories from April 13, 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