SAL1 Hagerstown Suns

Norris Claims League RBI Lead in 7-2 Suns Win

Published on May 11, 2009 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release


HAGERSTOWN, MD -- In a game delayed half an hour by rain, catcher Derek Norris wasted no time taking over the South Atlantic League lead in runs batted in, doubling in his first at bat to drive in shortstop Nick Arata and start the Hagerstown Suns (13-15) on their way to a 7-2 victory over the West Virginia Power (9-22) on Monday night.

With his 24th RBI in 27 games, Norris broke a first-place tie with Charleston's Brian Baisley atop the SAL leaderboard. Norris, who is also tied for second in the league with six home runs, went two-for-three on the night with a walk, raising his batting average to .283 on the season.

West Virginia fought back from the early deficit to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the third, but in the fourth, the bottom of the Hagerstown order came up big to put the Suns back on top. With two men on, right fielder Michael Guerrero shot a single up the middle for the tying and go-ahead runs. Two batters later, centerfielder Chris Curran went straight through the Power infield himself, picking up an insurance run out of the No. 9 spot in the order for a 4-2 Hagerstown lead.

The Suns offense was far from finished, as first baseman Lance Moore gave Suns fans something to cheer about in the bottom of the seventh inning for the second-straight day. A day after picking up the game-winning single in the seven-inning opener of Sunday's doubleheader, Moore stepped to the plate with two men on in the seventh and powered his first home run as a Sun high over the wall in left, staking Hagerstown to a 7-2 lead.

The six late runs complemented a stellar performance by the Hagerstown bullpen, which allowed no walks or runs -- and just two hits -- over five innings of work. After starter Jack McGeary pitched four innings of two-run ball, Austin Garrett (2-1) shut out West Virginia over the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, lowering his earned-run average to a team-best 1.15. Carlos Peralta and Chris Lugo each pitched a perfect inning to close out the game, and the Suns pulled even with West Virginia at two wins apiece in the five-game series, which wraps up Tuesday at 10:35 a.m.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 11, 2009


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