SAL1 Hagerstown Suns

Souza's Sacrifice Fly Saves Suns From Sweep

Published on June 13, 2009 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release


HAGERSTOWN, MD -- Having watched their 4-1 lead slip away in the second game of their doubleheader Saturday night, the Hagerstown Suns (28-30) rallied to load the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh and final inning, and toppled the Delmarva Shorebirds (32-26), 5-4, on a walkoff sacrifice fly from third baseman Steven Souza.

The nightcap victory saved the Suns from a sweep on a night when they logged 12 runs on 21 hits over 14 innings. The Suns dropped the first game of the doubleheader, 9-7, after Delmarva climbed from a 6-4 deficit with five runs in the fifth inning, and Hagerstown looked ready to suffer another fall-from-behind loss before Souza's game-winning RBI.

The Suns offense was clicking all evening long, as the doubleheader featured six multi-hit games by Hagerstown batters. The Suns got things going early in Game 1, picking up three runs in the bottom of the first inning thanks to a two-run double by first baseman Tyler Moore and an RBI single by left fielder Charlie Fermaint.

The Shorebirds stormed back with four runs over the next two innings to take the lead, but Hagerstown put another crooked number on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third, scoring three runs on five hits to go back on top, 6-4.

The Suns handed the game over to their bullpen in the fifth, entrusting their lead to a unit that hurled six scoreless innings the night before. Right-hander Chris Lugo (4-2) ran into trouble in the fifth, however, allowing the lead to slip away on two quick runs before surrendering a three-run homer to Delmarva's Brian Conley.

The Suns grabbed one of those runs back in the bottom of the fifth, but Shorebirds closer Brandon Cooney shut Hagerstown down in the sixth and seventh to pick up his tenth save of the season.

In Game 2, 19-year old southpaw Graham Hicks got the start for the Suns after being added to the Hagerstown roster between games of the doubleheader. Hicks, a fourth-round pick in the 2008 Draft who was called up from Extended Spring Training, struck out six over five innings of work but was hurt by a pair of homers that accounted for three Delmarva runs.

The Hagerstown hitters kept Hicks in line for the win, however, with four runs over the first four innings. In the second, Souza, Fermaint and right fielder Michael Guerrero strung together three straight hits to give the Suns a 2-0 lead. Souza was in the middle of things again in the third, singling home catcher Derek Norris to put Hagerstown on top, 3-1.

Another run in the fourth put the Suns up 4-1, but Hicks surrendered a two-run homer to Delmarva's Ron Welty in the fifth to tighten things up. Carlos Peralta pitched a scoreless sixth to pass a 4-3 lead over to closer Osvaldo Rodriguez (2-2), but Rodriguez blew his second save of the season when Shorebirds catcher Dustin Black hit his second round-tripper of the night -- this one a solo shot high over the wall in left center.

With the game tied at four heading into the bottom of the seventh, second baseman Steve Lombardozzi started things off for the Suns by drawing a walk. Norris followed with a single, and Hagerstown avoided disaster when what looked like a double-play grounder by Moore was flipped to second and dropped by Delmarva's LJ Hoes, allowing all three runners to reach base safely.

Souza finished off the Shorebirds with his sacrifice fly to center, and the Suns took a 2-1 lead heading into the final game of the series on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. Gates will open at 1:05 p.m. for Dog Days of Summer at Municipal Stadium, and the Suns invite all fans to bring their dogs out to the ballpark to enjoy the game with them. Following the game, the Suns will host the National Egg Toss Championships, with any pair of fans in attendance eligible to participate.

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 13, 2009


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