SAL1 Hagerstown Suns

Suns Come Up Just Short in Game 3 Standoff with Legends

Published on May 8, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release


Hagerstown, MD-On Saturday night at Municipal Stadium, the streaking Hagerstown Suns (19-10) skidded to a halt after winning 8 consecutive games, falling to the Lexington Legends (16-13) by a score of 8-6. Suns RHP A.J. Cole (0-1), taken in the 4th round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft, made his first professional start and took the loss after allowing two earned runs on five hits, while walking two and fanning three.

Cole surrendered individual runs in the 2nd and 3rd innings, when DH Chris Wallace launched his 8th home run of the season over both tiers of signs in right center field. Wallace's drive was a solo homer to give the Legends a 1-0 lead, which was added to as RF Adam Bailey pulled an RBI double into the right field corner, scoring C Roberto Pena, who singled to center field.

The Legends exploded for five runs in the 5th inning, bringing ten men to the plate. Lexington manufactured their run cushion with RBI from a Tyler Burnett single through the right side, a balk by RHP Shane McCatty, who entered with two outs in the 4th frame, an Emilio King double over the head of Suns LF Randolph Oduber, a Jiovanni Mier one-base knock up the middle, and a Bailey line drive to center field that got down to the left of Hagerstown CF Bryce Harper.

The Suns got on the scoreboard when SS Jason Martinson sat back on an offering from Legends RHP Tanner Bushue (5-0), the winning pitcher, in the bottom of the 5th inning, launching a 2-run home run over the right center field fence.

Then, in a display of rally time offense, Hagerstown brought eight Suns to swing the bat in the 7th inning. 1B Brett Newsome drew a one out walk. DH Michael Taylor ripped a double passed King in center field, scoring Newsome. 3B Blake Kelso went opposite field for an RBI triple up the right field line to plate Taylor. 2B Adrian Sanchez pushed a run scoring single passed Legends 2B Ben Orloff to summon home Kelso. Harper ripped a pitch from LHP Alex Sogard through the deep hole at shortstop and into left field, before C David Freitas, who owns 8 RBI in the series, pushed a bouncer to Burnett at first base to bring home Sanchez. With Harper at third base after a passed ball through the Lexington catcher, Pena, Oduber struck out looking on a marginal breaking ball. The outpouring of offense for the Suns cut the Legends lead to 7-6.

The visiting club would get insurance in the 9th inning as King, who had a career night offensively in his first game of the season with Lexington, going 3-for-5 with two runs, a double, and two RBI, hit a looping solo four-bagger that cleared the right field wall to put the Legends up 8-6.

The bottom of the 9th frame was far from academic. RHP Jorge De Leon (3 SV ), a member of the Houston Astros 40-man roster, quickly induced the first two outs on a strike out called to Taylor and a pop out off the bat of Kelso. Sanchez then struck out swinging but reached first base on a wild pitch and advanced to second on the continuation of the play as Pena threw wildly down to first base. Harper tomahawked a single to right field bringing the winning run to the plate in front of Freitas. Then, Freitas hit a frozen rope on one hop to Mier at shortstop who turned his left shoulder to the plate and swung his glove to the backhand side to pick the hard shot off the ground and then fired to first base to end the Suns threat and their 8 game winning streak to give the Legends their first victory in the series.

Lexington and Hagerstown will settle up this four game series on Sunday with a 1:05 first pitch on Mother's Day. The Suns have an opportunity to win their fifth series in 2011 up two games to one on the visiting Legends. In the Game 4 finale it will be LHP Brad Dydalewicz (0-3, 5.95) going for his first win against RHP Chris McKenzie (2-3, 8.10) looking to win string two victories together. Pre-game radio coverage on the Suns flagship station, WJEJ AM 1240, will begin at 12:50pm.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 8, 2011


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