SAL1 Hagerstown Suns

Suns Notch One-Run Win to Take Series with West Virginia

Published on May 17, 2015 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release


HAGERSTOWN, MD - The Hagerstown Suns (17-19) kept the West Virginia Power (20-16) off the scoreboard for the final four innings on Sunday afternoon, allowing a one-run lead to hold up for what turned out to be a 5-4 win. The win gave Hagerstown the series win three games to two, and evened the season series between the two teams at five wins apiece.

Left fielder Jeff Gardner produced the winning run for Hagerstown in the bottom of the sixth. Center fielder Dale Carey led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. He moved to second on a groundout, and remained there when DH Grant DeBruin lined out to left. Following a pitching change, Gardner stepped to the plated and smacked a ground ball single to second, driving in Carey to set what turned out to be the final score.

The Suns had led 4-2 in the game, but West Virginia evened things up in the fifth. With runners on first and second and none out, catcher Kawika Emsley-Pai sent a fly ball single into center field, bringing 3B Chase Simpson home from second to make it a one-run game. Later in the inning, RHP Luis Reyes (1-2) threw a wild pitch with the bases loaded, allowing Elvis Escobar to score from third and make it 4-4.

West Virginia took the initial lead in the game in the top of the second. Simpson delivered a triple with one out to bring home the first run of the game. Simpson then scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Escobar to make it 2-0.

The Suns quickly responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame. With runners on the corners and two outs, 3B Cody Dent drove a double to right, which brought home both runners and knotted the game at 2-2. Doubles also proved to be huge in Hagerstown's two-run rally in the fourth to go up 4-2. In that fourth inning DeBruin doubled to put runners at second and third with none out, and that resulted in a run coming home on a sacrifice fly. Later in the inning 2B Brennan Middleton drove in a run with a double to left. The Suns finished with four doubles in the game, matching a team season-high.

Reyes got the start and win for the Suns. He pitched six innings, giving up four earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out three. Starting RHP Austin Coley (5-2) suffered the loss for the Power. He went 5.2 innings, giving up five earned runs on six hits while striking out four. LHP R.C. Orlan threw the final three scoreless frames for Hagerstown to pick up his fourth save in his fourth opportunity this season.

The Suns next welcome the Greensboro Grasshoppers (17-18) to Municipal Stadium to begin a three-game series starting on Monday May 18. The Suns will send RHP Phillips Valdez (3-2) to the mound for his seventh start of the season. He will square off against LHP Michael Mader (2-3) for Greensboro. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 17, 2015


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