SAL1 Hagerstown Suns

Suns Notes

Published on August 30, 2014 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release


About last game... The Hagerstown Suns (42-25, 86-51) began their final series of the regular season on Friday night with a 10-4 win over the Lakewood BlueClaws (24-41, 51-83) in front of 1,778 at Municipal Stadium. The win improved Hagerstown's record against Lakewood this year to 16-8.

The Suns scored seven of their 10 runs in the first two innings, with the four-run second inning breaking the game open. In that second frame Hagerstown used the long ball to turn a one-run game into a comfortable five- run lead. The first dinger of the frame came off the bat of 3B Austin Davidson, who was making his Suns debut. With runners at first and second and one out Davidson sent a ball into the visitors bullpen beyond the center field wall for his third professional homerun. Later in the inning 1B Jimmy Yezzo lifted a ball out of the park to nearly the same spot, giving Hagerstown its 20th multi-homerun game of the season.

The Suns went into the bottom of the first inning trailing by two runs, but the offense quickly responded. Hagerstown managed to load the bases with no one out, and then a wild pitch brought RF Rafael Bautista home from third. The wild pitch occurred with Yezzo at the plate, and later in the at-bat he hit a double to center field, which brought in two more runs to make it 3-2 Suns.

In the top of the first inning it was a two-out rally that got the BlueClaws on the scoreboard. Catcher Andrew Knapp began the rally by smacking a double to right. Left fielder Dylan Cozens followed with a single to center field, driving in Knapp to make it 1-0. Cozens then stole second, and he scored from second on a single that ricocheted off the mitt of Yezzo at first.

The other two Lakewood runs crossed the plate in the fourth. With the bases loaded and no outs, 2B Andrew Pullin grounded into a force out at second, which brought home one run. Following the force out at second, 2B Brennan Middleton threw to first to try and turn the double play, but the throw sailed wide, which allowed a second run to cross the plate and the BlueClaws to cut their deficit to three.

The deficit remained three for Lakewood until the bottom of the eighth, when their deficit doubled. With a runner at third and one out Middleton hit a ground ball single to left to bring home the first run of the frame. A double by Bautista followed, which scored Middleton. Bautista then went to third on a wild pitch, and crossed the plate for the final run of the game thanks to another wild pitch.

RHP Phillips Valdez (2-0) wound up with the win for Hagerstown. He threw three innings in relief without giving up a hit or a run. RHP Robbie Dickey started for the Suns and tossed four innings, surrendering four runs (three earned) on six hits and five walks while striking out two. LHP David Napoli pitched the final two innings for Hagerstown for his seventh save of the season. RHP Yacksel Rios (6-2) started for the BlueClaws and got tagged with the loss. He went just 1.2 innings, giving up seven runs (five earned) on eight hits and one walk while striking out two.

Difo, Giolito honored... The South Atlantic League announced Thursday its 2014 Annual All-Star Team, as well as the league's MVP award, Most Outstanding Pitcher award, and the Most Outstanding MLB Prospect award. Suns INF Wilmer Difo was named the MVP, and Suns RHP Lucas Giolito was named both the Most Outstanding Pitcher and the Most Outstanding MLB Prospect.

PDC Extended... The Hagerstown Suns in conjunction with the Washington Nationals announced yesterday that the teams have agreed to a new two-year player development contract that will run through the end of the 2016 season.

The new player development contract between the two teams will take effect beginning October 1.

On the Mound... RHP Reynaldo Lopez will be heading to the hill tonight for the Suns. He is making his ninth start and appearance with the Suns this season. His last outing came on August 24 at Hickory, where he went 5.2 innings and allowed one earned run on three hits including one homer. He walked one in that game and struck out four. The one run Lopez allowed came in the second inning, snapping a string of 30 scoreless innings pitched in a row by Lopez in a Suns uniform. Since returning to the Suns roster after being called up from Auburn in late July, Lopez is 4- 0 with a 0.26 ERA over six starts. Tonight is his first time facing the BlueClaws this season. He is 3-0 at Municipal Stadium with a 0.00 ERA in three starts. Tonight he goes up against RHP Ranfi Casimiro for Lakewood. Casimiro is making his 25th start and appearance this season. He last threw on August 23 at home against Greensboro, going 4.2 innings and giving up three earned runs on six hits including one homer. He walked one in that game and struck out four while drawing a no decision. Casimiro had won his previous three starts, one of which came against the Suns in Lakewood on August 14. In total this is Casimiro's seventh start against Hagerstown this season, and he is 1- 4 against the Suns. On the road this year he is 2-3 with a 6.64 ERA in nine starts.

The book on the BlueClaws... The Suns and BlueClaws are playing the 25th of 27 games against each other this season, and the 11th of 13 that will take place in Hagerstown. The Suns are 16-8 against Lakewood this year, including an 8-2 record at Municipal Stadium. The BlueCLaws are 24-41 in the second half, good for last place in the Northern Division second half standings. Lakewood is currently ninth in team batting with a .255 average and last in pitching with a team ERA of 4.88.

Listen Live... All Suns playoff games this season will be broadcast live with play-by-play provided by Eli Pearlstein on hagerstownsuns.com. Just click on the "Listen Live" or "Listen Live on Tunein Radio" link on the drop down menu when you scroll over the "multimedia" tab at the top-middle of the home page. Games can also be heard on your Iphone or android phone with the Tunein Radio app.

Check out the Hagerstown Suns Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 30, 2014


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