SAL1 Hagerstown Suns

Suns Notes

Published on September 3, 2014 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release


About last game... The Hagerstown Suns (43-27, 87-53) couldn't hang onto a four-run lead on Monday afternoon, falling in the regular season finale to the Lakewood BlueClaws (26-42, 53-84) by a final score of 9- 8. Despite the loss the Suns still finished the season with the second most wins in team history for a single season.

Hagerstown was a strike away on Monday from ending the season on a high note, but with two outs in the top of the ninth and runners on first and second, RF Dylan Cozens sent a triple to right, driving in both runners to set the final score. The triple was Cozens' second of the game and sixth of the season.

Earlier in the inning LF Larry Greene Jr. brought Lakewood within a run by hitting a solo leadoff homer into the visitors bullpen in center field. It was the sixth homerun of the game and the third for the BlueClaws.

The other two homeruns for Lakewood came back-to-back in the second inning. Down 2-0 entering the frame, Cozens led off with his first triple of the game. Then DH Zach Green came to the plate, and he belted a two-run shot over the left field wall to even the score at 2-2. Center fielder Aaron Brown came to the plate next, and he went yard as well with a solo shot to center field to make it 3-2.

In the bottom of the third it was the Suns turn to get in on the long ball action. With two outs catcher Spencer Kieboom put a ball over the center field fence for his first of two homeruns on the day. His second homerun came in his next at-bat leading off the fifth, which put the Suns up 6-3. Later in the fifth inning 1B Jimmy Yezzo hit an RBI single to right to put Hagerstown ahead by four.

It was Yezzo who hit the third homerun of the game for Hagerstown, and that came in the bottom of the seventh after Lakewood had sliced its deficit to two. Yezzo's homerun was a solo shot as well, and it was his 13th of the year, placing him one behind Wilmer Difo for the team lead.

After Yezzo's long ball Hagerstown led 8-5, but again the BlueClaws cut their deficit to two in the eighth. Third baseman Mitch Walding led off with a double, and he moved to third on a wild pitch. Walding scored from third when Green singled up the middle, putting the BlueClaws in position for their ninth inning comeback.

It was RHP Sam Johns (3-2) who gave up the three Lakewood runs in the ninth, and thus he suffered the loss and blown save. The ninth inning was the only frame he pitched, and the three runs came on three hits and one walk while striking out one. LHP Joey Denato (2-1) got the win for Lakewood. He threw two innings in relief, allowing one earned run on two hits while striking out one. RHP Jesen Therrien threw the bottom of the ninth for the BlueClaws to pick up his second save of the year.

On the Mound... RHP Wander Suero will be heading to the hill tonight for the Suns. He made six starts and 17 appearances for the Suns during the regular season, going 4-1 with a 2.13 ERA. Suero's last appearance came on August 27 at Asheville, where he tossed six innings, giving up one unearned run on three hits and one walk while striking out seven. The six innings pitched made it his second longest appearance of the season with Hagerstown. Suero has faced Greensboro once this season on August 21 at Municipal Stadium.

In that start he went seven innings, surrendering four runs (three earned) on nine hits while striking out four.

At home this year Suero is 1-0 with a 3.22 ERA in nine games (two starts). Overall this season he has tossed 72.0 innings, giving up 22 runs (17 earned) on 59 hits including three homers. He has walked 11 and has struck out 62. Tonight he goes up against RHP Domingo German for Greensboro. German made 25 starts and appearances during the regular season. His last appearance came on August 29 at Kannapolis where he threw five scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and two walks while striking out seven. It was the ninth scoreless outing for German this year. Tonight is his third time facing the Suns this season. He is 0-1 against Hagerstown having given up nine runs (four earned) on 13 hits over 10.2 innings. On the road this year he is 5-1 with a 2.56 ERA in 12 starts. Overall this season he has pitched 123.1 innings, surrendering 43 runs (34 earned) on 116 hits including six homers. He has walked 25 and has struck out 113.

Gearing up for Greensboro... The Suns and Grasshoppers played 11 games against each other during the regular season, including three games in Hagerstown. The Suns went 6-5 against Greensboro this year, including a 2-1 record at Municipal Stadium. The Grasshoppers went 87-53 during the regular season, finishing tied with the Suns for first place in the overall Northern Division standings. Greensboro finished second in team batting with a .285 average and second in pitching with a team ERA of 3.49.

Playoff rematch... The Suns and Grasshoppers are meeting in the postseason for the second time in three years. In 2012 Greensboro defeated the Suns two games to none in the first round of the playoffs.

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 September 3, 2014


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