SAL1 Hagerstown Suns

Suns Walk-Off with 5-4 Win over Charleston

Published on August 3, 2015 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release


HAGERSTOWN, MD - The Hagerstown Suns (17-20, 52-53) notched their first walk-off win of 2015 on Monday night when they bested the Charleston RiverDogs (13-24, 47-60) by a final of 5-4. It was the first game between the two teams in Hagerstown since June 12, 2010.

With a runner on second and two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the game knotted at 4-4 SS Osvaldo Abreu came to the plate for Hagerstown. He hit a bouncer up the middle which snuck into the shallow center field grass, allowing LF Jeff Gardner to turn on the jets and score from second on the play to deliver the win to the Suns. It was Abreu's only hit of the night, and resulted in the first run for Hagerstown since the fourth inning.

The RiverDogs had tied the game in the top of the ninth. First baseman Bo Thompson began the inning by reaching on a fielding error by RHP Andrew Lee (1-0). He moved to second on a groundout to short, and scored from second with two outs when 2B Billy Fleming struck a hard ground ball single that ramped off the mitt of 1B Matthew Page. That evened the score for the first time since the second inning.

Hagerstown took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second and had remained on top until the ninth. The three run rally in the second began when RF Dale Carey was issued a walk. Second baseman Bryan Mejia then sent a triple to right, driving in Carey to make it 1-0. Mejia scored when the next batter, Gardner, singled to right. The final run of the inning came home on a sacrifice fly by CF Andrew Stevenson, giving the Suns the three run advantage.

That advantage was trimmed each of the next two innings. In the third LF Griffin Gordon smacked a solo homerun over the right field wall to put Charleston on the board for the first time in the game. It was Gordon's first homerun of the season as he had entered the game with an average under .100. In the fourth the RvierDogs deficit was sliced to one thanks to an RBI double by 3B Isaias Tejeda, making it a 3-2 ball game.

The Suns responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the fourth. Mejia led off with a double to left, and advanced to third on a groundout to first. Two batters later Stevenson hit an infield single back to the mound, driving in Mejia to make it 4-2. That lead held up until the sixth, when Thompson again made it a one-run game with an RBI fly ball single to left, setting up the ninth inning dramatics.

Lee wound up earning the win for Hagerstown. He threw two innings and gave up one unearned run on one hit while striking out three. LHP Caleb Frare (4-2) suffered the loss for Charleston. He pitched 1.2 innings, giving up the one earned run on two hits while striking out one.

These teams will continue their series at Municipal Stadium with game two on Tuesday August 4. The Suns will send LHP Connor Bach (4-2) to the mound for his 14th start and 20th appearance this season. He will square off against RHP Joey Maher (2-4) for Charleston. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm. For tickets call 301-791-6266 or go to www.hagerstownsuns.com.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 3, 2015


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