Suns wrap regular season by suffering 9-8 loss
HAGERSTOWN, MD - 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.
With the regular season having come to an end, the Suns next begin their march to the South Atlantic League championship by hosting game one of the Northern Division Championship Series against the Greensboro Grasshoppers (43-27, 87-53) on Wednesday September 3. The Suns will send RHP Wander Suero (4-1) to the mound for his seventh start and 18th appearance of the year. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm.