Suns rally past BlueClaws in home opener

HAGERSTOWN, MD - The Hagerstown Suns (3-4) scored at least one run in the final five innings Thursday night to comeback from a 3-0 deficit and defeat the Lakewood BlueClaws (4-4) by a final of 7-3. The Suns are now 18-10 against the BlueClaws in their last 28 meetings dating back to last season.

 

The string of five consecutive innings with a run scored by Hagerstown began in the fourth. Right fielder Dale Carey led off with a groundball single up the middle. He then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Lakewood 1B Rhys Hoskins. Suns 1B Jose Marmolejos brought Carey home from third with a sacrifice fly to right to make it a 3-1 ballgame.

 

The Hagerstown deficit was cut to one the next inning thanks to a line drive RBI single to center field by CF Denard Span. Span, who is the Washington Nationals starting center fielder, was making a rehab start with the Suns. He finished the night with three hits in four at-bats including a solo homer in the seventh.

 

Span's RBI single and solo shot sandwiched a sixth inning in which the Suns scored three runs and took the lead for good. The biggest hit in that sixth inning was a two-run double off the bat of SS David Masters with two outs. The other run in the frame came home on a wild pitch.

 

The final Suns run crossed the plate in the eighth inning. This time it was LF Jeff Gardner who went yard over the center field wall for his first homerun of the season and the team's sixth of the year. That set the final score and gave Hagerstown 10 hits in the game.

 

All three Lakewood runs were scored in the second inning and came against Suns starter LHP Connor Bach. Bach gave up a one-out walk followed by three consecutive hits, the final two of which were run-producing doubles. Bach wound up throwing five innings, allowing the three earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out three for the no decision.

 

It was RHP Tyler Mapes (1-0) who replaced Bach and wound up getting the win. He pitched three scoreless frames, surrendering just one hit while striking out one. RHP Jason Zgardowski (0-1) suffered the loss and blown save for the BlueClaws. He gave up four earned runs on three hits and two walks over two innings.

 

These two teams will battle again Friday night in Hagerstown when the Suns will send RHP Luis Reyes (0-0) to the mound for his second start of the season. He will square off against RHP Tyler Viza (1-0) for the BlueClaws. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05pm.