Four-run seventh propels Suns past Shorebirds

HAGERSTOWN, M.D. - The Hagerstown Suns (6-5) turned a 4-2 deficit into a 6-4 advantage with a four-run seventh inning on Sunday, holding on to defeat the Delmarva Shorebirds (6-5) and split their four game series. Hagerstown is now 3-5 against Delmarva this season.

 

RHP Kevin Jacob (0-1) entered the game to begin the seventh for the Shorebirds. After getting DH Craig Manuel to line out to start the inning, Jacob allowed catcher Pedro Severino to single on a fly ball to center field. Jacob then threw a wild pitch that allowed Severino to move to second. Just as SS Wes Schill drew a walk, Severino stole third to put runners on the corners with one out. Second baseman Tony Renda then singled to left, which drove in Severino. Schill and Renda both scored when LF Khayyan Norfork doubled to center field. That hit chased Jacob from the game, but the scoring wasn't done yet, because two batters later RF Estarlin Martinez singled to center field to drive in Norfork.

 

The other two Hagerstown runs both came in the third. Down 2-0 heading into the frame, Schill drew a one out walk. Renda then sent a double to center field that drove in Schill. On the attempted throw home to get Schill, 2B Torsten Boss committed an error, allowing Renda to get to third. Norfork brought Renda home from third with a sacrifice fly to center field.

 

Delmarva got its first two runs in the second. First baseman Christian Walker began the inning by getting walked. Catcher Wynston Sawyer and RF Creede Simpson then hit back-to-back RBI doubles. It was Walker who provided the Shorebirds run in the fourth, going yard over the center field fence for his second homerun of the season. The final Delmarva run was scored in the top of the seventh when SS Tucker Nathans hit a sacrifice fly to center field.

 

LHP Bryan Harper (1-0) earned the win for the Suns, throwing two innings of relief and allowing one earned run on three hits and one walk while striking out two. RHP Pedro Encarnacion started for Hagerstown and went four innings, giving up three earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out four. RHP Robert Benincasa pitched a scoreless ninth for the Suns to record his second save of the season. Jacob took the loss for Delmarva as he was responsible for all fours Suns runs that scored in the bottom of the seventh.

 

The Suns next begin a three game series with the Lakewood BlueClaws at Municipal Stadium on Monday April 15. Hagerstown will send RHP Dixon Anderson (1-0) to the mound for his third start of the season. He will square off against RHP Josh Warner (0-1) for Lakewood. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm.