Suns clinch series with 8-5 win over Shorebirds
HAGERSTOWN, M.D. - The Hagerstown Suns (39-19) put up at least one run in five consecutive innings on Tuesday on their way to an 8-5 win over the Delmarva Shorebirds (34-24) at Municipal Stadium. The win improves Hagerstown's record at home this season to 22-7, and stretches the Suns lead to five games over the Shorebirds in the South Atlantic League's Northern Division standings.
The string of five consecutive innings with a Suns run began in the second when 3B Drew Ward led off with a solo homerun over the right field wall. In the third, Hagerstown took a 2-0 lead on an RBI single to left by RF Narciso Mesa. Mesa was playing in his first game with the Suns this season, and finished the contest with three hits.
Each team plated a run in the fourth. In the top half of the inning DH Connor Bierfeldt belted a two-out solo homerun over the center field wall to make it 2-1. The Suns responded in the bottom of the frame when 2B Brennan Middleton singled with runners on the corners and two outs. That brought catcher Spencer Kieboom home from third and made it 3-1 Hagerstown.
The lead stretched to four in the fifth. Mesa led off with a double to left, and scored from third on a groundout by LF Isaac Ballou. A line drive single to left by Ward drove in the other run of the inning to make it 5-1.
The final three Suns runs crossed the plate in the sixth, when Hagerstown sent eight hitters to the plate. Four singles sandwiched a sacrifice bunt to begin the frame and resulted in two runs scoring. The final run was brought home by a wild pitch with the bases loaded.
Delmarva was able to respond with three runs of its own the very next inning, thanks to a three-run homerun off the bat of RF Mike Yastrzemsky. Yastrzemsky went yard again in the ninth with a solo shot to set the final score at 8-5.
RHP Nick Pivetta (8-2) threw four innings in his first relief appearance of the year to earn the win. He gave up four earned runs on six hits and one walk while striking out four. Pivetta replaced starting RHP Lucas Giolito, who tossed three scoreless innings, giving up three hits while striking out five. Starting RHP Luc Rennie (2-5) suffered the loss for the Shorebirds. He worked 4.1 innings, allowing five earned runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out two.
These two teams conclude their three-game series at Municipal Stadium on Wednesday June 4. The Suns will send RHP Austin Voth (2-3) to the mound for his 11th start and appearance of the year. He will square off against RHP Hunter Harvey (3-3) for Delmarva. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm.