Suns down Delmarva 5-4, sweep series
HAGERSTOWN, M.D. - The Hagerstown Suns (40-19) put up five runs in the fifth inning on Wednesday night to erase a three-run deficit, and they held on for a 5-4 win over the Delmarva Shorebirds (34-25). The win gave the Suns a three-game sweep of the Shorebirds in the series, and puts Hagerstown's magic number at six for clinching the South Atlantic League's first half Northern Division title.
The fifth inning rally started with a one-out single by CF Rafael Bautista. Two batters and one out later, SS Wilmer Difo doubled to left, driving in Bautista to make it 3-1. Left fielder Isaac Ballou then hit a line drive single to center field, bringing home Difo to make it 3-2. Designated hitter John Wooten followed by smashing a homerun over the left field wall, putting the Suns ahead 4-3. The final run came in on an RBI double by catcher Spencer Kieboom, scoring 3B Drew Ward for what wound up being the winning run.
Delmarva had jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first. Right fielder Mike Yastrzemski tripled on the first pitch of the game. He scored on a one-out single up the middle by 3B Drew Dosch.
The Shorebirds plated two in the third when they sent eight hitters to the plate to build their 3-0 lead. Second baseman Anthony Caronia began the inning by lining a single to left. Yastrzemski then reached on a fielding error by Suns 2B Brennan Middleton. Center fielder Gregory Lorenzo loaded the bases with no one out by reaching on a bunt single, and the first run scored on a groundout to short. The other run was driven in by a single to left by 1B Trey Mancini.
Delmarva closed the gap to one run in the eighth on an RBI double by LF Anthony Vega, but the potential tying run that inning was thrown out at the plate. LHP Jake Walsh pitched a scoreless ninth to secure the win for Hagerstown and collect his sixth save in seven chances this year.
Starting RHP Austin Voth (3-3) threw seven innings for Hagerstown to get the win. He allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out five. Starting RHP Hunter Harvey (3-4) suffered the loss for the Shorebirds. He went 4.2 innings, giving up five earned runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out three.
The Suns next head to Greensboro, North Carolina to begin a seven-game road trip with a four-game series against the Greensboro Grasshoppers (34-25) on Thursday June 5. The Suns will send RHP Jake Johansen (4-2) to the mound on Thursday for his 11th start and appearance of the year. He will square off against RHP Domingo German (5-1) for Greensboro. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00pm.