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Suns fall to Shorebirds 9-5, split series

June 30, 2014

HAGERSTOWN, MD - The Hagerstown Suns (8-4, 52-30) fell behind 6-0 early to the Delmarva Shorebirds (6-6, 44-37) on Monday night and could never climb back from that hole, eventually losing by a final of 9-5. The Suns now have an 8-8 record against Delmarva this season.

 

The Shorebirds built their 6-0 lead with three runs in the first inning and three in the third. Right fielder Lucas Herbst led off the top of the first with a solo homerun over the right field wall for his first homer of the season. Later in the inning, SS Jared Breen doubled to center field, driving in two to make it 3-0.

 

In the third Delmarva strung together four straight two-out hits to put together another three-run frame. First baseman Creede Simpson began the rally with a single up the middle, and catcher Chance Sisco followed with a single to right. Breen brought Simpson home with a ground ball single to left, and both Sisco and Breen scored on a double hit to center field by LF Anthony Vega.

 

Hagerstown responded with three runs of its own in the bottom of the inning. All three runs were produced by one swing of the bat by catcher Spencer Kieboom. Kieboom sent a bases-clearing double to center field with the bases loaded and two outs, cutting the Suns deficit to 6-3.

 

The 6-3 score stayed intact until the eighth, when a leadoff solo homerun by Simpson stretched Delmarva's lead to four. Hagerstown responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Three consecutive singles to start the inning loaded the bases with no one out. Designated hitter Jimmy Yezzo then grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, which brought home one run. The next hitter, 2B Brennan Middleton, singled to left to make it 7-5.

 

The Shorebirds made sure that was as close as the Suns would get, however, by plating two more runs in the ninth. Third baseman Drew Dosch delivered an RBI single up the middle with one out, and Sisco singled with two outs to drive in Dosch from second. The Shorebirds finished with 12 hits in the game.

 

Starting RHP Luc Rennie (3-6) notched the win for Delmarva, his first in four tries against the Suns. He went six innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three. Starting RHP Andrew Cooper (5-2) suffered the loss for Hagerstown. He threw four innings, surrendering six earned runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out one.

 

The Suns next head to Lakewood, New Jersey to begin a three-game series with the Lakewood BlueClaws (2-9, 29-51), which starts on Tuesday July 1. The Suns will send RHP Nick Pivetta (10-3) to the mound for his 14th start and 15th appearance of the year. He will square off against RHP Yacksel Rios (1-0) for the BlueClaws. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm.