Suns sweep four game series with Lakewood

LAKEWOOD, N.J. - The Hagerstown Suns (9-2) completed a four-game sweep of the Lakewood BlueClaws (2-8) on Sunday afternoon with a 6-1 win in front of 7,531 at FirstEnergy Park. The win gave the Suns their first series sweep of the season, and kept Hagerstown unbeaten on the road this year.

 

It was a four run third inning that helped propel the Suns to the series sweep on Sunday. Second baseman Cody Dent led off the top of the frame with a single to left. Back-to-back doubles by CF Isaac Ballou and SS Wilmer Difo followed to push the first two runs of the inning across the plate. The final two runs of the frame scored when 3B John Wooten hit a single to center field with runners at second and third.

 

That offensive explosion was more than enough to hand starting RHP Jake Johansen (1-0) the win. He pitched five innings, surrendering one earned run on two hits while walking four and striking out six. RHP Ryan Ullmann pitched the final four innings in his Suns debut to collect the save. RHP Shane Martin (0-2) suffered the loss for Lakewood, throwing six innings and allowing six earned runs on 10 hits while striking out two.

 

The only game during the series in which Hagerstown allowed more than one run was on Saturday evening, when the Suns won by a final score of 6-2. Hagerstown was able to take a 5-0 lead in the contest after the first two and a half innings thanks in large part to four runs batted in by RF Estarlin Martinez. He smacked a three-run homerun over the left field wall in the second inning, and in the third he drove in a run with a single to center field. That was plenty of offense for starting RHP Dixon Anderson (2-0) to earn the win in his first start of the year. He gave up one earned run on one hit in five innings. LHP Matthew Spann tossed the final four innings to record the save. Starting RHP Ranfi Casimiro (0-1) suffered the loss for the BlueClaws, surrendering five runs (three earned) on four hits in 2.2 innings.

 

Friday night also ended up as a four run win for the Suns. Hagerstown scored five runs on seven hits in the game while limiting the BlueClaws to one run on five hits. RHP Andrew Cooper (1-0) earned the win, going four innings and allowing one earned run on four hits after taking over for injured starting LHP Hector Silvestre. Starting RHP Alejandro Arteaga (1-1) was charged with the loss for Lakewood.

 

The strong pitching for the Suns began in the series opener on Thursday night, when Hagerstown recorded its second shutout win of the year. Starting RHP Lucas Giolito (1-0) and RHP Wander Suero combined to limit Lakewood to just three hits in the game, with Giolito earning the win and Suero picking up the four-inning save. BlueClaws starting RHP Tyler Viza (0-2) was tagged for five runs (four earned) in five innings as he suffered the loss. Four of the five runs against Viza came in the top of the sixth before an out was made, turning a close 1-0 contest into a comfortable 5-0 lead.

 

In total Hagerstown outscored Lakewood in the series 23-4, and out-hit the BlueClaws 35-18. The Suns next head to Salisbury, MD to begin a three game series with the Delmarva Shorebirds that starts on Monday, April 14. The Suns will send RHP Nick Pivetta (2-0) to the mound for his third start of the year. He will square off against RHP Luc Rennie (0-1) for the Shorebirds. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm.