Suns sweep Shorebirds with 9-1 win
SALISBURY, M.D. - The Hagerstown Suns (33-20, 71-49) pulled off a three-game sweep of the Delmarva Shorebirds (20-33, 50-70) with a 9-1 win Thursday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. With the win the Suns finish their season-series against the Shorebirds with a 14-8 record.
The Suns broke a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning. Second baseman Tony Renda began the frame by hitting an infield single to second base. Renda advanced to second on a groundout and stole third, his 25th stolen base this season. Renda scored when DH Wander Ramos reached on a fielding error by Shorebirds 3B Joel Hutter. The next batter, 3B Khayyan Norfork, doubled to center field to drive home Ramos and make it 3-1 Hagerstown.
The Suns added to their lead the next inning. Left fielder Wes Schill hit a one-out single up the middle. He advanced to second when CF Narciso Mesa laid down a sacrifice bunt. Renda drove Schill home from second with a double to left field to make it 4-1.
Hagerstown broke the game open in the seventh. With the bases loaded and one out 1B Estarlin Martinez smacked a single to right field, driving in two to stretch the Suns lead to five. The third and final run of the inning scored on a sacrifice fly by Ramos.
Each team was able to get on the board in the first inning. In the top half of the frame Mesa led off with an infield single to third. Mesa moved to second on a groundout and went to third on a single by Martinez. Ramos then hit into an inning-ending double play, but Mesa was able to score before the final out of the inning was made to put Hagerstown ahead 1-0.
In the bottom half of the frame Delmarva answered with a leadoff single of its own by CF Gregory Lorenzo. Lorenzo stole second and went to third on a groundout. Left fielder Creede Simpson knocked Lorenzo home from third with a two-out ground ball single to left to even the score at 1-1.
LHP Kylin Turnbull (6-5) notched the win for Hagerstown. He went seven innings giving up one earned run on five hits and one walk while striking out four. LHP Matt Taylor suffered the loss for the Shorebirds. He went seven innings and surrendered seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits and two walks while striking out three.
The Suns next begin a four-game series against the Asheville Tourists on Friday, August 16. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05p.m. Hagerstown will send RHP Pedro Encarnacion (9-7, 3.55) to the mound for his 21st start of the season. He will be opposed by RHP Matt Flemer (2-3, 3.97) for Asheville.