Needing wins in almost every game in the last series of the season at Hagerstown, Zach Lewis (W, 6-5) and the Intimidators held off the Suns 6-3 Friday night at Municipal Stadium. After a clean first inning for both Lewis and Tomas Alastre (L, 4-8), Michael Hickman and Johan Cruz
Needing wins in almost every game in the last series of the season at Hagerstown, Zach Lewis (W, 6-5) and the Intimidators held off the Suns 6-3 Friday night at Municipal Stadium.
After a clean first inning for both Lewis and Tomas Alastre (L, 4-8), Michael Hickman and Johan Cruz both singled in the second inning off Alastre with two outs, bringing up Ramon Beltre. During Beltre's at-bat, catcher Alex Dunlap allowed a passed ball, sending Hickman and Cruz up 90 feet. Later in Beltre's at-bat, on an 0-2 pitch, Beltre singled on a line drive to left field, scoring both runners to give the I's and Lewis a two-run cushion.
With Lewis picking up two strikeouts in the second and then a pair in the fourth inning, proving to be four of his seven strikeouts on the night, Kannapolis provided Lewis with more support in the fifth frame with four hits. After a couple defensive switches for Hagerstown, Beltre doubled into left field, followed by a wild pitch, sending Beltre to third. With a 2-2 pitch on Evan Skoug, the I's catcher smacked a single up the middle, scoring Beltre to give the Intimidators their third run. One batter later, Kannapolis' home run leader cranked his 18th of the season to right-center field, increasing the lead for the Intimidators, 5-0.
In his last inning of work, Lewis walked three Hagerstown batters, with Cole Freeman singling in Phil Caulfield to bring in the first run for the Suns, down 5-1. In the fifth inning, Lewis recorded his sixth and seventh strikeouts, ending his outing scattering five Hagerstown hits.
In the seventh, Kannapolis added on an insurance run after a Frost double and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Luis Curbelo, giving the I's a 6-1 advantage after seven innings.
Despite Luis Ledo allowing Hagerstown to score two runs in the ninth inning to cut the lead in half, 6-3, Kannapolis picks up a much-needed win on the road.
The Intimidators (72-62) and Suns (51-79) will face off in game two of the four-game series at 6:05 p.m. at Municipal Stadium with RHP Matt Portland making his first start of the season after being promoted from Great Falls.
