Late Charge from BlueClaws Finishes Off Suns
Hagerstown scored two runs in the 1st frame. Lakewood 2B Alan Schoenberger allowed RF Bryce Harper to reach on a botched assist A sacrifice fly to right center field by SS Jason Martinson scored LF Wade Moore, who was hit by a pitch, and DH Kevin Keyes was walked to load the bases, before 1B Brett Newsome drew an RBI walk.
Lakewood RHP Lendy Castillo went just 0.2 innings after hitting two batters, walking one, and surrendering two unearned runs. Lakewood got on the board in the 3rd inning with a sacrifice fly to center field by LF Miguel Alvarez plating the walk of DH Domingo Santana.
The BlueClaws pushed across two unearned runs of Jordan when he threw away a pickoff attempt at second base intended to check on CF Zach Collier. The ball went in to center field and CF Michael Taylor overran the seams resulting in two errors on the play. Collier and the trail runner, 1B Jim Murphy came around to score. Murphy got on base with a single lashed into left field.
LHP Mario Hollands (6-4), the winning pitcher of record, tossed 4.1 scoreless innings and allowed just three hits, amidst two walks and six strikeouts.
The 'Claws put the game away with three runs off RHP Shane McCatty in the 8th inning. Murphy, as part of a four-hit night, lined a single into left field, then C Jeff Lanning laced a soft drive towards the left field chalk, and RF Anthony Hewitt crushed a two-run double over Moore in left field. Hewitt advanced to third base on an errant throw from the cutoff man 2B Adrian Sanchez towards home plate. An RBI grounout off the bat of 3B Travis Mattair would summon home Hewitt.
Lakewood added a cherry in the 9th frame with a triple from Murphy that dropped in between Taylor and Harper. Murphy scored on a wild pitch from RHP Dean Weaver.
The Suns will play hosts to the BlueClaws for a 7:05pm first pitch on Thursday night for the series finale. The radio flagship of the Hagerstown Suns, WJEJ AM 1240, will provide wall-to-wall radio coverage beginning with a 6:50pm Break Away 2 Sports Lounge Pre-game Show. The Suns will bring LHP Sammy Solis (1-1, 3.93) to face Lakewood RHP Garett Claypool (3-3, 3.01).
The Hagerstown Suns play at Municipal Stadium in Hagerstown, MD and are a Class "A" affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Season ticket packages, group outings, and corporate sponsorships are available by calling the Suns at 301-791-6266. Visit the Suns on the web at www.hagerstownsuns.com. The Suns are owned by Hagerstown Baseball, LLC.
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