Johnson Beats Delmarva on Base Paths, 1-0

SALISBURY, Md. - Hours after winning South Atlantic League Player of the Week, Daniel Johnson scored the go-ahead run on a seventh-inning wild pitch before Carlos Pena , A.J. Bogucki , and Tommy Peterson finished off a combined shutout win over the Delmarva Shorebirds, 1-0, on Monday night at Perdue Stadium.
The contest lasted two hours and two minutes, matching the shortest game played by Suns this season on May 19 in a 4-3 home win over the Lakewood BlueClaws.
Johnson led off the top of the seventh with a single to left field before moving to second base on a groundout by Sheldon Neuse . The SAL home run leader stole third base for the fourth time in five attempts this season and sprinted home when Delmarva starting pitcher Lucas Humpal (Loss, 4-6) unleashed a wild pitch that spoiled his shutout and put the Suns ahead for good.
Johnson tallied the only multi-hit game for either team, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate. He's now 10-for-18 with five runs scored in his last four games. Jake Noll and Jakson Reetz recorded the only other two hits for Hagerstown on Monday.
Pena (Win, 4-3) made the best start of his professional career with seven scoreless innings and just three hits allowed. Jake Ring mustered the only extra-base hit against Pena on a double in the first inning to tie Suns first baseman Aldrem Corredor for the SAL doubles lead with 23 this season. Pena later stranded Ring at third base as the Shorebirds went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position across nine innings.
A.J. Bogucki (Hold, 1) made his first relief appearance for the Suns and pitched a scoreless eighth inning before handing the baton to Suns closer Tommy Peterson (Save, 6), who dropped the curtain in the ninth with his second hitless, two-strikeout save in the last three days.
On Tuesday, the Suns and Shorebirds meet again for the second of four games in their midweek series with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. Hagerstown right-handed starter Sterling Sharp (3-5, 3.86) goes against Delmarva southpaw Zach Muckenhirn (3-6, 4.68). The Suns return home to Municipal Stadium on July 4 for an Independence Day matchup with the Greensboro Grasshoppers at 4:05 p.m. For tickets, call 301-791-6266 or visit hagerstownsuns.com.