Suns fall to Lakewood in series finale

HAGERSTOWN, MD (June 12, 2019) - The Suns weren't able to respond to a five-run Lakewood fourth in their 9-4 loss to the BlueClaws at Municipal Stadium Wednesday. 
It was a rare rough day for the Suns pitching staff, which also allowed 13 hits, but Hagerstown (30-36) was still able to take two of three in the series against Lakewood (25-41).

The five-run inning for the BlueClaws came in the fourth against Suns starter Jake Irvin (L, 4-4), who lasted only 3.2 innings. Irvin allowed five earned runs on nine hits. Lakewood, which began the frame with a 2-1 advantage, started things off with back-to-back singles from Malvin Matos and Ben Pelletier. Cole Stobbe then delivered a two-RBI triple to start the scoring in the inning.
Jonathan Guzman followed with an RBI groundout, and then a Luis Garcia RBI triple and Abrahan Gutierrez RBI single finished off the big inning and put the BlueClaws up 7-1.
Lakewood also scored early, using a two-run double off the bat of Pelletier to take the lead, but the Suns answered back quickly. Tyler Cropley hit a bomb to left field in the third, his second home run of the season, to cut the lead in half in the third. Hagerstown then got another in the fourth when Kyle Marinconz lined an RBI single into right field to make it a 7-2 game. Marinconz finished the day 3-for-3 with a walk, and has now reached base in six consecutive plate appearances.
Those two runs for the Suns came off Lakewood starter Jhordany Mezquita, who allowed just those two scores on five hits over 4.1 innings of work. The lefty got into a jam in the fifth and was pulled from the game, but Ismael Cabrera came on to clean up the mess. 
The two additional runs for the BlueClaws came in the fifth on Stobbe's RBI double and then a run-scoring single from Guzman. That would be plenty of run support for Dominic Pipkin (W, 3-1), who tossed three scoreless frames out of the bullpen. Hagerstown got two runs in the ninth on RBI groundouts from Cody Wilson and Justin Connell, but it was not enough to mount the comeback. 
Despite the early Lakewood runs, the Suns bullpen had another good outing. Chris Vann worked two scoreless innings in the seventh and the eighth, and Trey Turner tossed a scoreless ninth. Turner has allowed only one earned run in 12.1 innings this season and has recorded 23 strikeouts. 
Hagerstown starts a four-game series with the West Virginia Power tomorrow at 7:05 p.m., and it's Thirsty Thursday at Municipal Stadium! RHP Francys Peguero (2-5, 2.63 ERA) will head to the mound for the Suns while RHP Deivy Florido (2-2, 3.95 ERA) gets the ball for West Virginia. 
The Suns are in the midst of a seven-game homestand against the BlueClaws and the West Virginia Power. The stretch is filled with great promotions, including Thirsty Thursday, Pink Night and Sunday Funday! For tickets or more information visit hagerstownsuns.com or call 301-791-6266.