Eight in a Row: Suns Come Back to Beat Lakewood

LAKEWOOD, N.J. (June 30, 2017) - It has been an entire week since the Hagerstown Suns last lost a ballgame, carrying a seven-game winning streak into their series opener against the Lakewood BlueClaws. The Suns already tallied ten wins against their Northern division rivals in the first half, and while they did not make it easy, were able to extend everything one more day. An eighth inning comeback, aided by some help from the Lakewood defense and the bat of Aldrem Corredor, pushed the Suns to a 5-4 win over the BlueClaws to record an eight-game winning streak. The Suns are now 46-32 overall this season and 8-1 to open up the second half of the South Atlantic League schedule.
As has so often been the case during the Suns seven-game winning streak, they played from in front very early on. The Suns struck first just four batters into the ballgame with early production from the cast of All-Stars at the top of the starting nine. Blake Perkins opened up the contest with a walk on a full count, and Aldrem Corredor fought off a two-strike pitch for a single to third, putting the first two men on for the ever-dangerous Daniel Johnson. He bounced into ever a fielder's choice that moved Perkins to third and erased Corredor at second. Despite not producing the run, he was picked up by his teammate Sheldon Neuse, who singled on a line drive to center to score a run and give the Suns an early 1-0 lead against Adonis Medina.
The lead would not last for long against Hagerstown starter Tyler Watson, who ran into immediate trouble in the bottom of the second. Darick Hall led off the bottom of the second with a line drive homer to straight away center field. His 14th home run of the season made it 1-1 and he was followed by Brett Barbier who launched a double to the gap to put the BlueClaws in position to get the lead. Watson was able to bear down and pitch around the no-out double, stranding him at third base and keeping the game tied.
The game stayed knotted up until the top of the fifth when the Suns got their next rally started at a very similar part of the order. Corredor began the top of the inning with a single to center, and Johnson continued his hit-streak with a single to left field, putting two on with nobody out. With one down, Jake Noll delivered the big blow with a two-run double to left field, putting the Suns in front 3-1 with their largest lead of the night.
Again, Lakewood had an answer that came one inning later. Daniel Brito led off with a walk on a full count, and Watson seemed to be in command immediately following, retiring the next two men. Hall did more damage against the southpaw with a ringing double to right field, scoring Brito and making it a 3-2 contest. Barbier wasted little time pouncing on Watson like he did in the second, hitting his fourth homer of the season to left center, and suddenly the BlueClaws were up 4-3 after six innings. That would end the day for Watson after six complete innings, allowing just four hits but four runs, two walks, and seven strikeouts.
Casey Brown took over for Medina after six complete innings, but his trouble inning was the top of the eighth. With the BlueClaws just six outs from ending the Suns weeklong streak, the offense came alive twice more. Tres Barrera singled to left field with one down, but Brown was able to induce a flyout for out number two. He could not find the strike zone to Telmito Agustin, walking him on four pitches. Blake Perkins came up and hit a ball to the second baseman Brito, who botched the play and allowed Barrera to score from second, tying the game. Agustin advancing to third was significant because Corredor came up with two down and hit his fourth base hit of the night, scoring Agustin and giving the Suns a 5-4 advantage late in the game.
A.J. Bogucki was the man tasked with getting the final nine outs of the ballgame, and he cruised through the first two frames of work. Things got a little dicey in the ninth after Edgar Cabral led off the ninth with a single, and he was bunted over to second. After a groundout advanced Cabral to third, Bogucki stranded him there with a flyout to center to end the ballgame and earn Bogucki his first career win.
The series continues tomorrow as the Suns try to extend their season-best streak to nine games. Carlos Pena gets the nod for the Suns and will be opposed by Mauricio Llovera. First pitch is at 7:05 EST and Kevin Gehl will be on the call on the Suns Radio Network.