Hagerstown, MD - The Hagerstown Suns fell 8-2 to the Columbia Fireflies on Sunday afternoon in the first half finale at Historic Municipal Stadium. The Suns finish the first half of the season 27-41 overall as the South Atlantic League heads into the All-Star break.
Hagerstown, MD - The Hagerstown Suns fell 8-2 to the Columbia Fireflies on Sunday afternoon in the first half finale at Historic Municipal Stadium. The Suns finish the first half of the season 27-41 overall as the South Atlantic League heads into the All-Star break.
Columbia scored the first two runs of the game in the third inning against Hagerstown starter Seth Romero after he retired the first six batters. Rigoberto Terrazas led off the inning and reached on an errant throw from Luis Garcia and moved to third on a single to right field by Jay Jabs. Hansel Moreno worked a walk to load the bases and scored with one out when Blake Tiberi lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to take a 1-0 lead with Jabs advancing to third. Jabs scored on a passed ball with Jeremy Vasquez at the plate to extend the lead to 2-0.
The Suns scored on Garcia's third home run of the season against Fireflies starter Yeizo Campos to make it 2-1. With one out, Aldrem Corredor tripled to the right field corner and scored on a double down the left-field line by Jake Scudder to tie the ball game, 2-2. Campos retired the next two batters to end the Hagerstown threat and the inning.
Columbia scored three runs in the top of the fifth against Suns reliever Andrew Lee. Hansel Moreno walked to lead off the inning, advancing to second with a stolen base. He scored on a ground-rule double by Edgardo Fermin to regain the lead, 3-2. While Tiberi was at the plate, Fermin advanced to third on a wild pitch and Tiberi walked to put runners at the corners. Fermin scored on a sacrifice fly to centerfield to extend the lead to 4-2 while Tiberi advanced to second base on the throw. With two outs, Lee walked three-straight batters to plate Tiberi and make it 5-2, Columbia. Jared Johnson entered the game with the bases loaded and two outs, escaping the inning by striking out Jabs to end the threat.
The Fireflies tacked on three insurance runs in the ninth against Hagerstown pitcher Carlos Pena as Jeremy Vasquez homered to right field to lead off the inning and increased the lead to 6-2. Scott Manea immediately singled to center and came around to score on a two-out triple from Terrazas to extend the Columbia lead to 7-2. A two out wild-pitch from Pena plated Manea to make it 8-2. The Suns got a lead off baserunner in the bottom of the ninth, but Fireflies reliever Conner O'Neil struck out three straight Hagerstown batters to end the game.
Romero pitched four innings and gave up two hits, two runs (one earned), two walks and struck out six in a no-decision. Lee (2-1) gave up three runs on one hit, five walks, and no strikeouts in two-thirds innings. Johnson pitched a two and a third scoreless innings and gave up three hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Pena pitched the ninth inning allowing three runs on three hits, a walk and struck out two batters.
Notes: Corredor and Scudder extend their hitting streak to four games… Freeman increased his hitting streak to four games… Romero's six strikeouts matches his season-high… Corredor had his 16th multi-hit game of the season… Suns All-Star outfielder Nick Banks did not play… Garcia extended his hit streak to five games… The Suns struck out 13 times, which ties the season-high… It's the third time they have done so… The entire league is off for the next three days with the SAL All-Star Break… The All-Star game will be played in Greensboro, North Carolina… Suns manager Patrick Anderson, pitcher Nick Raquet, and Banks will all be a part of the All-Star festivities… The Suns are back in action on Thursday with the Greensboro Grasshoppers set to open the second half at Historic Municipal Stadium with a 7:05 PM first pitch.
###
