Hagerstown, MD - Seth Romero, Andrew Lee, and A.J. Bogucki combined for 15 strikeouts in a 3-1 victory over the Lakewood BlueClaws on Thursday night at Historic Municipal Stadium to earn a series win. The Suns won their second straight to improve to 22-36 overall and will start a four-game
Hagerstown, MD - Seth Romero, Andrew Lee, and A.J. Bogucki combined for 15 strikeouts in a 3-1 victory over the Lakewood BlueClaws on Thursday night at Historic Municipal Stadium to earn a series win. The Suns won their second straight to improve to 22-36 overall and will start a four-game set with the Delmarva Shorebirds on Friday, with game one of a double-header beginning with a 5:05 PM first pitch.
Romero made his first start of the season for Hagerstown, but Lakewood touched him up in the first inning to take an early lead. After Romero struck out the first two batters he faced, Jhailyn Ortiz hammered a 1-0 pitch over the right-center field wall to give the BlueClaws a 1-0 lead. Quincy Nieporte walked to extend the inning, but Romero struck out Cole Stobbe to end the frame.
Hagerstown tied the game in the second inning against Lakewood starter Kyle Young. With one out, Branden Boggetto doubled to left and went to third when Paul Panaccione singled through the left side of the infield to give the Suns runners at the corners. Alex Flores lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Boggetto to tie the game, 1-1.
Lee entered the game in the third for the final out of the inning and continuing on through the eighth inning. Lee retired the first 13 batters he faced and fanned a career-high eight batters by the time he left the game at the end of the eighth.
Young had a stretch where he retired 15-straight Suns batters, but that run ended in the seventh before the Suns took the lead in the eighth. With two outs, Cole Freeman walked and scored from first when Luis Garcia doubled to the wall in right field to give the Suns their first lead of the game, 2-1. Luis Carrasco entered the game out of the bullpen for Lakewood, but Aldrem Corredor singled to center, scoring Garcia and adding an insurance run with the Suns in front, 3-1.
Bogucki took the mound in the ninth inning for Hagerstown, but Lakewood got the tying run on base. Cole Stobbe and Nick Maton both walked and Bogucki struck out Rodolfo Duran for the first out of the inning. Josh Stephen grounded into a double play to end the game with Bogucki earning the save.
Romero went two and two-thirds innings in a no decision, allowing one run on three hits with a walk and six strikeouts. Lee (2-0) earned a win, throwing five and one-third innings without allowing a run or a hit. The righty allowed two walks and struck out eight batters. Bogucki earned his third save of the season, issuing two walks with a strikeout.
Notes: The Suns 15 strikeouts is a single-game high in 2018… It surpasses the previous high of 14 set on April 22 against the Lexington Legends… Lee's eight strikeouts ties a single-game high for any pitcher, with Jackson Tetreault, Jackson Stoeckinger, and Nick Raquet being the other two to achieve the feat… His five and one-third innings pitched is the most by a Hagerstown reliever this season… Bogucki is tied for the team-lead in saves with three… Romero's two and two-thirds innings pitched is tied for the shortest outing by a starter this season… Garcia had his 15th multi-hit game… He's also got three-straight multi-hit games… Boggetto extended his hit streak to nine games… Panaccione's hit streak is at four games… Antuna has a five-game hit streak... Hagerstown won their fifth series of the year… The team is 4-2 in rubber games this season… Hagerstown begins a seven-day road trip on Friday with a four-game series against the Delmarva Shorebirds… Friday will be a double header with a 5:05 PM first pitch… The Suns will send RHP Kyle Johnston (0-2, 3.56) to the mound in game one to face Shorebirds RHP Matthias Dietz (5-1, 2.91)… In game two, Hagerstown LHP Jackson Stoeckinger (2-4, 7.04 ERA) will get the ball against Delmarva RHP Scott Burke (1-2, 5.81).
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