Suns Survive Late Lakewood Push to Take Series Finale

Harrison's Three-Hit Night Leads Suns to Victory

Photo Courtesy of Oregon State Beavers Baseball.

By John Kocsis Jr.

April 10, 2019

LAKEWOOD, NJ (April 10, 2019) - Behind a KJ Harrison three-for-five outing, Hagerstown outlasted the BlueClaws 5-3 Wednesday night at FirstEnergy Park.Harrison drove in the tie-breaking run in the seventh after both teams were tied 2-2 since the third inning. After Harrison's single to score Kyle Marinconz, Jamori Blash lined his own base knock

LAKEWOOD, NJ (April 10, 2019) - Behind a KJ Harrison three-for-five outing, Hagerstown outlasted the BlueClaws 5-3 Wednesday night at FirstEnergy Park.
Harrison drove in the tie-breaking run in the seventh after both teams were tied 2-2 since the third inning. After Harrison's single to score Kyle Marinconz, Jamori Blash lined his own base knock to right to score Harrison and put Hagerstown (2-5) up 4-2.

In the eighth inning, Gilbert Lara added icing to the cake in the form of an RBI base hit to push Gage Canning home. The RBI was Lara's team-leading eighth of the season and gave Hagerstown a 5-2 lead.
Those runs proved to be critical as Lakewood (3-4) scored one run in both the eighth and ninth innings. Jake Holmes hit a sacrifice fly to plate Luis Garcia in the eighth and inch the BlueClaws to 5-3. Then, in the ninth, Alec Bohm hit a sacrifice fly to score Carlos De La Cruz before Aaron Fletcher (S, 1) slammed the door shut.
Fletcher spun 1.2 innings, allowing just one run and two hits to lock down his first South Atlantic League save. The lefty came in for Ryan Tapani (W, 1-0), who worked 2.2 innings. The Creighton product fanned four batters before getting lifted.
Tim Cate breezed through his second Suns start of 2019. The lefty offered 4.2 innings of work and fanned five on his way to a no-decision. Cate now has a 1.93 ERA on the year.
The offense kicked-off the game in the third inning from the bat of Nic Perkins. The backstop brought Blash home from first, lacing a double to right. Two batters later, Canning added an RBI to his statsheet with a single to score Perkins.
The Suns return home tomorrow to face the Asheville Tourists at Municipal Stadium at 6:05 p.m. The contest begins a seven-game homestand in which the Suns will welcome the Tourists and the defending South Atlantic League Champion Lexington Legends to the Hub City. It all kicks off tomorrow with a magnet schedule giveaway for the first 1,000 fans in attendance. Hagerstown starts RHP Jake Irvin (0-0, 7.20 ERA). while the Tourists counter with Shelby Lackey (0-0, 6.75 ERA).
Hagerstown opens their home schedule Thursday, April 11 against the Asheville Tourists at 6:05 p.m. The first 1,000 fans will receive a magnet schedule giveaway. For tickets or more information, visit hagerstownsuns.com or call 301-791-6266.