LATE RALLY FALLS SHORT, SUNS LOSE TO CAPTAIN

April 13th, 2008
For immediate release
Contact – Ryan Mock, 301-491-0857

HAGERSTOWN, MD – The Hagerstown Suns (5-4) fell to the Lake County Captains (6-4) 9-7 to close out a three game series at Municipal Stadium.

The Suns, after falling behind 9-2 thanks in large part to a six run top of the seventh inning for the Captains, rallied to close the gap to two runs before the Captains sealed the victory.

Lake County starter Ryan Miller (2-0) earned the victory for the Captains, pitching five innings, striking out five batters and allowing just two runs. Neither run allowed by Miller was earned.

Hassan Pena (1-1) took the loss for Hagerstown, as the right handed starter lasted four innings and gave up six hits and three earned runs.

The Suns offense did not manage a hit against Miller until third baseman Steven Souza singled with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Catcher Jhonatan Solano followed with a single, and both runners scored after a throwing error by the pitcher Miller, leaving the Suns just one run behind the Captains.

The top half of the seventh inning was the difference maker for Lake County, as ten hitters came to the plate for the Captains and six runs crossed the plate in the inning off Suns relievers Atahualpa Severino and Erik Arnesen.

In the bottom of the seventh, Souza hit his first home run as a Sun with no runners on base, to bring the Suns to within six runs of Lake County. Four more Hagerstown runs in the bottom of the eighth inning shrunk the deficit to one, but the Suns were unable to score in their half of the ninth inning.

Hagerstown grounded into four inning-ending double plays in the game, including both the eighth and ninth innings.
Four Suns pitchers combined to strike out fifteen batters in the game.

The Hagerstown Suns’ next game comes against the Delmarva Shorebirds at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, MD. First pitch for that game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

The Hagerstown Suns play at Municipal Stadium in Hagerstown, MD and are a Class “A” affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Ticket packages and sponsorships are available by calling the Suns at 301-791-6266. Visit the Suns on the web at www.hagerstownsuns.com. The Suns are owned by Los Angeles based Mandalay Baseball Properties.