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Hagerstown Suns �9, �West Virginia Power �7 (box)
On most nights, a 5-run inning would be enough of a spark to give the Power a win, but tonight it could not eclipse the Suns’ 8-run 2nd inning. �Power starter Jason Erickson buzzed through the 1st inning, but could not get out of the 2nd. �The inning began with a single, then a ground out. �Another single and a walk loaded the bases, and when the next batter grounded to first base, 1B Kyle Morgan fired the ball to the plate, where C Ramon Cabrera got the force out, for the second out of the inning. �The bases were still loaded, but there were 2 outs — not awful, right? �But that was the point at which the wheels fell off, and 8 runs scored. �A single, a double, a single, a 3-run homer, and 7 runs had scored, all earned. �Maurice Bankston took over for Erickson. �Another single, a hit batter, and a double brought in one more run (charged to Bankston) before the last out was made. �Then the Suns added another run, on a single, an error, and a double, in the 3rd inning.
The Power pitchers shut the Suns down after that, as Bankston pitched a scoreless 4th inning. �Eliecer Navarro added 3 more scoreless innings, allowing 3 hits and a walk, and Marc Baca gave up one hit in his scoreless inning.
The Power batters started their comeback attempt in the 4th. �They loaded the bases with a single by LF Jose Hernandez, a walk to 3B Jesus Brito, and Morgan being hit by a pitch. �2B Elevys Gonzalez brought in Hernandez and Brito with a double to put the Power on the scoreboard. �The 5-run inning came in the 8th. �CF Evan Chambers led off with a walk, and DH Jarek Cunningham singled. �Both scored on RF David Rubinstein’s triple. �Brito singled, bringing in Rubinstein. �Cabrera reached on a throwing error, and both Brito and Cabrera scored on Morgan’s double. �The Power loaded the bases again with a single by Elevys Gonzalez and a walk to SS Benji Gonzalez, but a double play ended the inning. �That put the Power within 2 runs of the Suns. �The Power tried to rally again in the 9th, when Rubinstein singled, but he was left on base and the Power fell short.
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Hudson Valley Renegades �12, �State College Spikes �7 (box)
The Spikes also thought their 5-running inning would be enough, but they were overcome by a 6-run inning by the Renegades. �Hudson Valley took the early lead with 2 runs in the 1st inning off Spikes’ starter Brooks Pounders. Two doubles and a single brought in those runs. �Two walks, a single, three stolen bases, a wild pitch and a hit batter in the 2nd inning gave the Renegades a third run, and ended Pounder’s night early. �Ryan Beckman came on in relief, and he gave up a home run in the 4th, to give the Renegades a 4-0 lead.
DH Chase Lyles cut the lead in half with a 2-run home run after LF Adalberto Santos’ single in the bottom of the 4th. �The big 5th inning began with 3B Kelson Brown reaching base on a throwing error. �C Matt Skirving singled, moving Brown to third base. �CF Kyle Saukko’s sacrifice fly plated Brown. �Singles by SS Walker Gourley and Santos brought in Skirving, and 1B Matt Curry, who has started his pro career with a 5-for-12 hot streak, doubled to score both Gourley and Santos. �The Spikes were up, 7-4.
The lead did not last long. �In the top of the 5th, three singles and a hit batter brought in one run and left the bases loaded. �Beckman was relieved by Jhonatan Ramos, who gave up three more singles, and a walk, before being replaced by Sandobal Septimo. Septimo gave up another single, then ended the inning — 6 runs had scored, and the Renegades were leading 10-7. �The Renegades tacked on two more runs in the top of the 9th, off reliever Justin Ennis. A hit batter, and two doubles brought in those runs.
Walker Gourley went 3-for-5 in the game, with a double, and Chase Lyles had a homer and a single.
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