SUNS OUTLAST GRASSHOPPERS IN 14 INNINGS

GREENSBORO, NC – The Hagerstown Suns snapped a two game losing streak against the Greensboro Grasshoppers, 8-7 in 14 innings at Newbridge Bank Park in Greensboro.

Hagerstown scored in the top half of the 14th inning as DH Francisco Plasencia walked, shortstop Dan Lyons was hit in the back with a pitch and first baseman Bill Rhinehart singled. Plasencia scored on the single by Rhinehart on a nice slide around the Greensboro catcher.

Trevor Lawhorn, normally a third baseman for the Suns, came in to pitch the bottom half of the 14th and did not allow a run, earning a save in his first professional appearance as a pitcher. Lawhorn allowed a lead-off single to left field and hit the next batter with a pitch, but retired the next three in order to nail down the victory.

The win puts the Suns at 9-12 on the season, while the loss drops Greensboro to 12-9.

Erik Arnesen (1-0) earned the victory for the Suns as he pitched the bottom of the 13th inning and did not allow a run.

The Suns started the scoring in the first inning, as Lyons hit his first home run of the season off Greensboro starter Brett Durand. Hagerstown added two more in the top of the third inning as Rhinehart singled home Lyons and second baseman Jake Smolinski, and three in the fifth inning on a three-run home run by Michael Burgess. It was the fifth home run of the season for the Suns right fielder.

Greensboro bounced back with six straight runs, two in the fifth inning, one in the sixth and three more in the bottom of the seventh inning on a three run home run by catcher Torre Langley.

The Suns regained the lead in the top of the eighth thanks to Smolinski’s second home run of the season, but the Grasshoppers knotted the score again in the bottom of the ninth inning of Suns reliever Martin Beno.

The Suns got a solid start from Brad Peacock, as he pitched four and one third innings and surrendered two runs, one of which was unearned. Edulin Abreu relieved Peacock and was less successful, allowing four earned runs in one and two thirds innings of work. Clint Everts, Kyle Gunderson, Arnesen and Lawhorn combined to pitch six innings of scoreless relief for the Suns. Beno allowed just one run in his two innings of work.

The Suns and Grasshoppers will play game two of their four game series on Friday at 7:00 P.M. from Newbridge Bank Park in Greensboro, N.C.

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.