Bad lineup decisions,a severe lack of clutch hitting,oily politicians showing up and a fielding error at the wrong time all contributed to the Suns trailing 2-0 and down to their final two outs.
But before we go to the end,let's set up the deficit as Greensboro scored two runs in the fifth on a single,a dropped ball by first baseman Carlos Lopez,a strikeout that turned into a base off a passed ball and then another hit.
The Hoppers looked ready to rip this game wide open,but a sacrifice bunt moved runners to third and second with a out
Brian Anderson was intentionally walked (first one of those I've seen this year) to put lefty Justin Thomas against lefty swinger Felix Munoz.
Munoz hit a shallow fly to left fielder Narciso Mesa,who threw out the tagging J.T. Riddle at the plate and keep the game manageable at 2-0.
That play might have been what saved this game for the Suns.
A leadoff routine fly by Carlos Lopez saw me turn to Cherie and say "one down" until centerfielder Yefri Perez misplayed it for a three base error.
Lopez was plated with the Suns first run after a Jimmy Yezzo chopper to first,but the Suns still faced being behind by one run and down to their final two outs with light hitting David Masters to the plate with his three strikeouts on the evening.
Masters somehow worked Tyler Bremer to a walk and Wilmin Rodriquez drove a double over the head of left fielder Mason Davis,who was not playing a no doubles defense with Masters scoring the tying run from first base.
Rafael Bautista then knocked a grounder through Bremer right up the middle with Rodriguez,who was running on the pitch,scoring easily with the game winner!
David Napoli was the winner after a scoreless ninth,with Bremer getting the defeat.
Hagerstown now needs only a split in Greensboro to move onto the SAL Championship series.
A few bullet points from the game
1) Wondering why Patrick Anderson started Carlos Lopez at first base and Jimmy Yezzo at DH?
Yezzo is the better defender of the two and spent more time at the position this season.
This was a thought before the game and after mentioning it to Bill Cover,a few innings later Lopez dropped a ball thrown right to him and that runner scored an unearned run...
2) I know David Masters worked a walk and scored the tying run,but he looked overmatched in the three at bats before (all strikeouts) and I wondered why he wasn't pinch hit for.
Worked out in the end,but why Masters and not one of Brennan Middleton or Cody Dent?
When you look at the Suns and how they have used infielders at multiple positions this season,that change could have easily been made.
3) The Suns were 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position before the game winning hit by Rafael Bautista and stranded runners at third in the seventh and eighth with both of them being the leadoff batter in the inning.
Better late than never when it comes to clutch hitting....
4) I've often been critical of the Suns bullpen,but on this night,the pen kept the team in the games with five scoreless innings of work.
Justin Thomas threw the first three and worked his way out of two jams that could have essentially ended this game early.
Very nice work.
5) I had noted in my preview that I was afraid of the starters returning to the 2012 series between these two teams and for most of this game,my worries were warranted as Esteban German was outstanding in allowing four hits and no runs over his six innings.
German looks to be quite a prospect and what most impressed me was his changeup,which had the Suns baffled and often way out in front.
Keep that name in mind....
6) The night didn't start wonderfully as Mayor Dave Gysberts threw out the first pitch and danced around in Rocky fashion with his arms waving.
I'm not a fan of politicians at games anyway,particularly those that worked so hard to smooth the trail for the team to leave town.
If you work against the team,please have the courtesy to stay the hell away from the stadium...
7) In closing,the few hundred fans left received a memory that they won't forget with the ending of this game.
We made the old field rock tonight and I'm proud of that.
Hagerstown,you don't know what you have missed in the last two seasons.
I'm pretty lucky to have taken part.....
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