Sean Rooney tripled off of Ben Pfinsgraff with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth inning to break open an even ballgame and give the Hagerstown Suns a 6-3 victory over the BlueClaws on Monday night at Municipal Stadium. The loss puts a serious dent in Lakewood's first half title hopes, dropping the BlueClaws 2.5 games behind the Lake County Captains with seven games left to be played before the All Star break.
The BlueClaws had rallied to tie the game in the top of the eighth, before Rooney roughed up Pfinsgraff (1-3) for the winning runs. In a 3-3 game, the BlueClaws reliever gave up a leadoff double to Bill Rhinehart. Pfinsgraff then walked two, before giving up the triple to put the game out of reach. Both Rooney and Rhinehart will be part of the North Division All Star team.
Lakewood did manage to bring the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning against Kyle Gunderson. Gunderson walked two of the first three hitters he faced, before getting Michael Taylor and a strikeout and Matt Rizzotti to line out. It was Gunderson's third save of the season.
Lakewood (35-28) had tied the game earlier in the inning, thanks to an Edulin Abreu wild pitch. Abreu (2- 0) loaded the bases by allowing two hits and a walk, but the only run to come across came on a wild pitch. Michael Taylor had a hit in the frame, one of three he had in the game. The BlueClaws star slugger finished 3-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and a stolen base.
The BlueClaws had taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI double by Rizzotti. But the Shorebirds picked up a run in the run in the fourth and two in the sixth off of Darren Byrd to take a 3-2 lead.
Byrd lasted 5 2/3 innings, giving up three earned runs on six hits. He struck out two and did not walk a hitter.
The loss marked the first time the BlueClaws lost two straight games since May 17 when the BlueClaws lost both ends of a doubleheader to West Virginia.
Lakewood and Hagerstown will meet again on Tuesday as part of a doubleheader starting at 5:35 p.m. Drew Naylor (5-2) will make the start in game one, while Chris Kissock (1-2) will take the mound in game two.