LAKEWOOD, NJ – In a superb relief outing, Patrick McCoy pitched 6.1 innings and shut out the Lakewood BlueClaws in a 4-3 win for the Hagerstown Suns on Tuesday night. With just 14 games the play, the BlueClaws will remain in first place, but their lead will shrink to 1.5 games over the Delmarva Shorebirds.
The scoring began in the second inning as the Suns (25-28) struck for three against All-Star starter Tyler Cloyd. After a leadoff strikeout to Steven Souza, Cloyd (6-3) allowed a single to Charlie Fermaint, before an RBI-triple to Nick Arata, an RBI-single to Robert Jacobsen and another run scoring on an error. All told, the Suns scored three runs and took that lead to the bottom of the second.
In the bottom of the second, the BlueClaws (33-23) answered with two runs of their own as Steve Susdorf, continuing his torrid pace this season at the plate, worked a full count and homered off rehabbing Major Leaguer Matt Chico on a 3-2 pitch. That made it 3-1 and a single by Zach Collier scored Sebastian Valle after he doubled to make it 3-2.
In the ninth, after Susdorf flew out to center field, Jim Murphy stung a ball off the top of the wall in deep center field. The outfielders neglected the ball, thinking it was a home run, and Murphy circled the bases for an inside-the-park home run. In a one-run game, Mattair then doubled to put the tying run on second base with one out. However, Valle struck out swinging and Collier did the same, ending the game.
The Suns added a run of insurance with a leadoff home run in the sixth off the bat of Steven Souza. This was Cloyd’s last inning as he went six, even after struggling in the second. He allowed four runs, three earned, while striking out three. Santo Hernandez worked the final three innings and shut out the Suns, keeping the BlueClaws in the game.
Chico, the opening day starter for the Washington Nationals in 2008, made his first start since having Tommy Johns surgery last season. In his rehab stint, he went just two innings and allowed two runs. McCoy (1-1) then came on in the third and was fantastic; he pitched into the ninth inning and did not allow a run. He picks up a well-deserved first win of the season. Osvaldo Rodriguez worked the final two outs in the ninth, working out of trouble and picking up his ninth save.
The BlueClaws will be back in action at 7:05 pm on Wednesday in game three of their four game series with the Suns. The BlueClaws will send Jason Knapp (2-4) to the mound, and he will be opposed by Brad Peacock (1-5).