BlueClaws cooled down a bit in Maryland
Drop first two games in Hagerstown, Md.

CHRIS KELLY staff Lakewood pitcher Andrew Cruse fires a pitch to the plate during the BlueClaws' win over the Delmarva (Md.) Shorebirds on June 26 at FirstEnergy Park.

The Lakewood BlueClaws rolled into Hagerstown, Md., feeling pretty good about themselves on Saturday.

After all, they started the second half of the season with seven wins in eight tries, and were taking on a Hagerstown team they had swept at home the previous week and had yet to win in the second half.

However, the tide turned over the weekend, as the host Suns took the first two games of the series to drop Lakewood to 7-3 and into a first-place tie with Lake County (Ohio) in the South Atlantic League's Northern Division.

On Saturday, Hagerstown used a six-run seventh inning to blow past the BlueClaws, opening the four-game series with a 6-2 win.

Michael Martinez's RBI double, the first of three in the inning, put the Suns on top after they trailed 2-0 heading into the frame. Lakewood lefty Sergio Escalona, making his first start with the club after being called up from Williamsport, allowed just two hits over the first six innings but allowed a lead-off homer by Marvin Lowerance (5).

Some sloppy defense from Lakewood keyed the inning, as Fidel Hernandez booted a grounder, and then miscommunication on a Leonard Davis bunt put two runners on. After a bunt, Escalona was removed in favor of Brian Schlitter, who allowed a game-tying groundout to Patrick Nichols before Martinez gave the Suns the lead.

Joe Napoli and Marcos Cabral added run-scoring doubles in the frame, with Napoli driving in two on his two-bagger.

Escalona (0-1) allowed three of the six runs, though only one was earned. Schlitter was removed after a line drive by Francisco Guzman off his lower leg. He got just one out and allowed four hits and three runs.

Joe Welsh (1-1) got the win in relief of Erik Arnesen, who allowed two runs over six innings of work. Josh Wilkie got the final out of the game with two runners on for his fifth save.

The BlueClaws got a fourth-inning RBI groundout by Hernandez and a sixth-inning run-scoring single by Doug Morales, but couldn't make the lead hold up.

Quintin Berry was 3-for-4 in the loss, and Adrian Cardenas went 2-for-4.

On Sunday, a late Lakewood rally fell just short, as the BlueClaws again lost to Hagerstown, 6-5.

The BlueClaws used a four-run eighth inning to get back in the game against reliever Aaron Jackson. Charlie Yarbrough's RBI single made it 6-3, and Gus Milner doubled off the top of the center-field wall to drive in two more and bring the deficit to one. Doug Morales, however, grounded out with the tying run on base to end the threat.

Milner's double broke an 0-for-24 skid for the Lakewood right-fielder.

The BlueClaws rallied desperately into 4-0 and 6-1 deficits after Darren Byrd (4-6) allowed all six runs (four earned) in just five innings of work. The big play early in the game was a bunt single by Jonathan Castro on which Tuffy Gosewisch threw the ball into right field and Fidel Hernandez threw to third trying to get Castro, but nobody was covering the base and another run came home, giving the Suns a 4-0 lead after the second inning.

Yader Peralta (2-0) pitched three in relief for the win. Jeff Mandel allowed just two hits in four shutout innings in his first start for Hagerstown. Zach Baldwin pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.

Zac Sterner tossed three shutout innings of relief for the BlueClaws, who cored just 32 runs in their previous 12 games, though they are 9-3 in that stretch.

Tonight, the BlueClaws host Lake County in game two of a three-game set. First pitch is 7:05 p.m.