Suns' bats come alive

May 09, 2003|by BOB PARASILITI

If anything, the Greensboro Bats had indigestion after Thursday night's game at Municipal Stadium.

The main course was the Derin McMain's blue plate special - three doubles and eight ribs.

For the second straight night, Hagerstown made it tough for Greensboro to swallow as Clay Hensley rode the support of McMains, the Suns third baseman who went 4-for-6, including three doubles and a single to drive in eight runs in a 14-2 rout.

"We were able to load the bases with the same guy coming up each time," Suns manager Mike Ramsey said. "The guys just got on in front of him every time he was standing there. He had a terrific night from both sides of the plate."

McMains had one of those nights most players can only dream of, especially when they are batting second in the order - a spot more known for moving runners than scoring them.

McMains came to the plate with the bases full in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings and delivered two doubles and a single to drive in seven of the 12 runs Hagerstown rallied for in the middle frames. He also added a two-out double in the second to score Fred Lewis from first.

McMains had two doubles and drove in four runs while batting from the left side of the plate and a double and single with four more RBI from the right side.

"It really was a case of being in the right place at the right time," McMains said. "When you come up there and the bases are loaded, that's the most important thing. I was able to get some good swings on the balls and it all worked out."

McMains had plenty of help in Hagerstown's highest-scoring game, in which the Suns tied the team high for hits with 14. The Suns (17-18) have outscored Greensboro 24-9 in the first two games of the series, using 23 walks and four errors.

Everyone in the Suns lineup had at least one hit.

Hensley, in his first start since his perfect game Saturday, was in command again, retiring the first four hitters he faced before allowing a single to Eric Ordorica in the second. The hit ended a string of 31 consecutive batters he had retired since he set down the final six Savannah hitters on April 28.

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