Kannapolis disorients rising Suns

August 25, 2004

It all seemed a little foreign to the Hagerstown Suns on Tuesday.

On the radio, Hagerstown's game was being broadcast in Japanese - a first in minor league baseball - by a pair of the team's interns.

On the field, everything changed from the way it had been over the last three days. Hagerstown failed to get the timely hits it enjoyed lately as Kannapolis said "Sayonara" to the Suns with a 2-0 victory.

The shutout ended Hagerstown's modest three-game winning streak in which the Suns got clutch hits in the early innings and quality starts from the pitching staff to make them stand up.

Suns' starter Mike Musgrave worked into the sixth inning before Kannapolis ended the scoreless game.

Carlos Lee and Leo Daigle each singled with one out to start the rally. With two outs, Brandon Bounds and Micah Schnurstein ripped RBI singles to chase Musgrave (2-4).

Musgrave allowed nine hits, but didn't walk or strike out anyone in his 5 2/3 innings of work. Daniel Portorreal and Travis Nesmith closed out the game.

Hagerstown threatened in the ninth as Mike Wagner's double chased reliever Demetrius Banks. Fernando Hernandez came on to walk Pat Dobson to put the tying run on base, but struck out Keith Bone and Aaron Hornostaj to earn his third save.

Kannapolis starter Rafael Flores (7-10) allowed three hits in 5 1/3 shutout innings to earn the victory.

Suns interns Yoshi Itoi and Yasu Yanagi, both natives of Japan, did the commentary of the entire game in Japanese. Jay Burnham, one of the Suns regular broadcasters, joined the broadcast, providing commentary in both Japanese and English.

The broadcast was a first in minor league baseball history, according to Hagerstown General Manager Kurt Landes.

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