Capital City Bombers

Rolando Pino has a gut feeling. You'd think it was indigestion, especially after the way the Hagerstown Suns gave away another game in the final inning, this one a 6-3 loss to the Capital City Bombers on Sunday to end the first half of the South Atlantic League Northern Division season. cont. from sports page Yes, the Suns' manager choked that one down, like he was forced to do a number of times during Hagerstown's first 70 games. No, the feeling didn't make him reach for antacid.

The Hagerstown Suns had a chance to end the South Atlantic League's first half in grand fashion. But why ad-lib when you already know the script? cont. from sports page The Suns blew their opportunity to end the half with a 35-35 record as closer Hugo Castellanos was roughed up for four runs in the seventh to surrender a 6-3 victory to the Capital City Bombers as the rain-drenched four-game series between also-rans finally ended mercifully. Hagerstown won the opener, a completion of Saturday's suspended game, using Chris Weekly's fifth-innng grand slam to overcome a 2-1 deficit for a 8-2 victory.

Thursday wasn't anything like a deja vu moment for Tripp Keister. It was the real thing. Keister knew he had entered Municipal Stadium before. It was because he had. That was in 1993 when he was playing for the Capital City Bombers against the Hagerstown Suns. Now, Keister will not only be revisiting the staid old stadium. This year, he will be taking up residence there. Keister has been promoted up the Washington Nationals system as the new manager of the Suns, coming in to guide the next wave of prospects after a very successful 2012 season.

andrews@herald-mail.com The Hagerstown Suns have a new parent team: The New York Mets. After four seasons with the San Francisco Giants, Hagerstown switched affiliations to the Mets last week, the Suns announced Monday. The Suns said they'd rather be tied to a major league team that's closer and has a better minor league system than the Giants. The Giants said Mandalay Sports Entertainment, which owns the Suns, did a poor job of keeping in touch. So, San Francisco and Hagerstown parted.

bobp@herald-mail.com Kevin Morgan seems to have an unwritten philosophy when it comes to minor league baseball. It goes something like, "It's not where you go, it's who you know. " Morgan, the player development director of the New York Mets, came to town Tuesday for his first look at Hagerstown, Municipal Stadium and to meet with the Suns front office as the next step in the affiliate's move from Columbia, S.C., to here for the 2005 season. And from first impressions, Morgan can see Hagerstown offers everything the New York Mets want and more.

Hagerstown Suns 1999 Schedule (Home games in Caps ) April 8-11 - Columbus RedStixx 12-15 - Hickory Crawdads 16-19 - GREENSBORO BATS 20-22 - Charleston Alley Cats 23-24 - DELMARVA SHOREBIRDS 25 - Off 26-29 - AUGUSTA GREENJACKETS 30 - Charleston Alley Cats May 1-3 - Charleston Alley Cats 4-7 - HICKORY CRAWDADS 8-9 - DELMARVA SHOREBIRDS...

Crowds won't be as large at old site By DAN KULIN / Staff Writer Building a new stadium at the site of Hagerstown's Municipal Stadium instead of near a highway halves the projected increase in attendance, Hagerstown Suns owner Winston Blenckstone said. In cities where a stadium was built at a new site, game attendance generally doubles, he said. "It's typically 50 percent at the old site," Blenckstone said. But Blenckstone said the smaller increase in attendance would be enough "to get us over the hump.

SALISBURY, Md. - Close was finally good enough for the Hagerstown Suns. Mike Young's two-out double in the seventh inning drove in the game-winning run, leading the Suns to take a tight 6-5 decision over the Delmarva Shorebirds Tuesday night. The Suns went 3-5 on their eight-game road trip, one in which they had already lost three one-run games and one two-run contest. --cont from sports -- Earlier in the game, Young had given the Suns (12-21, 56-47 overall)

Hagerstown Suns Suns play Capital City Bombers. Municipal Stadium, 274 E. Memorial Blvd., Hagerstown. Today, 7:05 p.m., fireworks, concert by Buddy Merrick and Praise. Saturday, 7:05 p.m., baseball cap giveaway, pony rides. Sunday, 5:05 p.m., church bulletin day - $6 per family. $7 box seats; $5 adult general admission; $3 students, senior citizens and military. 301-791-6266. Frederick Keys Keys play Salem Avalanche. Today and Saturday, 7:05 p.m. Sunday, 1:05 p.m. $6 general admission; $3 for ages 6 to 12, 60 years and older, military; free for ages 5 and younger; $10 and $8 for box seats.

When the Hagerstown Suns unload the heavy artillery, they have become tough to beat. But on Friday, they wheeled out some of their lesser caliber offense ... and it's tough to conquer an opponent when you're wielding squirt guns and pea shooters. Capital City starter Leoncio Estrella disarmed Hagerstown's suddenly rejuvenated batting order, holding the Suns to five singles through eight innings to help the Bombers to a 2-1 victory before 3,273 Firework Night fans at Municipal Stadium.