The Hagerstown Suns forced a deciding Game 3 against Delmarva in the first round of the South Atlantic League playoffs by beating their intrastate rival 7-4 on Friday night.

The Suns used a three-run third inning to take the lead and rode great pitching from starter Mike Devaney to tie up the best-of-three series at one game apiece.

There was a feeling of here-we-go-again after Juan Gutierrez gave the Shorebirds an early lead in the second inning with a homerun, but the Suns were out to prove that there would be no repeat performance of their 13-3 loss on Wednesday.

The first-half champs quickly tied the game with an RBI single by Jim Burt and then erupted for four runs in the next two innings to take a lead they would not surrender.

Carlos Perez lasted just 2.0 innings before being pulled in favor of Blake Owen. Perez was battered for six hits and four runs and Delmarva would use six pitchers on the night, only two of which could keep the Suns off the scoreboard.

Devaney finished with two earned runs in five innings and two strikeouts, picking up his 11th win of the season and first of the playoffs.

Five different players drove in runs for Hagerstown and eight of the nine starters had at least one basehit.

Gutierrez finished the contest with two solo homeruns and Marcelo Perez closed the game out, pitching to four batters in the ninth inning.

The Suns and Shorebirds will play a winner-take-all Game 3 on Saturday night at 7:05 at Municipal Stadium. Stop by or call the Suns offices at 301-791-6266 for tickets.

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