Suns open season with 4-0 shutout of Braves

HAGERSTOWN, M.D. - The Hagerstown Suns (1-0) opened their 2014 campaign tonight with a 4-0 blanking of the Rome Braves (0-1) at Municipal Stadium. The Suns led the South Atlantic League with 16 shutouts last year.

 

Starting RHP Nick Pivetta (1-0) got the win in his Hagerstown debut by allowing just two hits in five innings while walking two and striking out seven. RHP John Simms then continued the dominance over the Braves hitters by allowing just three hits over four innings and striking out four to earn the save.

 

Third baseman Drew Ward provided the biggest offensive punch in the game for the Suns, lacing a two-run two-out double to right in the sixth to turn a 1-0 advantage into a 3-0 cushion. Ward finished the game with five total bases and two extra-base hits as he also collected a triple in the eighth.

 

Hagerstown got its initial lead in the third inning. Three straight singles loaded the bases with one out. Then 2B Wilmer Difo hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score catcher Spencer Kieboom from third and put the Suns ahead for good.

 

The final Suns run scored in the bottom of the seventh. Kieboom singled to right for his third hit of the night. He next advanced to second on a wild pitch, and LF Isaac Ballou brought him to third with a single to left. With Difo at the plate, a throwing error by RHP Rafael Briceno on a pickoff attempt at first allowed Kieboom to score from third to make it 4-0.

 

It was RHP Frank Lafreniere (0-1) who suffered the loss for Rome. He went 5.2 innings and surrendered three earned runs on five hits while walking two and striking out three. Briceno gave up one run in 1.1 innings on two hits, and RHP Michael Swanner pitched a scoreless eighth for the Braves.

 

These two teams will battle again Friday night in Hagerstown when the Suns will send RHP Austin Voth (0-0) to the mound. He will square off against LHP Chuck Buchanan (0-0) for Rome. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm.