Suns Smash Five Homers in 13-2 Win at West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.V. - It had been a while since the Hagerstown Suns had a night where they smashed the ball all over the yard, specifically out of the yard. The offense has seen a lot of turnover in the second half of the season and that has led to a shift in philosophy. For one night, the Suns were able to go back to their bashing ways, and it came at the expense of the West Virginia Power. After dropping the series opener on a walk-off homer, the Suns (69-60, 31-29) used five homers of their own to pummel the Power (63-65, 33-29) 13-2. Tres Barrera and Anderson Franco each had a pair, while Carter Kieboom launched one out as part of a four-hit night.
The Suns put up 17 hits as a team, but it was the combination of Barrera and Franco that stole the show. The two became the Bash Brothers for one night, launching balls all over Appalachian Power Park. Franco hit his first homer in the top of the second, which got the Suns on the board. He drove home another run in the top of the seventh with a sacrifice fly to score Aldrem Corredor, which at that point made it 9-2. His second big fly of the game came just two batters after Barrera hit his second of the night.
Barrera homered to center field in the top of the fourth and it gave the Suns a 2-1 lead, an advantage they would never relinquish on this night. He struck again in the top of the ninth with Corredor on base, smashing one to left field for his seventh of the season and third this week. It was part of an impressive night for the Suns catcher, who went 4-4 with 2 HRs, 3 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. Franco finished 2-3 with 3 runs, 2 home runs, 3 RBIs, and a walk.
Carter Kieboom put on a show of his own in a 4-6 night at the plate. It was his home run in the top of the fourth that really put an exclamation point on everything the Suns were doing offensively. His shot went to left field for his eighth of the season and capped off a six-run inning. That inning saw a Barrera lead-off homer, a Branden Boggetto sacrifice fly, and a Blake Perkins two-run single before Kieboom left the yard. He also wrapped up the night's scoring with an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to make it 13-2.
Yonathan Ramirez (Win, 1-2) got the start for the Hagerstown Suns, and was able to pitch around trouble all evening long. His final line featured ten hits allowed, but he only sprinkled in two runs scored and he struck out four over seven solid innings. This was his first outing with the Suns since a June 15 start against Kannapolis, and he had spent the time since in short-season Auburn. A strong return to the rotation helped him pick up his first win with the Suns. Sam Held finished the game off for Hagerstown by tossing two scoreless innings of relief and allowing just three hits and punching out two, while also failing to allow a walk.
The series concludes tomorrow at Appalachian Power Park with a 2:05 EST start time. The entire South Atlantic League will be off on Monday before the Suns return home for the final time in 2017. Three games begin the homestand against the Delmarva Shorebirds before the Lexington Legends arrive for the final four games. You can purchase your tickets online for all the action at www.hagerstownsuns.com.