Elizabethton's Romero plates 10 runs

Deibinson Romero couldn't watch the Major League Home Run Derby because he was too busy putting on a show of his own.

Romero belted three homers and drove in 10 runs as visiting Elizabethton pounded Greeneville, 18-0, on Monday.

Romero singled and scored in the first inning, crushed a grand slam in the second, and connected for three-run shots in the third and fifth before heading to the bench in the sixth.

"It felt very good to hit those home runs," said Romero through interpreter and first baseman Rene Leveret. "I was very relaxed at the plate today -- I was just looking for my pitch."

"The first homer, you just knew it was gone," said Leveret. "The second went half way up the light stand in left -- it was almost 500 feet. And the third, he kind of hit it with one hand."

Despite not having gone deep in his first 15 games, the 20-year-old third baseman has collected seven hits in his last two contests to raise his average to an even .300.

"I'm in a good groove right now," Romero admitted.

Leveret contributed two hits, three runs scored and an RBI for the Twins (16-2). Ozzie Lewis went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and Starling De Los Santos finished with three hits, five runs scored and an RBI.

Elizabethton starter Michael Tarsi (2-0) allowed four hits and a walk with seven strikeouts over five innings. Omar Alcala and Daniel Latham followed with two scoreless frames and Michael Rogers and Bradley Tippett each tossed a hitless inning to close it out.

Timothy Johnson, Ebert Rosario and Andrew Darnell each had two hits for the Astros (4-15).

Greeneville starter Agustin Pinales (1-2) surrendered seven runs -- five earned -- on seven hits and two walks with a pair of strikeouts over two-plus innings. Carlos Lazu was tagged for eight runs on five hits and a walk in 2 1/3 frames.