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About

Difo, Giolito earn top SAL honors

By Eli Pearlstein
August 28, 2014

HAGERSTOWN, MD - The South Atlantic League announced today its 2014 Annual All-Star Team, as well as the league's MVP award, Most Outstanding Pitcher award, and the Most Outstanding MLB Prospect award. Suns INF Wilmer Difo was named the MVP, and Suns RHP Lucas Giolito was named both the Most Outstanding Pitcher and the Most Outstanding MLB Prospect. The All-Star Team and awards were voted on by the 14 South Atlantic League Team's Field Managers, General Managers, Sports Writers and Broadcasters for a total of 56 votes.

            In addition to being named the league's MVP, Difo was also voted as the second baseman on the All-Star team. He was a mid-season South Atlantic League Northern Division All-Star as well, and he currently leads or is tied for the league in hits (174) and total bases (257). Difo is hitting .321 on the season (sixth best among those who qualify) and his slash line is .321/.366/.474. He ranks in the top five in the league in RBI with 88 (third), stolen bases with 49 (second), runs scored with 90 (tied for second), extra-base hits with 50 (fourth), and lowest total plate appearances/ strikeout ratio with a 9.55 average (fifth).

            Giolito, who is no longer on Hagerstown's active roster, went 10-2 with the Suns this season and had a 2.20 ERA in 20 games (all starts). Over 98.0 innings pitched he allowed 28 runs (24 earned) on 70 hits including seven homers. He walked 28 and struck out 110. Giolito twice this year was named the league's pitcher of the week, and he appeared in the Sirius XM All-Star Futures Game, which took place in Minneapolis in mid-July.

            Hagerstown had one other player named to the Annual All-Star Team, and that was CF Rafael Bautista. Bautista was one of four outfielders named to the squad, and like Difo, he was named to the mid-season Northern Division All-Star team as well. Bautista currently leads the league in stolen bases (66), and is tied with Difo for second in runs scored (90). He is hitting .283 this year with a slash line of .283/.337/.373. His 66 stolen bases are a club single-season record since the Suns have been a member of the South Atlantic League.

2015 Hagerstown Suns season tickets go on sale beginning October 1. In order to reserve your seats at Municipal Stadium, call 301-791-6266, or go to www.hagerstownsuns.com.