Suns Split Sunday Twin Bill with Intimidators

The Hagerstown Suns (52-61) and the Kannapolis Intimidators (51-60) split a doubleheader on Sunday at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium after Kannapolis took Game One 5-4 and Hagerstown downed Kannapolis in Game Two by a score of 9-4. The first contest was regularly scheduled, and the backend of the twin bill was a makeup game for Friday's standoff which was postponed due to a rain shower. Each ballgame was seven innings in length.

In the first game, the Intimidators scored five runs in the home half of the second inning. 1B Ian Gac scored on an error by Suns CF Eury Perez. 3B Juan Silverio ripped a ball through the left side of the infield, allowing DH Brady Shoemaker and RF Jordan Cheatham to come home. Silverio then scored on an error by C Adrian Nieto, after Nieto's counterpart, C Kevin Dubler stole second base. Dubler would take third base and score on a balk by RHP Paul Demny (6-5).

The Suns would score twice in the top of the fourth frame on a J.P. Ramirez two-run home run that chased home 2B Adrian Sanchez, who singled to left field. Then, in the away half of the sixth stanza, LF Destin Hood lashed a single back up the middle of the diamond, scoring Sanchez and Ramirez.

Demny, the losing pitcher, tossed 1.2 innings, and surrendered five runs, just two of them earned, on three hits, while walking two and striking out a pair. Intimidators RHP Cameron Bayne (9-9) gave up four earned runs in six innings, and seven hits. Bayne was the winning pitcher of record. Kannapolis closer, RHP Orlando Santos pitched a perfect seventh to garner his 11th save of the season.

In Game Two, the Intimidators would score one run in both the first and second innings, courtesy of a Nick Ciolli RBI line drive to right field and a Silverio RBI single to right.

The Suns would score three runs in three different frames, as Sanchez wrapped an RBI single to center field and would score on a wild pitch in the third inning. Then, C Sandy Leon drew an RBI walk with the bases loaded.

Three more runs came across an inning later off Kannapolis RHP Matt Hopps (1-10) as DH Rick Hague plated Perez with a double to right field. Ramirez laced an single to right-center, scoring Hague. 1B Brett Newsome doubled to left-center field bringing in Ramirez.

A trio of runs in the away half of the seventh frame for the Suns were produced by a 2-run triple to right field, chasing home Ramirez and RF Destin Hood. Then, Leon brought in Newsome on a double down the right field line to give Hagerstown a 9-4 lead they would not relinquish.

Hopps, the losing pitcher of record, surrendered six runs, five of them earned on ten hits, while walking two and fanning one. Suns LHP Graham Hicks did not pitch long enough to factor in the decision, going 4.0 innings and giving up four earned runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out five. RHP Rob Wort (4-0) got the victory in relief of Hicks by throwing 3.0 scoreless frames without allowing a base hit, while fanning four.

The Hagerstown Suns play at Municipal Stadium in Hagerstown, MD and are a Class "A" affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Ticket packages and sponsorships are available by calling the Suns at 301-791-6266. Visit the Suns on the web at www.hagerstownsuns.com. The Suns are owned by Los Angeles based Mandalay Baseball Properties.