Suns Finish First Half with a Win

June 20, 2010 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release

The Hagerstown Suns (36-34) closed out the first half of the 2010 season with an 11-7 victory over the West Virginia Power (31-39).

The win left the Suns over .500 for the first time in any half-season since the Suns became affiliated with the Washington Nationals.

Hagerstown started off well, with the first five batters all reaching safely in the top of the first inning. Francisco Soriano led off with a double, Justin Bloxom followed with a single to left field and both scored on Steven Souza's double down the left field line. JP Ramirez then singled to left and Destin Hood doubled, driving in in Souza and giving the Suns a 3-0 lead.

In the second inning, the Suns doubled their lead on a three-run home run by Bloxom, driving in Soriano and Justino Cuevas. The homer was the fifth of the season for Bloxom.

West Virginia cut into the lead with two home runs in the bottom of the second inning. Aaron Baker led off with a solo shot to right field, and with two outs and one on Jose Hernandez homered to left, bringing the score to 6-3.

It stayed 6-3 until the bottom of the sixth when, with two on and one out, Rogelio Norris hit West Virginia's third home run of the game to tie the score at 6-6 against Suns reliever Kyle Morrison.

The Suns responded with a four-run top of the seventh, thanks in large part to four errors by the Power. Bloxom, Hood and Eury Perez all singled in the inning that gave the Suns a 10-6 lead.

A run in the bottom of the seventh off reliever Shane Erb, brought the score to 10-7, but Hagerstown added another run in the top of the ninth when Hood doubled and scored on a single by Adrian Nieto.

Rob Wort worked the final two innings without allowing a run for Hagerstown to earn his sixth save of the season.

Paul Applebee got the start for the Suns, and pitched four innings, allowed three runs and did not factor in the decision. Applebee faced the minimum three batters in three of the four innings he worked, but faced seven in the three-run bottom of the second.

Kyle Morrison earned the victory with two innings of work out of the bullpen.

Reliever Duke Welker took the loss for the Power, surrendering four runs in one inning of work. Just one of the runs was earned.

The Suns will kick off the second-half of the 2010 SAL season at Municipal Stadium against the Hickory Crawdads on Thursday, June 24th. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. and the gates will open at 6:00 p.m.

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 20, 2010

• Crawdads Drop Series Finale to Drive - Hickory Crawdads
• Gnats Win First Half Championship - Savannah Sand Gnats
• Jackets Fall Short as Gnats Clinch Crown - Augusta GreenJackets
• First Half Ends with 6-3 Loss to Lexington - Delmarva Shorebirds
• Suns Finish First Half with a Win - Hagerstown Suns
• Legends Take Final Game of Series over Delmarva, 6-3 - Lexington Legends
• Braves Sweep RiverDogs - Rome Emperors
• BlueClaws Stand Up to Intimidators, 6-3, Make Playoffs - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
• Rome Sweeps Charleston Again, 1-0 - Charleston RiverDogs
• Gnats Game Notes - Savannah Sand Gnats
• Shorebirds Game Notes - Delmarva Shorebirds
• Intimidators to Campaign for Clean Air on June 25th - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
• Delmarva takes third straight over Legends, 7-1 - Lexington Legends
• Suns Hold on for Win over Power - Hagerstown Suns
• Power Drop 7-4 Decision to Suns - Charleston Dirty Birds
• 'Dads beat Drive, 9-5, Gain Ground in Division Race - Hickory Crawdads
• Braves Offense Comes Alive - Rome Emperors

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