Kannapolis, NC - Kameron Esthay hit his team-leading ninth home run in the Suns 7-6 loss to the Kannapolis Intimidators on Monday night at Intimidators Stadium. The Suns fall to 35-57 overall and 8-16 in the second half with the series finale set for Tuesday afternoon at 12:05 PM.
Kannapolis, NC - Kameron Esthay hit his team-leading ninth home run in the Suns 7-6 loss to the Kannapolis Intimidators on Monday night at Intimidators Stadium. The Suns fall to 35-57 overall and 8-16 in the second half with the series finale set for Tuesday afternoon at 12:05 PM.
Zach Lewis took the mound for the Intimidators and Hagerstown took a three-run lead in the opening frame against the righty. Yasel Antuna doubled to right and scored when Cole Freeman doubled to left to give the Suns a 1-0 lead. Gage Canning reached and advanced to third on a fielding error while Freeman scored, and Canning scored when Jake Scudder reached on an error to give the Suns a 3-0 advantage.
In the second inning the Suns extended their lead against Lewis and Kannapolis. Kameron Esthay led off the second with a home run to give Hagerstown a 4-0 lead. He blasted the ball to right in a full count for his team-leading ninth long-ball of the year.
The Intimidators cut Hagerstown's lead in half in the bottom of the second against Suns starter Tomas Alastre. Michael Hickman was hit by a pitch, and Tyler Frost hit his 12th home run on the first pitch he saw to right field. The homer scored two and made it a 4-2 game.
Kannapolis tied the game in the bottom of the third, but the Suns picked up another run in the top of the fourth with Lewis still on the bump. Paul Panaccione walked and, with one out, Juan Pascal worked a full-count walk and both runners moved up a base on a double steal. Panaccione scored when Antuna lifted a sacrifice fly to left and Pascal was thrown out at third trying to advance, ending the inning with Hagerstown taking a 5-4 lead.
The Intimidators took the lead in the sixth against Alastre and Suns reliever Phil Morse. Tate Blackman led off with a double to center and with one out Frost plated Blackman with a single to right. Blackman went to second on the throw and Justin Yurchak walked while a wild pitch on ball-four moved Frost to third. With two outs, Evan Skoug singled to right, driving in Frost to give Kannapolis a 6-5 lead. Nolan Brown singled to center, plating Yurchak and extending the Intimidators lead to 7-5.
The Suns came within a run in the ninth inning against Kannapolis reliever Jose Nin. Pascal and Antuna both walked, and Freeman grounded out to move both runners up a base. Canning hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Pascal to bring Hagerstown within a run. Scudder flew out to left to end the ballgame with the Suns falling 7-6.
Alastre threw five and two-thirds innings while allowing seven runs on nine hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Morse threw one and one-third scoreless innings while issuing two walks with two strikeouts. Frankie Bartow allowed one hit in the ninth.
Notes: Nick Choruby has a nine-game hitting streak… Antuna extended his hitting streak to five games… Freeman has a has a four-game hit streak… Scudder has an RBI in four straight games… Scudder and Panaccione both stole their first bases of the season… Esthay made his second outfield assist of the season, both are to throw a runner out at home plate… Alastre has lasted five or more innings in nine straight starts… He has allowed two home runs for the second straight start… Kannapolis had nine hits against Alastre, which is a career-high for the righty… The seven earned runs were also the most give up by Alastre in his career… Hagerstown was 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position… The Suns and Intimidators will play the series finale on Tuesday with a 12:05 PM first pitch… Hagerstown will send RHP Andrew Lee (3-2, 4.22) to the hill against Kannapolis LHP Drew Harrington (5-4, 4.82).
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