SUNS PITCHING TOO MUCH FOR DRIVE

GREENVILLE, SC – Hassan Pena made his longest start of the season on Sunday, as the Hagerstown Suns (14-16) beat the Greenville Drive (13-17) 4-1 at Fluor Field.

Pena (2-2), who has spent two stints on the Disabled List in 2008, lasted six innings and did not allow a run while surrendering just four hits and striking out three Greenville batters to earn the win. The start was the 13th consecutive game in which the Suns starter surrendered two or fewer earned runs, Hagerstown’s longest such streak of the season.

Left fielder Jesus Valdez was the star of the game on the offensive side, going 3-3 with a walk, two runs scored and one RBI. Valdez started the scoring in the top of the second inning as he and right fielder Michael Burgess hit back to back singles to lead off the inning; third baseman Stephen King drove in Valdez with a fielder’s choice, making the score 1-0.

The Suns got their second run in the top of the fourth inning as Valdez hit a solo home run to left field off Greenville starter Jose Capellan. Due to an error on the first run scored, Capellan (1-3) allowed just one earned run in six innings while striking out three but took the loss for the Drive.

The Suns added single runs in the eighth and ninth innings off Greenville’s relief corps, as Burgess, shortstop Jose Lozada and second baseman Valerio Heredia had two hits in the ballgame.

After Chris Lugo allowed a run in the bottom of the seventh inning, Jamie Lehman and Dan Leatherman shut down the Drive in the eighth and ninth to seal the victory for Hagerstown. Leatherman worked a scoreless ninth inning to record his second save of the season.

The win gives Hagerstown a three game winning streak, after going just 3-13 to start the month of July.

The Suns will take on the Drive again tomorrow for game two of their four game series at 7:05 p.m. Hagerstown will return home to take on the Greensboro Grasshoppers on July 25th at Municipal Stadium, starting at 7:05 p.m.

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.