Giron breaks the bank

July 26, 1998|By BOB PARASILITI

Isabel Giron wasn't real surprised at the way he handled the Capital City Bombers with relative ease.

"I got up this morning and had a good feeling about today's game," the Hagerstown Suns' pitcher said.

So, in Giron's mind, Saturday's five-hit, 6-0 victory at Municipal Stadium wasn't all that shocking. Especially when its compared to the prizes he won with the outing - a promotion and a one-way ticket to Knoxville, Tenn.

The Suns announced that Giron was promoted to the Double-A Knoxville Smokies of the Southern League after the game. He will switch places with right hander Joe Young, who will be returning to Hagerstown for his second stint with the Suns.

Giron (10-9) left Hagerstown in style by turning the tables on the Bombers. The right-hander stunned Capital City on five singles with 10 strikeouts in the 108-pitch complete game to equal Bombers starter Leoncio Estella, who held the Suns to five singles on Friday to take a 2-1 decision.

"That was quite a performance," Suns manager Marty Pevey said. "He had a great slider ... the best I've seen all year from him. Tonight, he established the slider early and it was nasty all night."

Giron flashed his authority early, striking out the side in the first inning to set his tempo and get him past a major hurdle.

"If I could get past the first inning, it was going to be all out," Giron said with the help of Mike Rodriguez. "I wasn't going to hold anything back."

He didn't have to. The Suns (14-22, 58-48 overall) broke through for a run in the second off starter Todd Cutchins (7-4) and put the game away with a four-run fifth inning, highlighted by Tony Peters' three-run double.

The Suns led off by loading the bases in the fifth before Peters provided more bases-loaded magic with his two-strike double down the right-field line. In a similar situation on July 17, Peters stroked a grand slam in a 10-2 win over Asheville.

"It just happened," Peters said. "I didn't try to do anything. I just tried to relax and not tense up. I got a high fastball with two strikes and put it in play."

Hagerstown took the 1-0 lead as Vernon Wells beat out an infield single and took second on an errant pickoff throw by Cutchins. After taking third on a groundout, Wells scored as Mike Young continued his hot streak with a single to center.

Peters scored on Chris Hayes' double for a 5-0 lead after five innings. Hagerstown added an insurance run in the eighth on singles by Hayes and Bobby Cripps, setting up a sacrifice fly by Wells.

TODAY'S GAME

Capital City Bombers

(Sean Johnston, 2-1, 3.19)

at

Hagerstown Suns

(Joe Casey, 2-6, 4.23)

Game Time: 5:05 p.m.
Radio: WHAG-AM 1410
Homestand Ends: Thursday
Promo: Babe Ruth exhibition

|

|

|