"They can go out and play golf anywhere," Blenckstone said. "This was something we wanted to do to give them something unique to remember this area."
Zepeda admitted the trip wasn't all paddling. Players were knocking each other into the water. Guides told them they could do it to cool off on the hot day, the current would bring them back to the raft.
"It seemed like we were out there all day," Zepeda said. "A lot of us started to get tired. I'll tell you, when we got home, it was time to take a nap."
But Blenckstone's trip made the impression he was hoping.
"I went up and told Winston that this was a great idea," Zepeda said. "It was a lot of fun and a great way to get the team and draw it closer together as a group."
The hard way
Matt Weimer's apartment must be a closet.
It seems the Suns reliever isn't comfortable unless he's in a tight situation.
Weimer has been the Suns' Houdini - complete with handcuffs - because of the great escape acts he's performed.
"I don't think about it when I go in," Weimer said. "I know I have to get one out. I just enjoy being in those situations. But if I get put in them, it depends on the game."
So much for Marty Pevey's stomach lining.
Weimer was called for another encore on July 9 with two on and two out in the bottom of the ninth.
It should have been three pitches and a save for Weimer, but thst would have been too easy.
Instead, Weimer hit Luis Matos with a pitch to load the bases and put immediate drama into a game in which the Suns had had a comfortable 5-2 lead.
That brought up Richard Paz, one of the South Atlantic League's top 10 hitters, as the winning run at the plate.
On a 1-1 count, Weimer busted Paz to the inside of the plate, looking for a hard strike. He didn't get the call.
"(Catcher Josh Phelps) set up inside and I guess it was just off the plate," Weimer shrugged.
The pitch served its purpose though. Weimer came back with a slider, down and away from the right-hand hitting Paz. Paz caught the pitch off the end of the bat and popped it to Mike Strange at third to end the game.
"After I went inside, we had to go away from him," Weimer said. "It was the way to go, but I wanted that other pitch."
No matter. Weimer extracted himself from another tough spot and the Suns got a win out of it.
And like most escape artists, Weimer awaits the next challenge.
"The more you get into those situations, the better you are in dealing with them," he said with a smile.
Suns spots
HEIGHT="6" ALT="* " NATURALSIZEFLAG="0" ALIGN="BOTTOM"> Cripps climbed into sole possession of fourth place on the Suns all-time franchise list for home runs in a single season.
Cripps unloaded a two-run home run off Tyler Walker in the first inning of Thursday's 7-2 victory over Capital City.
The homer allowed the catcher-designated hitter to surpass Dave Falcone, who had 22 homers in 1982. The franchise mark includes all single season records set in Florence, S.C., Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Hagerstown.
Next in line is John Stefero, who had 25 homers for the Suns in 1981.
HEIGHT="6" ALT="* " NATURALSIZEFLAG="0" ALIGN="BOTTOM"> A number of Suns are riding hot streaks.
- Chris Hayes has gone 8-for-23 (.348) with two doubles, two home runs and six RBIs. He had a six-game hitting streak until Friday when he entered the game as a pinch hitter and was hit by a pitch.
- Greg Morrison has 14 hits in his last 46 at-bats (.304) with a double, two home runs and six RBIs.
- Cripps is 12-for-28 (.429) in his last seven games with a double, triple and home run while driving in seven runs.
- Vernon Wells is 8-for-22 (.364) in his last seven games.
- Tony Peters is 10-for-30 (.333) with a double, three home runs (including a grand slam) and six RBIs in six games.
