Tourists use homers to map win

July 24, 2010

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Well, at least it wasn't in the final innings.

Asheville hit three home runs -- including back-to-back shots by Angelys Nina and Jared Clark -- in a four-run fifth inning to pave the way to a 7-4 victory and a four-game sweep of the Hagerstown Suns.

The outburst gave the Tourists a 4-1 lead that they held onto. In Asheville's previous two victories over the Suns, it scored multiple runs in the late innings for 13-10 and 13-4 victories.

The Suns (10-18, 46-52) took a 1-0 lead in the third inning off Asheville starter Juan Gonzalez when Eury Perez reached on a bunt single and took second on third baseman Nolan Arenado's throwing error. After Perez stole third, Jeff Kobernus hit a sacrifice fly to bring in the run.

Asheville tied the game in the fifth when Orlando Sandoval hit a leadoff home run off Suns starter Paul Applebee. Nina hit a two-run homer with two outs, followed by Clark, who hit his South Atlantic League-leading 19th homer of the season for the 4-1 lead.

The Suns got a run back in the sixth when Francisco Soriano led off with a double and took third on a wild pitch before scoring on Destin Hood's grounder. Asheville answered in the bottom of the inning on Joey Wong's RBI single off Suns reliever Shane Erb.

Hagerstown moved within 5-3 in the seventh on Kobernus' RBI single after Perez tripled.

Asheville answered again with two runs in the seventh on Carlos Martinez's two-run single.

The Suns had a chance to rally back in the ninth when they loaded the bases with no outs. They got one run when Soriano drew a one-out walk. The game ended when Justin Bloxom grounded into a double play.

Perez finished with four hits for the Suns, a homer shy of the cycle. Soriano had three hits and Koberus drove in two runs.

Applebee (2-3) took the loss, allowing five runs on eight hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings. Asheville reliever Daniel Perkins collected the win.

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