Harper hits one of Suns' three homers in win

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — Bryce Harper, Wade Moore and Jason Martinson each went deep on Sunday, and the Hagerstown Suns used a six-run sixth inning to pull away from the Kannapolis Intimidators 10-5 in South Atlantic League action.

The Suns (31-18), who hold a 3-game lead in the Northern Division, took a 1-0 lead off Intimidators starter Dexter Carter (0-1) in the second inning on three walks and Michael Taylor’s sacrifice fly.

Hagerstown made it 2-0 in the third. Bryce Harper drew a one-out walk and David Freitas followed with a double to left, sending Harper to third. Brett Newsome drove Harper in with a sacrifice fly.

Kannapolis (25-22) cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third with a two-out rally against Suns starter Matthew Grace (5-4). John Spatola doubled to left and scored on Ross Wilson’s single to left.

Hagerstown made it 3-1 in the fourth on Wade Morre’s leadoff home run to right — his first with the Suns — and Harper greeted Kannapolis reliever Wes Whisler with a solo shot in the fifth to make it 4-1. It was Harper’s 11th home run this season and his first since May 20.

The Suns blew the game wide open in the sixth after Intimidators reliever Chase Cooney walked the first three hitters. Adrian Sanchez hit a two-run single, Newsome added his own two-run single with two outs, and Jason Martinson followed with a two-run home run — his third of the season — to make it 10-1.

Kannapolis made it 10-2 in the bottom of the sixth on Michael Blanke’s RBI single, then cut the lead to 10-4 in the seventh on Rafael Vera’s RBI double and Spatola’s RBI single. The Intimidators added a final run in the ninth when Juan Silverio singled, stole second and scored on an error.