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Charleston Dirty Birds

WV Power Game Notes

September 3, 2016 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


LEADING OFF: West Virginia fell 8-4 in the series opener to Greenville Friday night. The Drive started early against Bret Helton, scoring five runs in the second inning capped by a two-run home run by Mitchell Gunsolus. Kyri Washington padded the lead with a two-run shot to left in the fourth, giving the club a 7-0 advantage. The Power mounted a comeback attempt in the middle innings. Ryan Nagle got the team on the board with an RBI double in the fifth, and West Virginia plated three more in the next inning on three basehits to cut the deficit to three runs. That would be the final scoring by the Power, as Greenville, after plating one more in the ninth, closed out the 8-4 victory. Helton took the loss while Logan Boyd picked up the win.

MASS EXODUS: Starting pitcher Mitch Keller, reliever Sean Keselica and utility man Logan Ratledge were all promoted to Bradenton from West Virginia over the course of the last week. As a result, pitchers Scooter Hightower and Matt Frawley were added the roster, and shortstop Alfredo Reyes was activated from the disabled list.

DRIVING THROUGH: The Power finish out the 2016 regular season with a four-game homestand against the Greenville Drive. This is the first matchup between the two clubs since the second series of the season, where West Virginia took two out of three on the road in Greenville. The Power lead the all-time series 33-29.

IT'S OFFICIAL: Lakewood clinched the South Atlantic League Second Half Northern Division title with a 10-4 victory over Greensboro Friday night, mathematically eliminating West Virginia from postseason contention. Hagerstown will play Lakewood in the Northern Division championship series, and Charleston will play either Rome or Augusta in the Southern Division championship series.

GOTTA GO GAGE: Gage Hinsz makes his final start of the season Saturday night. The 20-year-old is 5-8 with a 3.77 ERA in his first season in the South Atlantic League after he was added to the Power roster on June 3. The right-hander has worked seven innings in back-to-back starts after he had gone that distance just once in his first 14 starts of the season.

VACATION'S OVER: West Virginia closes the 2016 regular season road schedule with a record of 31-39 overall. The club hit .231 and knocked 37 of their 80 total home runs away from Appalachian Power Park. The pitching staff finished with an ERA of 3.78 and five total shutouts.

RECORD WATCH: Brian Esposito has an overall record of 155-119 in two seasons as manager of the Power. He's just one win shy of tying the All-Time Charleston South Atlantic League record for most victories set by Mike Guerrero in 2006-2007 with 156 wins. Esposito led West Virginia to 87 wins last season, the most in franchise history.

POWER POINTS: The Power finished the month of August 16-13 overall... Mitch Keller was selected as the best right-handed pitcher and the Most Outstanding Pitcher in the 2016 South Atlantic League Annual All-Star Team... Wednesday's game marked the first time in West Virginia Power history that the club had played three consecutive extra inning games... Mitch Keller is tied for third in franchise history for strikeouts in a season with 131 and third best ERA in a season at 2.46... Jacoby Jones became the 56th former Power player to be promoted to the Major Leagues after he was called up by the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night.

AROUND THE ORGANIZATION: Milwaukee shutout Pittsburgh 1-0. Jameson Taillon was the tough luck loser after giving up just one run in six innings... Louisville downed Indianapolis 9-3. Danny Ortiz finished 3-4 with a home run in the loss... Richmond doubled up Altoona 4-2. The Flying Squirrels broke a 2-2 tie with a pair of runs in the eighth... Bradenton's doubleheader with Fort Meyers was postponed due to rain... The Black Bears defeated Auburn 7-4.

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