SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

BlueClaws Score Late, Rain Prevents Power Comeback

Published on July 8, 2012 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


The West Virginia Power lost 7-5 Sunday afternoon to the Lakewood BlueClaws in a rain-shortened game. The BlueClaws scored twice in the top of the seventh inning to break a five-all tie before a storm front hit Charleston in the middle of the eighth inning.

Lakewood took a 1-0 lead off West Virginia starter Ryan Hafner in the third inning. Gauntlett Eldemire doubled with two out and scored on a three-base hit by Kelly Dugan.

The Power answered in their half of the fourth when Gregory Polanco hit a solo home run to centerfield for a 1-1 tie. It was Polanco's 12th home run this season and ninth at home this season.

In the fifth, the Blueclaws knocked Hafner from the game with a grand slam. The right-hander walked a pair and allowed a single to load the bases. Hafner struck out Dugan for the first out of the inning, but Christopher Duffy hit the first pitch of his at bat over the right-center wall for a 5-1 advantage.

West Virginia quickly responded and evened the score in the bottom half of the fifth. Francisco Aponte led off with a double and moved to third on a single by Ashley Ponce. Francisco Diaz hit a foul down the third base line that the BlueClaws' Maikel Franco caught. Franco then collided with Eldemire and fell to the ground, allowing Aponte to score on what became a sacrifice fly and a 5-2 deficit. Alen Hanson singled and moved Ponce to third. Willy Garcia drove in Ponce with a base hit before Gregory Polanco walked to load the bases. With two outs, Dan Gamache doubled in a pair to tie the game at five.

The BlueClaws scored twice off Power reliever Mike Jefferson in the top of the seventh inning. With two outs, Jefferson hit Duffy with a pitch and Aaron Altherr singled Duffy into scoring position. Franco singled to left and drove both baserunners in for a 7-5 lead.

The umpires stopped play after the top of the eighth inning, moments before the thunderstorm began. After waiting thirty minutes, the lightning and thunderstorm had not stopped so the game was called.

Jefferson (2-6) took the loss while Lakewood reliever Luis Paulino (4-1) gained the win with two and a third innings of shutout relief.

West Virginia has Monday off and travels to Georgia to begin an eight game road trip on Tuesday night. The Power will meet the Rome Braves and Augusta GreenJackets for the first time this season during the trip. The next Power home game is slated for Thursday, July 19, against the Delmarva Shorebirds at 7:05 pm.

SECOND HALF RECORD: 9-9

OVERALL RECORD: 32-56

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 8, 2012


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