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SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

Castro's Fourth-Inning Blast Guides Power to Series Sweep

June 14, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. - Rodolfo Castro's three-run homer capped a four-run fourth inning as the Power swept the Augusta GreenJackets with a 6-3 win in Thursday's series finale at SRP Park.

With the game tied at one in the top of the fourth, Brett Pope led off the frame by scorching a single into left field. After Chris Sharpe moved him to second on a sacrifice bunt and Kyle Watson grounded out to push Pope to third, Ryan Peurifoy smacked a run-scoring knock to give the Power their second lead of the game at 2-1. Oneil Cruz followed that up with a single of his own to put runners at first and second for Castro, who cranked a three-run bomb to left-center, his sixth home run of the year, that extended West Virginia's lead to 5-1.

Hunter Stratton (2-3) turned in five solid innings for the Power (35-28), as the right-hander did not allow a hit until the fourth, when Jeffry Para launched a solo shot to make it 5-2 West Virginia. Overall, Stratton gave up the lone hit and two runs while striking out six and walking six.

Augusta (35-30) scored their first run on a wild pitch by Stratton in the opening frame that tied the game at one after the Power opened the scoring in the top of the first. Following a two-out walk by Calvin Mitchell, Ben Bengtson grounded a single into right field that moved Mitchell all the way to third. That single extended Bengtson's hitting streak to 15 games, the longest for a Power player in 2018. After Bengtson's knock, John Bormann blooped a single to center that scored Mitchell and gave West Virginia a 1-0 lead.

Drew Fischer relieved Stratton in the sixth and set down the GreenJackets 1-2-3 in the frame, but allowed a run in the seventh as Heliot Ramos double in Aaron Bond to shrink the Power's lead to 5-3.

West Virginia fired back with an insurance run in the ninth, however, as Peurifoy legged out his first career triple to begin the inning before scoring on Cruz's infield single and an error by the shortstop, Manuel Geraldo.

Beau Sulser (S, 2) locked down his second save of the series by retiring all six men he faced Thursday, racking up three strikeouts over his two perfect innings.

The Power recorded their second sweep of the year in Thursday's win, as they broomed Hagerstown in a three-game series from May 9-11. West Virginia earned its first four-game sweep since they took all four games against Delmarva from August 3-6 last season in Charleston

The Power now returns to Appalachian Power Park to open up a three-game series against the Delmarva Shorebirds, with first pitch Friday set for 7:05 p.m. RHP Max Kranick (0-3, 5.75 ERA) will toe the rubber for West Virginia while Delmarva will counter with southpaw DL Hall (0-4, 3.93 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on The Jock 1300 and 1340 AM, as well as online at www.wvpower.com and via the TuneIn Radio App and MiLB First Pitch App.

The three-game series is West Virginia's final homestand of the first half and will be jam-packed with promotions. Fireworks Friday, presented by Electric 102.7 and Huntington Bank, kicks off the homestand on June 15, while on June 16, the Power will celebrate West Virginia Day with a Bluetooth speaker giveaway to the first 1,000 fans courtesy of Appalachian Power. West Virginia's first-half promotional slate concludes Sunday, June 17, with Lincoln County Day and a special Father's Day Kidz Sunday Funday at the ballpark. For tickets and more information, call the Power at 304-344-2287 or visit wvpower.com.

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