Game Notes (April 27)
April 27, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release
The Power puts their five-game winning streak on the line against the Asheville Tourists this afternoon, with first pitch set for 2:05 p.m. at Appalachian Power Park. RHP Clay Chandler (2-0, 0.41 ERA) gets the ball for West Virginia on his 25th birthday.
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NEVAREZ WALKS IT OFF IN THE NINTH: Dean Nevarez slammed a 3-2 fastball from Alexander Martinez 419 feet to left-center field for a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth, lifting West Virginia to a 4-3 win over the Asheville Tourists Friday evening at Appalachian Power Park. Logan Gilbert turned in another solid outing, tossing a season-high 5.2 innings and allowing three runs on four hits while striking out eight. Asheville struck first against him in the second on a RBI double from Kyle Datres, while Johnny Cresto was able to tag him for two more in the sixth on an inside-the-park home run, ending Gilbert's night with the Power trailing 3-1. Nevarez gave West Virginia its first run back in the fifth, launching a solo home run 442 feet, while Jarred Kelenic crushed a leadoff homer in the sixth on the first pitch he saw to bring the Power within a run at 3-2. Elias Espino hurled two scoreless frames in relief of Gilbert, while Sal Biasi spun the final 1.1 innings and did not allow a hit to pick up his second Power win.
NEVAREZ CALLED GAME: Nevarez set several new benchmarks for himself, and for West Virginia, with his two-homer, game-winning effort Friday night. The San Diego State product became the first Power batter to hit a walk-off home run since Ryan Peurifoy walked it off against the Augusta GreenJackets with a bomb to left field May 1, 2018. Nevarez is also the first West Virginia slugger to record a multi-home run game since Dylan Busby did it May 9, 2018, at Hagerstown. The backstop notched his first two home run game of his career, as well as a career-high three RBI.
LOVE SOME HOME COOKING: West Virginia has now won nine consecutive games at home, including back-to-back three-game sweeps against Lakewood and Columbia. The Power has not won more than nine consecutive games at home since they ripped off a 13-game home winning streak from July 17-August 15, 2017, defeating Greensboro in the series finale before sweeping Lexington and Delmarva in a pair of four-game sets, as well as Lakewood in a three-game series, and claiming the series opener against the Legends August 15. The Power is also in the midst of its second five-game winning streak of the season, matching their season-high from April 13-18 vs. Augusta, Lakewood and Asheville. West Virginia is off to its hottest start at home in team history, winning 10 of their first 11 games in Charleston.
STRONG STAFF: West Virginia's starting rotation has turned in a series of solid performances over the first five games of this homestand. Over their 27 innings of work, the Power's starting staff has allowed just three runs on nine hits and five walks while recording 36 strikeouts, good enough for a 1.00 ERA. Here's how each of them have fared:
Monday, April 22: Clay Chandler: 5 IP, 2H, 10K (career-high), 0BB
Tuesday, April 23: Ryne Inman: 5.1 IP, 0H, 10K (career-high), 2BB
Wednesday, April 24: Damon Casetta-Stubbs: 5 IP (career-high), 0H, 4K, 0BB, 55 pitches (Power debut)
Thursday, April 25: Steven Moyers: 6 IP, 3H, 4K, 1BB, second quality start of the season
Friday, April 26: Gilbert: 5.2 IP, 4H, 3R, 8K, 2BB.
PILING UP THE STRIKEOUTS: West Virginia's pitching staff set down 12 batters via the strikeout last night, upping their season total to 223, second-highest in the South Atlantic League (Charleston RiverDogs, 239). The arms struck out double-digit batters for the 13th time this year, finishing seven shy of their season-high (19, two times).
CLICK, CLICK KELENIC: Kelenic has been on an absolute tear recently, currently riding a 13-game hitting streak (dating back to April 11), during which he is 24-for-53 (.453) with three home runs, seven doubles and 13 RBI. During this surge, his average has increased to .320 (+240 points). Kelenic possesses the longest active streak in the SAL, and just surpassed Justin Dean (Rome) for the longest this season. The Mariners' second-best prospect per MLB.com and Baseball America is among the league leaders in walks (13, tied for fifth), hits (24, tied for sixth), OBP (.427, eighth) and doubles (7, tied for eighth). The Wisconsin native has reached base safely in his last 14 games (dating back to April 10).
IGNITING IZTURIS: Cesar Izturis Jr. has kept his hot bat at Appalachian Power Park throughout this homestand, as he extended his hitting streak to nine games (dating back to April 12) Friday night with his 2-for-3 effort. During this stretch, the Power infielder is boasting a .517 (15-for-29) clip with seven RBI. Overall, Izturis Jr. is averaging .341.
POWER POINTS: Chandler makes his second start of the homestand Saturday afternoon against the Asheville Tourists on his 25th birthday. Fittingly, Chandler also wears jersey number 25... The Power won their first game when trailing after eight innings this year (1-4)... Charlie McConnell and Izturis Jr. each swiped their first stolen base of the season.
South Atlantic League Stories from April 27, 2019
- Jackets Fall in Game 1, Score Six in Last Inning to Steal Game 2 - Augusta GreenJackets
- Drive Blanks Lexington, 1-0, on Saturday - Greenville Drive
- 17 Strikeouts Not Enough as Legends Fall 1-0 to Drive - Lexington Legends
- Dogs Can't Overcome Shaky Medina Start in Loss - Charleston RiverDogs
- Nunez Earns Another Win, Offense Ignites in 7-2 Victory over Charleston - Columbia Fireflies
- Gonzalez Homers But 'Dads Fall 4-1 to Lakewood - Hickory Crawdads
- Pipkin Sharp in Closing out 4-1 Saturday Win - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Bullpen Woes Continue in 13-2 Loss - Hagerstown Suns
- Kelenic Launches Two Homers in 5-1 Victory - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Lavigne's Three Hits Not Enough to Snap Skid - Asheville Tourists
- Fireflies Game Notes: April 27 at Charleston (Game 22) - Columbia Fireflies
- Hagerstown Suns Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
- Game Notes (April 27) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Nats Top Prospect Makes Debut - Hagerstown Suns
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