Game Notes (June 30)
June 30, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release
The Power concludes their four-game series with the Kannapolis Intimidators Sunday afternoon at Appalachian Power Park, with first pitch set for 2:05 p.m. RHP Ryne Inman (7-5, 4.50 ERA) takes the hill for West Virginia, while RHP Davis Martin (4-7, 6.27 ERA) opposes for Kannapolis.
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KANNAPOLIS OUTSLUGS WHEELERS SATURDAY: Despite a pair of mashed doubles from Onil Pena in a 2-for-3 effort, the Charleston Wheelers fell to the Kannapolis Intimidators, 6-4, Saturday evening at Appalachian Power Park. Just like Friday, Kannapolis got on the board in the first inning with a solo home run, this time from Alex Destino, who clubbed one out with two down to give the Intimidators a 1-0 lead. In true replicating fashion, the Wheelers responded with two in the home half, as Bobby Honeyman ripped an RBI double and David Sheaffer picked up an RBI groundout to put Charleston in front 2-1. Kannapolis fired back in the third with two down in the inning, as Lenyn Sosa scored on an inside-the-park home run when his line drive to Julio Rodriguez got lost in the sun and sailed right past him all the way to the wall. Destino followed up with his second home run in as many at-bats, blasting one 424 feet to right-center field for a 3-2 Intimidators lead. The Wheelers would volley back once more, notching two in the fourth in Sam Long's final frame, with Pena scalding an RBI double to left and Utah Jones lacing a run-scoring knock there as well, pushing Charleston ahead 4-3. However, Kannapolis would get the last laugh, as Romy Gonzalez knotted the game at four with his RBI double in the sixth, ending Clay Chandler's night, before the Intimidators took the lead for good with two in the seventh. Ben Onyshko took care of the final 1.1 innings, allowing just one walk.
CHI, CHI, CHI, CHIA: Jake Anchia extended his hitting streak to eight games last night with his fourth-inning single. The Power backstop's eight-game stretch dates back to the start of the second half (June 20), during which he is averaging .281 (9-for-32) with two homers and seven RBI. Anchia is tied with Honeyman for the third-longest hitting streak for West Virginia this season (Pena and Cesar Izturis Jr., 9 games and Jarred Kelenic, 18 games).
SEEING DOUBLE: Pena has been a doubles machine for the Power this season. After ripping two more last night, the first baseman now has 19 on the year, the most he has had in any season in the Minor Leagues. His 19 two-baggers lead the team and are tied with Lexington's Michael Gigliotti and Hagerstown's Jacob Rhinesmith for eighth-most in the South Atlantic League. The Dominican Republic product is also tied with Greensboro's Rodolfo Castro for the sixth-most extra-base hits in the SAL (29). Pena posted his 12th multi-hit game of the season yesterday, and his eighth of the two-hit variety. The slugger has tied his season-highs in homers (10, also in 2017) and RBI (40, also in 2015).
GOOD RIDDANCE: West Virginia and Kannapolis will play for the final time this season in Sunday's series finale, with the Intimidators already clinching the season series with their win Friday night. Through the first six games of this series, the Power is averaging a measly .174 stroke with 57 strikeouts in 190 at-bats (30%), while the Intimidators boast a .289 average versus West Virginia's staff. Honeyman has the best average among active Power bats against Kannapolis, hitting .286 with three RBI after partaking in all six games. The ERA difference is quite drastic too, with West Virginia holding a 5.40 mark and the Intimidators nursing a 1.67 earned run average.
DIVISION-HEAVY STRETCH WINDING DOWN: After playing just 27 games against Northern Division foes in the first half (13-14), the Power has opened the second half of the season with 14 consecutive contests within their division that will wrap up at the end of this homestand following a three-game stint with the Hickory Crawdads. Overall, West Virginia is 17-20 against the Northern Division this season, one of four teams with a sub-.500 divisional record across the Northern Division team slate (Hagerstown, 19-36; Kannapolis, 18-28; and Lakewood, 12-28).
THE WRONG KIND OF LONG BALL: Though the Power has been a home run-heavy team in 2019, their pitching staff has also been susceptible to the big fly. Following the three homers by Kannapolis yesterday, West Virginia's arms have coughed up 67 long balls, tied with the Greensboro Grasshoppers for the most in the league. The Intimidators have cranked five home runs in this series, as well as nine overall across the first six games of the season series.
GETTING BACK ON TRACK: Following an 0-for-8 showing over his last two games, Sheaffer found his footing with a base hit and an RBI Saturday night against Kannapolis. The utility man has reached base safely in eight of his 10 games with West Virginia since joining the team June 13 from Triple-A Tacoma, and is averaging .351 with a home run, six RBI and seven extra-base hits, along with a 1.009 OPS.
POWER POINTS: After allowing one earned run or less in six of his first seven starts, Chandler has conceded more than three earned runs in six of his last nine outings... Ryan Ramiz's 40 walks are tied for fourth-best in the South Atlantic League with Rome's Greg Cullen and Delmarva's Cadyn Grenier... The Power went 4-for-12 with RISP Saturday night.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 30, 2019
- Sharp Triples, Fireflies Fall in Hickory Finale - Columbia Fireflies
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- Five-Run Eighths Powers 'Birds over Suns - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Ramiz's Late-Inning Heroics Lead to 9-8 Walk-Off Win - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Tough Day for Bullpen in 7-3 Loss - Hagerstown Suns
- Rome's Big Seventh Inning Downs Drive - Greenville Drive
- Hoppers Roll to 10-1 Win over Claws on Sunday - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Fireflies Game Notes: June 30 vs. Hickory (Game 77) - Columbia Fireflies
- Hagerstown Suns: Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
- Game Notes (June 30) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Braves Win 7-6 and Take Series from Drive - Rome Emperors
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