Game Notes (May 19)
May 19, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release
The Power continues their four-game series against the Greenville Drive Sunday afternoon, with first pitch set for 3:05 p.m. at Fluor Field at the West End. RHP Clay Chandler (4-1, 1.65 ERA) heads to the bump for West Virginia.
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FLORIDO, ANCHIA SHINE IN 4-1 WIN: Deivy Florido spun five scoreless innings and Jake Anchia smacked his seventh home run of the season as West Virginia downed the Greenville Drive, 4-1, Saturday night at Fluor Field at the West End. The Power jumped ahead in the third, as Nick Rodriguez laced an RBI double that scored Joseph Rosa all the way from first. Anchia padded the lead in the fourth with a two-run moonshot over the Green Monster in left field, making it 3-0 West Virginia. Florido dazzled Greenville's lineup in his second start with the Power, holding them to three hits and striking out a season-best six batters while walking just one. The Drive got one back in the sixth on a solo shot from Brandon Howlett against Josias De Los Santos, but the reliever buckled down after that, surrendering just two more knocks over four solid innings to pick up his first career Minor League save. Rosa added the team's final tally in the ninth as he stroked an RBI single that brought in Dean Nevarez.
ALMIGHTY ANCHIA: Anchia has been on quite the tear recently, averaging .367 (11-for-30) in his last eight games with five homers and 11 RBI. Oddly enough, the Miami Lakes, Fla., native notched his first non-single or home run knock last night when he ripped a double in the ninth. The backstop recorded his first career multi-homer game May 9 in the twin bill opener against Augusta, becoming the third Power batter to do so this season (Nevarez, April 26 vs. Asheville and Jarred Kelenic, April 27 vs. Asheville). Anchia is the first batter to homer in back-to-back at-bats since Trae Arbet on April 12, 2017, vs. Asheville. The Nova Southeastern product collected a career-best five RBI May 9 as well, the first West Virginia slugger to accomplish the feat since Deon Stafford's six-RBI effort August 11, 2018, at Rome.
SWEET AS HONEY: Bobby Honeyman has started to find his rhythm with West Virginia. The New York native is currently riding a season-long six-game hitting streak dating back to May 13, during which he is averaging .360 (9-for-25) with two doubles, an RBI and five runs scored, as well as just one strikeout. In this span, the infielder has raised his average from .175 to .200, the first time it has been at the Mendoza Line threshold all season. Honeyman is the sixth Power batter to post a hitting streak of at least six games in 2019 (Kelenic, 18; Cesar Izturis Jr. and Onil Pena, 9; Ryan Ramiz and Julio Rodriguez, 6).
THE LONG BALL: With Anchia's fourth-inning blast, the Power now has 33 home runs on the season, third-most in the South Atlantic League behind the Greensboro Grasshoppers (48) and Hickory Crawdads (46). Though West Virginia's May record has left something to be desired, the power has not left the lineup, with the offense slugging 13 long balls in the season's second month, tied for third-most in the SAL with the Greenville Drive (Greensboro, 18).
FLOURISHING FLORIDO: Florido has been an immediate bright spot for West Virginia since joining the Power May 6 from Extended Spring Training. In his spot start May 9 against the Augusta GreenJackets in game two of a twin bill, Florido amazed in his 5.1 innings, giving up just one run on five hits while striking out five batters. The 18-year-old made his first relief appearance with the Power Monday, twirling a scoreless sixth frame and surrendering just one hit. After adding in his five-inning shutout performance Saturday night, Florido is 2-0 with a miniscule 0.79 ERA, 12 strikeouts and one walk in three games with West Virginia.
BULLPEN BULLIES: West Virginia's bullpen has kept this team in a ton of games, especially during this road trip. Over the first five games of the road swing, the relief corps has spun 18 innings and given up three earned runs (1.50 ERA) on nine hits while striking out 24 batters. The Power's bullpen ERA currently sits at 2.85, 94 points below the starters.
PILING UP THE STRIKEOUTS: West Virginia struck out 10 batters Saturday night, notching double-digit strikeouts for the 24th time this year. The Power has racked up 246 strikeouts as a team this season, third-most in the South Atlantic League behind the Delmarva Shorebirds (430) and the Charleston RiverDogs (429).
DOMINANT DAYEISON: Dayeison Arias has not allowed an earned run in his last eight games, spanning 12.2 innings with 17 strikeouts compared to three walks. Arias has only ceded an earned run in three of his team-high 15 appearances.
RODRIGUEZ STARTING TO ROLL: Rodriguez has reached base safely in nine of his last 10 games, dating back to May 5. In that span, the infielder has posted a .313 (10-for-32) clip with four RBI, two runs and three doubles.
POWER POINTS: Kelenic swiped his seventh stole base of the season Saturday... West Virginia went 1-for-7 with RISP.
South Atlantic League Stories from May 19, 2019
- Dogs Can't Hold Late Lead, Drop Third Straight in Extras - Charleston RiverDogs
- GreenJackets Need 12-Innings to Down RiverDogs - Augusta GreenJackets
- Martin Stuns Claws Twice with Sunday Walk-Off Home Runs - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Fireflies Fight, Win in Extras - Columbia Fireflies
- Five-Run Second Propels Drive Past West Virginia, 8-4 - Greenville Drive
- 'Birds Outslug K-Town, Clinch Series - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Five-Run Second Inning Dooms Power in 8-4 Loss - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Heasley Hurls Gem; Fans Career High 10 Batters in Legends Victory - Lexington Legends
- Ninth Inning Rally Makes Legends Sweat - Asheville Tourists
- Fireflies Game Notes - May 19 at Rome (Game 43) - Columbia Fireflies
- Hagerstown Suns Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
- Hartlieb Makes MLB Debut with Pirates in San Diego - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Game Notes (May 19) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Bill on Baseball: Hoppers Blaze Past Lakewood - Greensboro Grasshoppers
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