SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

Game Notes (May 4)

Published on May 4, 2019 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


The Power continues their series with Greensboro tonight at First National Bank Field, with first pitch set for 7 p.m. RHP Ryne Inman (3-1, 3.52 ERA) is on the bump for West Virginia.

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TREJO'S FOUR-HIT NIGHT NOT ENOUGH: Cesar Trejo posted a career-best four hits, but West Virginia could not produce a clutch knock with runners in scoring position, stranding 11 men on base and ultimately falling, 3-2, to the Greensboro Grasshoppers Friday evening at First National Bank Field. The Power struck first in the second, as Trejo smoked an RBI single up the middle to score Onil Pena for a 1-0 lead. However, Greensboro was able to respond in the bottom of the third, as an error on starter Clay Chandler came back to bite him. With two down in the frame, Mason Martin singled in Kyle Mottice to snap Chandler's scoreless innings streak at 21.2 and tie the game one. The Grasshoppers would add one more in the fourth on a Grant Koch solo shot and cap their scoring in the fifth with an RBI single from Jonah Davis. Despite his streak ending, Chandler tossed seven strong innings, striking out seven and not issuing a walk on 89 pitches (67 for strikes). Sal Biasi spun a sterling eighth inning in relief, striking out the side in order.

WHAT A HOMECOMING: Trejo, a Greensboro resident and product of the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, showed off in front of his home crowd Friday night, collecting three singles and his first career triple as part of a career-high four-hit night with two RBI. Trejo had never had more than two hits in a game previously. The outfielder recorded West Virginia's second four-hit game of the season (Jarred Kelenic, April 16 vs. Lakewood), as well as the team's second triple of the year (Charlie McConnell, April 22 vs. Columbia).

ONE STREAK ENDS, ANOTHER CONTINUES: Kelenic saw his 18-game hitting streak come to a close last night, as he went 0-for-3 with two walks in Friday's series opener. During his 18-game streak, he was 32-for-72 (.444) with six home runs, 11 doubles and 17 RBI. He still possesses a 20-game on-base streak (dating back to April 10). His 18-game hitting streak is tied for the longest in Minor League Baseball this season with Hagerstown's Gilbert Lara, whose streak is active entering Saturday's play. Kelenic's on-base streak is tied for the third-longest in Class A ball this season.

QUALITY CLAY: Chandler, the reigning SAL Pitcher of the Week, hurled seven solid innings in the opener against Greensboro, giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits while fanning seven and not walking a batter. The Paducah, Kentucky, native notched his fourth quality start of the season, and his second straight seven-inning outing. The righty has not walked a batter in each of his last three starts, and has registered five or more strikeouts in those starts as well. Chandler still holds the second-lowest ERA in the South Atlantic League (0.75), trailing Delmarva's Blaine Knight (0.68).

STRUGGLING TO CONVERT: West Virginia has had real issues with runners in scoring position this season, and especially during this road trip. The Power went 3-for-13 last night and left 11 men on base, bringing their RISP average for the road trip to .143 (4-for-28). Overall, West Virginia is averaging .218 with RISP, the third-lowest clip in the league (Columbia Fireflies, .167). The Power stranded double-digit runners on base for the eighth time this season.

PILING UP THE STRIKEOUTS: West Virginia's pitching staff set down 10 batters via the strikeout Friday, upping their season total to 274, sixth-most in the South Atlantic League (Charleston RiverDogs, 296). The arms struck out double-digit batters for the 15th time this year, finishing nine shy of their season-high (19, two times).

DIVISIONAL CLASHES: After playing just three games against Northern Division foes in the season's first 23 games, West Virginia now faces a division-heavy stretch starting with this road trip. The Power will play 6 of their next 10 games against members of their own division, including three against Greensboro before finishing their next homestand with a three-game set against the Kannapolis Intimidators. West Virginia is 5-2 against their division in 2019 after sweeping Lakewood from 4/15-4/17 at Appalachian Power Park and splitting the first four games of this road trip.

HELLO OLD FRIENDS: West Virginia will see some familiar faces opposing them when they take on the Grasshoppers this weekend, as several former Power players are now donning the green, orange and white with Pittsburgh's new South Atlantic League affiliate. Current Grasshopper infielders Rodolfo Castro, Connor Kaiser, Mason Martin and Raul Siri, outfielders Lolo Sanchez and Fabricio Macias and pitchers Cam Alldred, Nicholas Economos, Travis MacGregor, Braeden Ogle, Samuel Reyes and Logan Stoelke all wore a Power uniform for some portion of the 2018 season.

POWER POINTS: The Power did not walk a batter in a game for the third time this season... McConnell swiped his second stolen base of the season... Trejo picked up his first outfield assist this year... Kelenic was caught stealing for just the second time (4-for-6)... With a walk Friday, Joseph Rosa has now reached base safely in 21 of his 25 games in 2019.

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