SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

Grasshoppers Score Early, Hold off Power

Published on April 29, 2012 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


The West Virginia Power dropped a 9-4 decision to the Greensboro Grasshoppers on Sunday afternoon at Appalachian Power Park. The Hoppers took a 3-0 lead in the first and staved off a late Power rally to win the second game of this series.

Matt Smith hit a three-run home run in the first off of Power starter Ryan Hafner to build the early advantage. Ryan Goetz led off the game with a single and Ryan Rieger walked before Smith took the first pitch he saw over the left-center wall.

West Virginia allowed runs in the fourth and sixth and trailed 5-0 heading into home half of the sixth. Dan Gamache and Willy Garcia each singled, and pinch hitter Chris Lashmet knocked a Jose Fernandez pitch into right field to bring home Garcia. The throw to third bounced past Hoppers' third baseman Josh Adams and allowed Gamache to score on the error for a 5-2 deficit.

Greensboro would, however, answer with four runs in the top of the seventh against West Virginia reliever Vince Payne. The Power only managed to get two runs back in the bottom of the inning on Gregory Polanco's two-run home run to close the scoring at 9-4.

Hafner (0-2) took the loss after surrendering four runs on six hits over three and two-thirds innings of work, while Fernandez (3-0) gained the win with five and a third tossed on Sunday. Of the nine runs allowed by West Virginia pitchers on Sunday, only the four given up by Hafner were earned due to three errors and a wild pitch.

Polanco's home run was his team-best fifth of the season and also gave him a club-high 16 runs batted in.

West Virginia and Greensboro concludes this series on Monday night at 7:05 pm. Zac Fuesser will start for the Power against the Grasshopper Josh Hodges at Appalachian Power Park.

POWER RECORD: 7-16

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South Atlantic League Stories from April 29, 2012


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