Leach Stalls Hot Rods
August 27, 2009 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release
Bowling Green, KY (August 27, 2009) - Brian Leach came one out away from tossing a complete game shutout on Thursday night at Bowling Green Ballpark. Leach held the Hot Rods to just three hits over eight and two thirds as the Power tossed their fifth shutout of the season in a 4-0 victory over the Bowling Green Hot Rods.
The game was full of great defensive plays, and involved a number of double plays early on. The first four half innings ended with double plays. There were six double plays in the contest. Both teams spoiled bases loaded opportunities with one out in the second inning. Bowling Green lefty Frank De Los Santos held the Power hitless through the first five innings of the contest, but was taken out after five innings.
West Virginia did all of their damage in the top of the seventh. Bobby Spain snapped the scoreless tie when he ripped a bases loaded, one out single to right field to score a pair of runs. With runners on second and third and two outs, Adenson Chourio belted Shane Dyer's 3-2 pitch down the left field line to plate Spain and Austin McClune to cap the big inning.
Leach (6-3) was simply phenomenal throughout the night. He retired 13 batters in a row at one point and held the Hot Rods without a hit from the third inning through the eighth. He allowed just three hits, walked two and fanned seven over eight and two thirds to score the victory. He was taken out with two out in the ninth inning after he allowed a hit to Kyeong Kong. Leach was relieved because of his pitch count. He came one out away from becoming the first player in the history of the franchise to toss a nine inning, complete game shutout since Shaun Marcum did it in April of 2004 at Watt Powell Park. Rafael De Los Santos struck out the final batter of the contest. Shane Dyer (1-9) was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs on four hits over three innings of relief.
West Virginia improved to 60-66 overall, and 33-23 in the second half after the win, while the Hot Rods fell to 62-65 overall and 28-29 in the second half after the loss. Adenson Chourio busted out of a 1-for-24 slump and turned in the only multi hit performance of the night, going 2-for-3 with a two-run double. Bobby Spain's two-run single in the seventh inning extended his hitting streak to four games and his on base streak to seven games.
West Virginia will finish the four game series with the Bowling Green Hot Rods at Bowling Green Ballpark on Friday night. The Power will start right hander Aaron Pribanic (2-1, 2.70) and the Hot Rods will counter with right hander Juan Santana (0-0, 2.70). The first pitch will be delivered at 8:05 PM.
South Atlantic League Stories from August 27, 2009
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- Wild Suns Loss Completes Winless Series - Hagerstown Suns
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- Legends errors help Hickory in comeback win - Lexington Legends
- Leach Stalls Hot Rods - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Armando Rodriguez Fans Nine In Gnats Win - Savannah Sand Gnats
- De Los Santos Throws Five No-Hit Innings On Thursday - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Bats Stifled in 5-1 Loss - Augusta GreenJackets
- Crawdads score 8 straight for 8-4 win - Hickory Crawdads
- Hot Rods Surpass 200,000 Fans - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Tourists, Grasshoppers Washed Out - Asheville Tourists
- Suns' Second-To-Last Home Series Of 2009 Will Run Through Weekend - Hagerstown Suns
- RiverDogs, Force Protection, Team Up to Salute Military - Charleston RiverDogs
- Joseph Named July's Topps Player of the Month - Charleston RiverDogs
- McMullen Traded to Kingston - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Former South Rowan High star joins Intimidators - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
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