SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

Nevarez's Blast Pushes Power to 3-2 Win in Finale

Published on July 25, 2019 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


HICKORY, N.C. - Josias De Los Santos posted his third career quality start and Dean Nevarez launched a go-ahead homer in the seventh that guided the Power to a 3-2 win over the Hickory Crawdads Thursday evening at L.P. Frans Stadium.

The Crawdads (22-11, 63-36) struck first against De Los Santos (2-6) in the second, with Pedro Gonzalez igniting the offense with a leadoff single. After moving to third on a wild pitch and a balk, Gonzalez trotted home on a Matt Whatley sacrifice fly to give Hickory a 1-0 lead.

The 'Dads padded their lead in the third, as Josh Jung began the frame with a double down the left-field line. The next batter, Jax Biggers, laid down a perfectly-placed bunt to third, and Austin Shenton's throw to first sailed wide of Onil Pena, allowing Jung to score from second and make it 2-0 Hickory.

West Virginia (16-18, 53-51) answered in the fourth. After Hans Crouse retired the first two men he faced in the inning on a pop out and a fly out, Bobby Honeyman laced a single to right. Shenton then smashed a triple to left-center just out of the reach of Gonzalez, scoring Honeyman to slim the deficit to one. Nevarez came through one batter later, stroking an RBI double to left that knotted the game at two.

De Los Santos settled in after letting up that run in the third, retiring the final 12 men he faced in his outing to notch his second quality start of the season. Overall, the right-hander scattered four hits over six innings while striking out five men.

Nevarez backed up his starter in the seventh, welcoming new Crawdads reliever Sam Hellinger (0-1) to the ballgame with a solo bomb to left, his sixth of the year, that vaulted the Power ahead 3-2.

Reid Morgan danced around a one-out single by Jonathan Ornelas to fire a scoreless seventh, while Dayeison Arias (S,9) turned in a 1-2-3 eighth and worked past a one-out walk in the ninth to strike out the side and pick up his ninth save in 10 opportunities.

The Power continues their road trip with a four-game series against the Rome Braves beginning Friday night at State Mutual Stadium, with first pitch set for 7:00 p.m. LHP Nate Fisher (0-0, 12.46 ERA) takes the mound for West Virginia, while Rome counters with southpaw Gabriel Noguera (4-4, 3.14 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 6:40 p.m. on The Jock 1300 and 1340 AM, as well as online at wvpower.com and via the TuneIn Radio App and MiLB First Pitch App.

The Power returns to Appalachian Power Park on July 31 for another seven-game homestand that welcomes the Rome Braves and Greensboro Grasshoppers to town. Some highlights of the homestand include CAMC Night on Friday, August 2, and Back to School Night on Saturday, August 3. The Power will sport special 'Hot Shot' jerseys on Friday that will be auctioned off with proceeds going to the CAMC Foundation and benefiting local causes in the Kanawha Valley. Saturday, the first 1,000 fans can receive a limited edition backpack as a part of Back to School Night, presented by Todd Judy Ford. For tickets and more information, call the Power at 304-344-2287 or visit www.wvpower.com.

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 25, 2019


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