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SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

Ninth-Inning Comeback Falls Short in 5-4 Loss

June 9, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


HICKORY, N.C. - The Power had the tying run 90 feet away in the ninth inning, but West Virginia was unable to complete another ninth-inning comeback against the Hickory Crawdads, dropping the contest, 5-4, on Saturday evening at L.P. Frans Stadium.

Trailing 5-3 in the ninth, Ben Bengtson led off the inning with a double against Hickory reliever Alex Speas (S, 5), who had entered to start the inning. Bengtson's double extended his hitting streak to 10 games, the longest active streak for the Power.

After John Bormann struck out, Chris Sharpe hit a dribbler to first that got under the glove of Tyler Ratliff, allowing Bengtson to score from second and make it a one run game. Speas then struck out Kyle Watson for the second out, but Ryan Peurifoy worked a full-count walk while Sharpe stole second and third base to put runners at the corners for Lolo Sanchez. The outfielder pushed the count to 3-2, but Speas was able to strike him out and end the game with Sharpe, who represented the tying run, standing at third base. Speas recorded his fifth save in as many opportunities.

Pedro Gonzalez put Hickory (24-34) on the board in the opening frame, as the Crawdads outfielder stroked a two-run homer to deep center field off Power (31-27) starter Hunter Stratton to give Hickory a 2-0 lead. That home run snapped a streak of six consecutive games where West Virginia's offense scored first.

Following that two-run homer, Stratton did not give up another hit over his next three innings of work. The right-hander stranded the bases loaded in the second before setting down the side in order in the third and fourth frames. Ultimately, Stratton retired the last seven Crawdads he faced.

Opposite of Stratton, Hickory starter Tyler Phillips (3-5) turned in a fantastic performance, tossing eight innings, tied for his career high, while allowing three runs on five hits and striking out two. Phillips cruised through the first three innings, putting away the first nine Power batters to the plate.

In the fourth, Brett Pope ignited the only offensive frame for West Virginia with a leadoff double that snuck by Ratliff into right field. Rodolfo Castro followed that up with an RBI that scored Pope to make it 2-1 Hickory. After Calvin Mitchell singled to center and moved Castro to third, Bengtson lofted a sacrifice fly to center that plated Castro to tie the game at two. Bormann followed that with a base knock that sent Mitchell to third before Sharpe brought him in with a sacrifice fly of his own to push the Power in front, 3-2.

However, the Crawdads were not done, as they were able to get to Drew Fischer (0-1) in the sixth, scoring two runs on Sam Huff's two-bagger to left-center that vaulted Hickory ahead, 4-3. The Crawdads were then able to snag what ended up being a much-needed insurance run in the seventh, as Gonzalez stroked a one-out double and moved to third on a wild pitch with Preston Scott at the plate. Fischer was able to fan Scott, but Tyreque Reed hit a ground ball to the left of Bengtson at third base that he was unable to secure cleanly, sending Gonzalez in from third and extending Hickory's lead to 5-3.

Matt Seelinger spun a scoreless eighth inning despite a leadoff walk to Ratliff.

Despite the loss, the Power remains 4.5 games back of Kannapolis in the South Atlantic League's first half Northern Division standings with eight games to play thanks to Rome's 5-4 win over the Intimidators Saturday.

West Virginia concludes its series with Hickory Sunday, with first pitch set for 3 p.m. from L.P. Frans Stadium. RHP Max Kranick (0-2, 5.28 ERA) takes the hill for the Power, while the Crawdads counter with RHP Tyree Thompson (2-4, 3.99 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 2:40 p.m. on The Jock 1300 and 1340 AM, as well as online at www.wvpower.com and via the TuneIn Radio App and MiLB First Pitch App.

The Power will return to Appalachian Power Park June 15-17 for a three-game series against the Delmarva Shorebirds. The series will be West Virginia's last homestand of the first half and will be jam-packed with promotions. Fireworks Friday, presented by Electric 102.7 and Huntington Bank, kicks off the homestand on June 15, while on June 16, the Power will celebrate West Virginia Day with a Bluetooth speaker giveaway to the first 1,000 fans courtesy of Appalachian Power. West Virginia's first half promotional slate concludes Sunday, June 17, with a Lincoln County Day and Father's Day Kidz Sunday Funday at the ballpark. For tickets and more information, call the Power at 304-344-2287 or visit wvpower.com .

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