Pena's Two-Homer, Six-RBI Night Headlines 12-6 Win
June 25, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Onil Pena went deep twice and tallied a career-high six RBI as the Power thumped the Greensboro Grasshoppers, 12-6, Tuesday evening at First National Bank Field.
Pena's first homer came in the third inning with two down, as he uncorked a 409-foot shot to straightaway center that gave West Virginia (3-3, 40-36) its first lead of the series at 4-3. In his next at-bat in the fifth, the first baseman sliced an RBI single to score Bobby Honeyman, who was hit a pitch to begin the inning, to make it 6-3 Power. Pena provided his final blast in the sixth, launching a three-run homer 376 feet to the apartment buildings in right-center that capped a five-run frame and extended the cushion to 12-4.
Pena posted the first six-RBI night for a West Virginia slugger since Deon Stafford accomplished the feat August 11, 2018, in Rome, Ga. The slugger also helped the Power tie their largest scoring output of the season, equaling their effort from April 18 at Asheville. West Virginia scored double-digit runs in a ballgame for the first time since May 26 vs. Lexington.
Greensboro (2-4, 46-29) struck first against Ryne Inman (7-5) in the opening frame, notching two runs on a pair of RBI singles from Mason Martin and Fabricio Macias. The Power responded right back in the top of the second, however, stroking four consecutive two-out singles to tie the game at two, with J.R. Davis and Charlie McConnell coming through with the run-scoring knocks.
Jack Herman untied the ballgame in the bottom of the second with a solo shot, but Pena's first dinger of the night shifted the game back in West Virginia's favor in the third. Martin took Inman deep to start the bottom of the third to square the contest up at four, but the Power took over from there, scoring eight unanswered runs from the fourth through the sixth to put the game out of reach.
Davis vaulted West Virginia back in front in the fourth with his second run-scoring single of the evening, while Pena, after his fifth-inning single, came around to score on a double from Ryan Ramiz and a throwing error by Herman. Jake Anchia brought in two runs in the sixth with a bases-loaded single to center before Pena went yard again to cap the scoring.
Inman battled his way through six innings to pick up his seventh win of the season, ceding four runs on six hits while punching out seven batters. Luis Nova (1-2) took the loss for the Greensboro, coughing up seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits over 4.1 innings.
Sal Biasi struggled in his lone inning of work, serving up a two-run jack to Michael Gretler, but David Ellingson fired a scoreless eighth and ninth to slam the door and even the series at one game apiece.
The Power concludes their three-game series against the Greensboro Grasshoppers Wednesday afternoon at First National Bank Field, with first pitch set for 12:00 p.m. RHP Devin Sweet (3-2, 3.09 ERA), the Greensboro native, toes the slab for West Virginia, while Greensboro goes with righty Osvaldo Bido (9-4, 3.09 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 11:40 a.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 Thursday, June 27, to begin a seven-game homestand against the Kannapolis Intimidators and Hickory Crawdads. It's Wheelers Weekend in downtown Charleston, with West Virginia honoring their former moniker over a three-day stretch from June 28-30. On June 29, the first 1,000 fans will receive a Dan Wilson replica Wheelers jersey giveaway, courtesy of IHOP! For tickets and more information, call the Power at 304-344-2287 or visit www.wvpower.com.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 25, 2019
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