Power Game Notes
June 15, 2011 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release
West Virginia Power (31-33) at Greensboro Grasshoppers (38-27)
Game 65 | June 15, 2011 | NewBridge Bank Park | Greensboro, NC
Radio: Power Baseball Network and wvpower.com Airtime: 12:15 pm
TODAY'S MATCHUP
RH Brandon Cumpton (6-4, 4.70) vs. RH Rett Varner (2-1, 4.26)
Cumpton: Pitched 5.0 shutout innings with 5 K and 1 BB in 6/10 ND@ LWD (3-0 WV Power)
Varner: Surrendered 9 R on 6 H with 3 BB and 2 K over 3.1 IP in 6/10 Loss vs. KAN (10-4 KAN)
POWER REPLAY: West Virginia lost both games of a doubleheader on Tuesday, falling 3-2 and 3-0 at Greensboro. The Power led game one 2-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh, but Hoppers plated two runs against Casey Sadler to steal the win. In the nightcap, Greensboro scored three against spot starter Brooks Pounders over the first two innings and the Power bats could not overcome the deficit.
ROSTER IN FLUX: The Pittsburgh Pirates transferred Porfirio Lopez back on to the Power roster earlier today. Lopez was taken off the roster on Sunday after pitching five innings in Saturday's 15 inning game at Lakewood. To clear room for Lopez, Orlando Castro was transferred to the GCL Pirates roster. Castro appeared in one game during his three day SAL stint, pitching three scoreless innings on Monday. Lopez has an 0-1 record with a 3.45 ERA for the Power over five games.
SAL ALL-STARS: Brandon Cumpton, Dan Grovatt, and Jameson Taillon were selected to represent the Power in the 2011 South Atlantic League All-Star Game in June 21. Cumpton is 6-4 this season with a 5.11 ERA, but steam rolled though May with a 6-0 record and a 1.18 earned run average. Grovatt is batting .297 over 53 games with one home runs and 21 runs batted in. Taillon, the second overall pick in the 2010 draft, is 2-1 with a 3.71 earned run average during his first professional season.
HISTORY WITH THE 'HOPPERS: West Virginia concludes its five-game, four-day series at Greensboro with a day game. The Power and Grasshoppers meet 11 more times during the 2011 season, including seven gamesat Appalachian Power Park. West Virginia holds the all-time edge in the series with 51 wins over 82 games, including a 24-18 advantage on the road.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS: Rogelio Noris hit 15 home runs for West Virginia during the 2010 season and has added five to that total so far this season. Stephen Chapman holds the single-season record with 24, which is also the most by any player during his respective stint with West Virginia. Noris is tied for third all-time in Power history with 19 career home runs, matching Kyle Morgan (2009-10), and trailing only Chapman and Kenny Holmberg (22 home runs over two seasons).
PINPOINT CONTROL: West Virginia pitchers have combined to walk just 133 batters this season, the fewest in the SAL. Power pitchers have also walked the fewest batters in all of professional baseball.
BENSCKO OFF: The Pirates transferred outfielder Justin Benscko off the Power roster on Tuesday and shifted him to the New York-Penn League. Benscko was placed on the West Virginia disabled list at the outset of the season, and he never appeared in a game for the Power. He is now one of three outfielders on the State College roster.
POWER POINTS: Justin Howard's 13-game road on-base streak was stopped with an 0-3 Monday night... Jameson Taillon has had two of his nine professional starts suspended due to weather (April 27 versus Hagerstown and last Thursday at Lakewood)... Colton Cain is slated to be placed back on the Power roster after today's game and is scheduled to start tomorrow against Lakewood. A coresponding roster move will need to be made to make room for Cain, who was removed from the roster on Sunday... Saturday's game was the Power's fourth extra inning game of the season. West Virginia is 1-3 in extra inning games, having only won in extras on Friday.
AROUND THE ORGANIZATION: This Pirates edged the Astros 1-0. Garrett Jones drove in the lone run in the second inning as the Pirates moved back to an even .500 record... Indianapolis lost 4-0 to Gwinnett... Altoona dropped the series opener against New Britain 10-4... Bradenton lost 7-5 at Charlotte..
ON THE AIR: All 140 West Virginia Power games can be heard on ESPN 104.5 FM and 1490 AM in Charleston, WV, across the state on the Power Radio Network, and online at milb.com. Adam Marco will call the action for each of the 70 home games this season, while the home team will provide coverage while the Power are on the road.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 15, 2011
- Gnats Fight Back for Eighth Straight Win - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Drive Conclude Road Trip with 5-3 Win Over 'Dogs - Greenville Drive
- BlueClaws Win 4th & 5th Straight, Sweep Hagerstown - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Errors Erode Intimidators Playoff Hopes - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Shorebirds End Losing Skid with 5-3 Win - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Head Headlines Drive's Series-Clinching 5-3 Win - Charleston RiverDogs
- Crawdads Game in Asheville Canceled Due to Rain - Hickory Crawdads
- Hickory Vs. Asheville Rained Out - Asheville Tourists
- Gnats Game Notes: Wednesday, June 15 Vs. Rome - Savannah Sand Gnats
- GreenJackets Expand Popular Baseball Camp - Augusta GreenJackets
- GreenJackets Make Ripple in 2-1 Splash Day Setback - Augusta GreenJackets
- Legends Hold on for 2-1 Win Over Augusta - Lexington Legends
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- BB&T Home Run Derby Participants Announced - Delmarva Shorebirds
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