SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

Power Game Notes

Published on August 21, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


Delmarva Shorebirds (19-36, 54-71) at West Virginia Power (25-30, 60-63)

Game 124 | August 21, 2011 | Appalachian Power Park | Charleston, WV

Radio: Power Baseball Network and wvpower.com Airtime: 1:45 pm

TODAY'S MATCHUP

LH Tim Berry (3-7, 5.38) vs. LH Zack Dodson (5-3, 2.56)

Berry: Allowed 1 R on 4 H with 4 K and 1 BB over 5.0 IP in 8/15 ND vs. LWD (2-1 Shorebirds)

Dodson: Allowed 1 R on 4 H with 3 K and 1 BB over 6.0 IP in 8/16 Win @ KAN (5-1 Power)

POWER REPLAY: West Virginia knocked off Delmarva 9-1 on Saturday night. Porfirio Lopez pitched five shutout innings, and the Power backed him with runs in the first, two in the fourth, sixth, and seventh before erupting for four in the eighth. Dan Grovatt hit his eighth home run of the season and drove in three for the second straight night. Mel Rojas Jr. and Chase Lyles contributed two hits each and Lyles added two runs batted in.

STELLER SOUTHPAWS: The Power have used four different left-handed starting pitchers this month with solid results. Zack Dodson, Zac Fuesser, Eliecer Navarro, and today's starter Porfirio Lopez have a combined August record of 7-2 with a 2.51 ERA. The four pitchers combined to allow 17 runs over 61 innings since August 1st. West Virginia is 11-8 so far this month after only winning nine times in July.

GROVATT STOPPED: Dan Grovatt's seven game hitting streak came to a close Thursday night with an 0-3 evening. Grovatt hit .444 during this recent stretch, his fourth different hitting streak of seven or more games this season. He and Mel Rojas Jr. have the longest hitting streaks by any Power player this season at ten game apiece. Grovatt, a SAL All-Star, is batting .361this month.

BRING ON THE BIRDS: The Power close out this four-game series against Delmarva today at 2:05 pm. West Virginia trails the all-time set 44-41, but have gone 29-21 at home against Delmarva since 2005. The Power took 10 of 18 last season, including nine of 13 at Appalachian Power Park. West Virginia and Delmarva will meet five more times this season after this series; the final five days of the regular slate in September.

VERGE OF HISTORY: Rogelio Noris has 24 career home runs for West Virginia over nearly two seasons in a Power jersey. Noris has matched Stephen Chapman for the most home runs in any player's Power career. Chapman hit a single-season record 24 home runs in a Power uniform in 2007. Noris, however, has not hit a home run since July 15, a span of 22 games and 89 at bats.

LEADING BASEBALL: West Virginia's pitching staff continues to lead all of baseball with the fewest number of batters walked this year. Power pitchers have combined to walk 291 batters through 123games. The lowest team total in club history is 346 during the 2010 season, while the league's record low over a 140 game season is 314 by Augusta in 2001. The staff is currently on pace to finish the season with 327 walks issued.

SEE-SAW SCHEDULE: The final few weeks of the 2011 season will see the Power bounce between home and road series. After this four-game set against Delmarva at Appalachian Power Park, West Virginia opens a four day trip to Greensboro starting August 22. The Power open their final homestand of the season; a five game run against Lexington beginning on August 26. The last excursion of the year sends West Virginia to Delmarva over Labor Day weekend.

POWER POINTS: West Virginia's 54 home runs are the seventh fewest in any season since Charleston, WV teams joined the SAL in 1987... Rogelio Noris's five game hitting streak was stopped with an 0-4 performance Friday night... Dan Grovatt has driven in six runs during this series and has matched Justin Howard with 56 to lead the club.

AROUND THE ORGANIZATION: Pittsburgh beat 5-3 Cincinnati at PNC Park... Indianapolis lost 3-1 against Lehigh Valley... Altoona lost 7-6 to Reading in walk-off fashion. The R-Phils scored four in the ninth... Bradenton did not play for the second straight game... State College lost 2-1 at Hudson Valley.

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.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 21, 2011


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