SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

Power rolls past Suns

Published on July 3, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


Charleston, WV (July 3, 2008) - A pair of two out hits from Eric Fryer and Eric Farris along with great pitching from Dan Merklinger and Rob Bryson produced a 3-2 victory for the West Virginia Power over the Hagerstown Suns on Thursday night at Appalachian Power Park.

Anderson De La Rosa started the bottom of the third inning with his first homerun of the season to give the Power an early edge. The Suns tied the game a half inning later on Sean Rooney's RBI single. West Virginia wasted no time taking the lead back in the bottom of the fourth.

Steffan Wilson walked on six pitches with two outs and got to second base on a passed ball before Fryer drove him home with his first of two singles on the night. The Power added an insurance run in the fifth inning when Farris's base hit scored Matt Cline to make it a 3-1 Power lead. The Suns scored their final run on Tim Pahuta's RBI double in the eighth.

Merklinger (3-5) delivered his finest outing of the season in a winning effort. He stuck out a season high nine betters and allowed just a run on four hits over six innings. Rob Bryson (5) fanned four in three innings and allowed just an unearned run on one hit to get the save. Brad Meyers (4-3) was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs on six hits over six innings.

The Power improved to 42-41 on the year and 10-4 in the second half with the win. The Suns fell to 42-41 on the year and 8-6 in the second half with the loss. West Virginia has now won six in a row, their longest winning streak of the season. Fryer paced the Power with a 3-for-3 performance and was the only Power player with a multi-hit game. Caleb Gindl doubled in the eighth inning to extend his hitting streak to nine games. Former Charleston Wheeler Pokey Reese was the starting second baseman for the Suns and went 0-for-4 with a run.

The Power will continue the four game series against the Hagerstown Suns at Appalachian Power Park on Friday afternoon. Left hander Evan Frederickson (0-0, 0.00) will get the start for the Power and the Suns will counter with right hander Erik Arnesen (6-2, 4.22). The first pitch is scheduled for 4:05 PM.

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 3, 2008


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