SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

Power Take Tenth in a Row

Published on August 18, 2009 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


Charleston, WV (August 18, 2009) - The West Virginia Power erased a four run deficit and nearly let a five run lead slip away on Tuesday night at Appalachian Power Park but in the end they were able to escape with a 10-9 victory over the Asheville Tourists to score their tenth win in a row.

The Tourists took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on Jordan Pacheco's 13th homerun of the season. The Tourists used the long ball again in the fourth inning to extend their lead on Kiel Roling's two-run shot, and Jimmy Cesario scored later in the fourth on a wild pitch. Down 4-0 going into the bottom of the fourth, West Virginia plated a pair of runs to cut the lead in half. Calvin Anderson started the inning with his fifth triple of the season and scored on Quincy Latimore's groundout. Starling Marte followed with a bunt single and scored later that inning on Danny Bomback's two out base hit. Carlos Martinez started the fifth inning for Asheville with a double and later scored on a passed ball.

West Virginia entered the bottom of the fifth inning down 5-2, but scored eight times on six hits to take the lead for good. Robbie Grossman started the rally with a base hit before Tony Sanchez was hit by a pitch. Anderson then hit a fly ball to deep right center field that was dropped by Asheville center fielder Delta Cleary Jr. and the error allowed both Grossman and Sanchez to score. Latimore followed with a double to bring Anderson home and Latimore scored on Kyle Morgan's base hit. Bobby Spain doubled in the next two runs and came home on Greg Picart's single before Sanchez's groundout plated Bomback for the final run of the inning.

Asheville made it interesting in the top of the ninth. Duke Welker retired the first seven batters he faced, including the lead off hitter in the ninth inning, but he then issued three straight walks to load the bases. Casey Erickson entered and induced a pop out on the infield before Scott Robinson drove in a run with a base hit. Delta Cleary Jr. walked with the bases full and Pacheco singled in two more runs. Erickson fanned Mike Zuanich with the bases loaded to end the game.

Wilson Ortiz (4-3) allowed an unearned run on one hit over two innings of relief to get the victory. Erickson (3) allowed a run on two hits over two-thirds of the ninth inning to get the save. Juan Nicasio (7-2) was tagged for ten runs on 12 hits through four innings and suffered the loss.

West Virginia improved to 56-61 overall, and 29-18 in the second half after the victory, while the Tourists fell to 50-62 overall and 30-19 in the second half after the loss. Tony Sanchez's RBI groundout in the fifth inning extended his RBI streak to seven games but he went 0-for-4 to bring his hitting streak to an end at seven games. Bobby Spain paced the Power with three hits while Greg Picart, Calvin Anderson and Danny Bomback turned in two hits a piece. West Virginia has scored 19 runs on 25 hits over the first two games of the series.

West Virginia will continue the four game series with the Asheville Tourists at Appalachian Power Park on Wednesday night. The Power will start right hander Brett Lorin (0-0, 1.93) and the Tourists will counter with right hander Dan Houston (6-8, 3.99). The first pitch will be delivered at 7:05 PM.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 18, 2009


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