SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

Power Top Hickory, 4-3

Published on August 25, 2012 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


The West Virginia Power beat the Hickory Crawdads 4-3 on Saturday evening at Appalachian Power Park. A crowd of just over 4,000 watched the Power take an early lead, the Crawdads battle back and tie the game, and West Virginia plate a run in the seventh for the victory.

In the home half of the first, Taylor Lewis and Francisco Aponte reached on back-to-back singles to start the inning. Lewis scored on a ground out from Eric Avila and Dan Gamache drove in Aponte for a 2-0 lead.

The Power added a run in the fourth on a Gamache double and single by Chris Lashmet. Lashmet drove the ball to left field and Gamache was waved home by third base coach Edgar Varela. Alejandro Selen made a nearly perfect throw to the plate, but Gamache shouldered into Crawdads catcher Jorge Alfaro and knocked the ball loose to put West Virginia up 3-0.

Mike Jefferson made the start for the Power and did not allow a base hit until the third inning. In the top of the fifth, Hickory broke up the shutout with two runs on three hits. The Crawdads tied the game at three in the top of the sixth on three singles and a West Virginia error.

Gamache led off the bottom of the sixth with a walk and moved to third on a double by Lashmet. With one out, Francisco Diaz hit a fly ball to right. Trever Adams made the catch and threw to the plate. Gamache slide around Alfaro's tag for a 4-3 lead on the sacrifice fly.

Robbie Kilcrease pitched two shutout innings of relief before passing the ball to Nathan Kilcrease for the ninth. Nathan Kilcrease struck out Nick Urbanus to start the inning. Luis Sardinas singled to center but was thrown out at second while trying to extend the hit. Kilcrease end the game by striking out Rougned Odor.

Jefferson (6-7) earned the win, striking out five over six innings in his second consecutive quality start. Andrew Faulkner started for Hickory but did not factor in the decision. Victor Payano (6-8) pitched the final three innings for the Crawdads and allowed the eventual winning run to score. Robbie Kilcrease picked up his 12th hold of the season and Nathan Kilcrease notched his 13th save in as many chances.

Gamache paced the offense with two hits and two runs scored. Lashmet and Lewis had multi-hit games as well to help the Power snap a two-game slide and beat the Crawdads for the first time this season. Hickory had taken all six of the previous games played between the clubs in 2012. Eric Avila went hitless and saw his 13 -game hitting streak come to an end.

West Virginia and Hickory conclude this series on Sunday afternoon at Appalachian Power Park. Robby Rowland and Kevin Matthews will start for the Power and Crawdads, respectively, with a scheduled first pitch at 2:05 pm.

SECOND HALF RECORD: 34-28

OVERALL RECORD: 57-75

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 25, 2012


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