SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

Power Walk-Off With 5-4 Win Over Blueclaws

Published on August 8, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


The West Virginia Power rallied for a 5-4 walk-off win against the Lakewood BlueClaws on Sunday at Appalachian Power Park. The Power trailed 4-1 going into the ninth, but plated four runs with two outs to win their second straight from the South Atlantic League's best team, keyed by base hits from Elevy Gonzalez and Bengie Gonzalez..

Kyle McPherson and Josh Zeid traded strikeouts and zeros over the first few innings. McPherson, making his team-high 21st start for West Virginia, struck out three of the first seven batters he faced, while Zeid retired six on strikes over three innings.

In the top of the third, Lakewood took its first lead of the game when Jiwan James scored on a single by Keoni Ruth. That lead lasted until the fifth when Jose Hernandez led off the home half of the inning with his tenth home run of the season.

The starters and bullpens surrendered few chances for scoring until the eighth when the BlueClaws tallied two unearned runs against Ryan Kelly on two hits and an error. Lakewood added an insurance run in the ninth to build a 4-1 edge.

Luke Wertz came on in a save situation for the BlueClaws in the bottom of the ninth and retired the first two batters he faced. Hernandez singled up the middle against Wertz, who had only allowed six runs over 55 innings this season, and then advanced to third on a base hit by Ramon Cabrera. Rogelio Noris walked as Wertz put the tying run on base. Elevys Gonzalez singled in Hernandez and Cabrera to cut the deficit to one at 4-3. Lakewood manager Mark Parent brought in Eberlin Lugo to finish the game. Bengie Gonzalez doubled off the right field wall which allowed Noris to score easily from third to tie the game and brought home Elevys Gonzalez from first for the victory.

Maurice Bankston (6-4) was credited with the win after pitching the top of the ninth inning and Wertz (4-3) was charged with the loss. Hernandez and Elevys Gonzalez had two hits each accounting for half of West Virginia's total. James and Stephen Batts had the only multi-hit game for Lakewood.

This series will continue on Monday night at Appalachian Power Park. Brett Lorin will start for the Power against the BlueClaws Colby Shreve with a first pitch set for 7:05 pm.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 8, 2010


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