Rinehart Shines in Relief Despite Walk-Off Loss
July 26, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release
ROME, Ga. - Logan Rinehart spun three sterling innings of middle relief and West Virginia took a short-lived in the top of the 10th, but the Rome Braves fought back to walk it off in the bottom of the frame and hand the Power a 5-4 loss in the series opener Friday night at State Mutual Stadium.
West Virginia (16-19, 53-52) wasted no time getting its offense going, as Manny Pazos stroked the first pitch he saw from Gabriel Noguera into right field for a base hit. Matt Sanders followed with a single of his own, but Pazos was gunned down at third trying to take an extra base by Jose Bermudez. After Julio Rodriguez struck out, Bobby Honeyman singled Sanders over to third, and Austin Shenton deposited a run-scoring knock to left-center that plated Sanders and gave the Power a 1-0 lead.
Nate Fisher was very solid to begin his second Low-A start, scattering four hits over the first three innings while keeping the Braves off the board. However, Shea Langeliers unloaded a baseball over the left-field wall to lead off the fourth, knotting the game at one.
Rome (18-17, 48-56) extended their lead in the fifth with two more runs to take a 3-1 lead, as Braden Shewmake brought in a run when he reached on a fielding error by Sanders and Langeliers singled in the other tally. Fisher would exit after five innings of work, ceding nine hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out three and not walking a batter.
After his rough first inning, Noguera settled in rather quickly, coughing up just two hits from the second through the sixth frames. However, West Virginia managed to fight back in the seventh, with Nick Rodriguez igniting the rally courtesy of a leadoff single to center. Mike Salvatore stroked a single of his own to follow, with both runners advancing an additional base on a throwing error by Bermudez. Pazos then sent in N-Rod on a sacrifice fly, while Sanders worked a walk to end Noguera's night.
Tanner Lawson (3-4) took over for Noguera and immediately allowed one of his inherited runners to score, as Julio brought Salvatore home with an RBI groundout to tie the game at three. Lawson was firing on all cylinders after that, retiring the next seven men he faced in order through the ninth.
Meanwhile, Rinehart was brilliant in relief of Fisher, facing the minimum through his three innings of work while registering a career-high five strikeouts.
Kyle Hill (1-2) relieved Rinehart in the ninth and danced around a one-out walk to send the game to extras. In the top of the 10th, Sanders came up hacking against Lawson, lacing a leadoff single to right that scored Pazos, the placed on runner, from second to vault West Virginia ahead 4-3.
However, the Braves had one more rally in them in the home half of the inning. Hill struck out the first batter he faced in Braulio Vasquez, but Justin Dean, the placed on runner, swiped third before Shewmake blasted an RBI triple to left-center that squared the contest at four. The next batter, Langeliers, lofted a fly ball to center deep enough to plate Shewmake and win it 5-4.
The Power continues their four-game series against the Rome Braves Saturday night at State Mutual Stadium, with first pitch set for 6:00 p.m. RHP Ryne Inman (7-6, 4.41 ERA) heads to the hill for West Virginia, while Rome sends righty William Woods (0-3, 3.91 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 5:40 p.m. on The Jock 1300 and 1340 AM, as well as online at wvpower.com and via the TuneIn Radio App and MiLB First Pitch App.
The Power returns to Appalachian Power Park on July 31 for another seven-game homestand that welcomes the Rome Braves and Greensboro Grasshoppers to town. Some highlights of the homestand include Purple Power Night on Wednesday, July 31, CAMC Night on Friday, August 2, and Back to School Night on Saturday, August 3. The Power will sport special 'Hot Shot' jerseys on Friday that will be auctioned off with proceeds going to the CAMC Foundation and benefiting local causes in the Kanawha Valley. Saturday, the first 1,000 fans can receive a limited edition backpack as a part of Back to School Night, presented by Todd Judy Ford. For tickets and more information, call the Power at 304-344-2287 or visit www.wvpower.com.
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