SAL1 Lexington Legends

West Virginia Builds Early Lead, Holds off Legends 9-7

Published on June 12, 2012 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Lexington Legends News Release


(WHITAKER BANK BALLPARK, Lexington, Ky.) Willy Garcia had three hits, including a home run and three runs batted in as the West Virginia Power defeated the Lexington Legends 9-7 Tuesday night.

The Power scored in the first inning when Alen Hanson led off with a double, was sacrificed to third, and scored on Garcia's single to center.

Garcia homered with a man on in the second inning to increase the lead to 3-0.

Lexington countered with a run in the third. With one out, Delino DeShields Jr. and Jordan Scott drew walks and then executed a successful double steal, putting runners at second and third. Zach

Johnson's grounder to shortstop scored DeShields.

West Virginia extended its lead with three runs in the fourth. Elias Diaz led off with a double and moved to third on Carlos Mesa's single. Francisco Aponte singled to right field, scoring Diaz and moving Mesa to second. A wild pitch advanced Mesa to third and Aponte to second. Hanson followed with an infield single, and when his slowly-hit ground ball got by DeShields, Mesa scored on the error and

Aponte advanced to third. After Hanson stole second, Kirk Singer hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Aponte and giving West Virginia a 6-1 lead.

The Legends got one run back on Jesse Wierzbicki's solo homer in the bottom of the fourth, and added another in the fifth when DeShields singled stole second and third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Scott. The three steals by DeShields increased his South Atlantic League-leading total to 41.

Lexington closed to within one run in the seventh when Johnson homered with a man on, slicing the lead to 6-5. Johnson had four hits in five at bats in the game and drove in three runs.

But the Power came back with three runs in the eighth inning. Garcia led off with a single and advanced to third with one out on Chris Lashmet's single. Diaz then singled to score Garcia as Lashmet moved to second. One out later, pinch hitter Dan Gamache singled to center, driving home Lashmet and moving Diaz to third. A wild pitch by Legends reliever Carlos Quevedo allowed Diaz to score, giving the Power a 9-5 lead.

The Legends answered with two runs in the bottom of the eighth. With two out, Roberto Pena doubled. After Jimmy Howick walked, a wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third. DeShields drove in both with a single to right field, but the Legends could get no closer.

Rinku Singh (2-1) was inserted into the game in the fifth inning and got the win.

Legends starter Nick Tropeano (5-4) took the loss after surrendering six runs, five of them earned, in four innings of work.

The Legends and Power wrap up their three game series Wednesday night at Whitaker Bank Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Check out the Lexington Legends Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 12, 2012


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