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SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

West Virginia Power: Game Notes (April 9) vs. Lakewood

April 9, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


After sweeping Greenville in Sunday's doubleheader, the Power welcome the Lakewood BlueClaws to town for a three-game series beginning Monday at 7:05 p.m. LHP Braeden Ogle makes his Low-A debut for West Virginia against Lakewood righty Connor Brogdon.

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A WILD AND WONDERFUL WALKOFF WIN: In a game that featured five lead changes, 15 runs and 18 combined hits, the West Virginia Power claimed their first victory of the season in game one of a twin bill on Sunday afternoon at Appalachian Power Park. Deon Stafford settled the extra-innings affair in the eighth with a walkoff sacrifice fly that scored Ryan Peurifoy from third base to give the Power an 8-7 triumph. The contest featured West Virginia's first home runs of the season, courtesy of Mason Martin, Calvin Mitchell and Chris Sharpe, while Gavin Wallace set down 10 of 11 batters in a stretch from the final out of the first to the end of the fourth in his Low-A debut. Dylan Prohoroff earned the win with a spotless eighth frame.

TWICE THE WINS, TWICE THE FUN: The Power did not slow down in game two, as eight of the nine starters reached base against Greenville, while Kyle Watson and Rafelin Lorenzo launched back-to-back jacks in the third inning off Drive starter Nick Duron. Dylan Busby and Rodolfo Castro chipped in two hits apiece in the 10-3 blowout win as well, while Power starter Evan Piechota spun five innings of one-run ball in a spot start to secure the win. Piechota struck out a career high-tying seven batters over 71 pitches and did not issue a single free pass.

TEEING OFF ON MASTERS SUNDAY: The Power combined to hit five home runs during Sunday's doubleheader against Greenville, with Lorenzo, Martin, Mitchell, Sharpe and Watson all leaving the yard for their first home runs of 2018. The last time West Virginia accumulated five home runs over a two-game stretch was August 21 at Greenville and August 23 vs. Charleston last season. Yoel Gonzalez, Victor Fernandez and Ryan Nagle each went deep in South Carolina against the Drive, while Kevin Mahala and Henrry Rosario registered roundtrippers at Appalachian Power Park against the RiverDogs.

BACK-TO-BACK: Watson and Lorenzo's back-to-back home runs in game two of Sunday's doubleheader marked the first time West Virginia recorded a pair of consecutive home runs since June 22, 2017, when Adrian Valerio and Ty Moore each left the yard versus the Lexington Legends at Appalachian Power Park.

BLUECLAWS SCOUTING REPORT: West Virginia welcomes the Lakewood BlueClaws to the Kanawha Valley for the first of two three-game sets at Appalachian Power Park in 2018. The BlueClaws are 1-3 on the season after dropping three of four to the Kannapolis Intimidators to open the 2018 campaign, including a doubleheader sweep at the hands of the I's yesterday. Lakewood's roster consists of four top-30 Philadelphia prospects per Baseball America, including #7 Jhailyn Ortiz, #14 Simon Muzziotti, #18 Spencer Howard and #20 Daniel Brito. Brito is in his second season with the BlueClaws, while Ortiz has elevated to the Low-A level after earning All-Star accolades in the New York-Penn League a season ago with Williamsport. As a team, Lakewood is hitting .168 (19-of-138) over their first four games, while their pitching staff sports a solid 3.10 ERA. Dalton Guthrie leads the BlueClaws offensively with a .444 average, while Will Stewart owns the lone victory for Lakewood with a five-inning, four-hit effort on Friday.

THE PITCHING MATCHUP:  LHP Braeden Ogle heads to the rubber for his Low-A debut on Monday evening against Lakewood, who will counter with RHP Connor Brogdon. Ogle, a fourth-round selection by Pittsburgh two years ago out of Jensen Beach HS in Florida, is ranked as the 29th-best prospect in the Pirates' system per MLB.com. The southpaw spent all of 2017 with rookie-level Bristol, where he went 2-3 with a 3.14 ERA over 10 starts, striking out 35 batters to just 10 walks over 43 innings in the Appalachian League. His 2017 campaign was cut short in late August due to a torn meniscus. Brogdon makes his first professional start on Monday after pitching exclusively as a reliever in 2017 for Williamsport, where he went 3-1 with a 2.34 ERA in 16 appearances. The 23-year-old was the Phillies' 10th-round pick in 2017 out of Lewis-Clark State College (ID), where he won an NAIA national title.

POWER POINTS: The Power went 5-for-30 (.167) with runners in scoring position across their four-game series with Greenville... West Virginia designated hitters are 0-for-10 through four games in 2018... Watson tied his career-high in RBIs (3) with his three-run homer in game two on Sunday... Busby's three runs scored in game two marked a new career-high for the Power infielder... West Virginia had not scored 10 runs in a contest since August 18, 2017, when they defeated the Greenville Drive 10-8 in South Carolina... Every Power starter reached base in game one on Sunday.

ON THE AIR: West Virginia Power games can be heard on The Jock 1300 & 1340 AM in the Kanawha Valley, online at wvpower.com and on the TuneIn Radio App. David Kahn and John Kocsis will handle play-by-play duties in 2018.

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