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Charleston Dirty Birds

West Virginia Power: Game Notes (July 17)

July 17, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


West Virginia wraps up its four-game series with the Delmarva Shorebirds this afternoon at 12:05 p.m. from Appalachian Power Park. RHP Hunter Stratton (3-3, 5.56 ERA) takes the hill for the Power.

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KRANICK SHINES IN 4-1 LOSS TO 'BIRDS: Max Kranick struck out nine batters over 5.1 innings in his second career start against the Delmarva Shorebirds, but West Virginia's offense could only muster one run on three hits while Delmarva mounted a four-run comeback over the final four frames to win, 4-1, Monday night at Appalachian Power Park. The Power struck first in the second inning against DL Hall, who carried a 17.1-inning scoreless streak until Jesse Medrano snapped it with an RBI single up the middle to score Deon Stafford after he doubled to begin the frame. However, West Virginia would only tally one more hit after that inning, a fifth-inning infield single from Oneil Cruz. The 'Birds were able to tie it up against Kranick in the sixth on an RBI knock to left from Cadyn Grenier. Hall settled down to toss a six-inning quality start, fanning a career-high 10 batters before handing it off to Max Knutson, who hurled three perfect frames to secure the victory and his first save of the season. Beau Sulser was saddled with the loss after the Shorebirds took the lead in the seventh on an dropped pop up by Cruz. Meanwhile, Elvis Escobar spun the final two frames and gave up two runs on four hits while striking out a pair.

THE K-MAN: Kranick posted a career-high nine strikeouts, reaching that mark as he blazed through the fourth inning Monday. The Valley View High School (PA) product struck out the side in the first and third innings, set down four batters in a row via the strikeout twice and retired 10 in a row from the final out of the second through the end of the fifth.

NICE INHERITANCE: Sulser has continued to be stingy when he inherits runners on base coming into a ballgame. He entered in the sixth inning of Monday's game with one out and runners at first and second, but was unfazed, calmly inducing a 6-4-3 double play from Trevor Craport to end the inning. That marked the second straight outing that Sulser has come in with runners on base and gotten out of it with a twin killing (July 12, Bottom 6, at Hickory). Overall, Sulser has not allowed any of his 10 inherited runners to score while the first batters he faces in a relief appearance are averaging .227 (5-for-22) with six strikeouts. As a team, the Power have let 38 percent of their inherited runners score.

404 ERROR MESSAGE: West Virginia's defense committed two more errors Monday, upping its season total to 119, fourth-highest in the South Atlantic League (Rome, 126; Lexington, 122; Greenville, 120). West Virginia has a .963 fielding percentage in 2018, tied with Lexington for the worst mark in the league. Cruz leads the SAL in errors with 28.

POWER BATS STRUGGLING: After boasting a torrid .375 clip in June, Cruz is struggling to find his swing in July. The shortstop is batting .183 (11-for-60) in the month and is just 3 for his last 27 with seven strikeouts. Meanwhile, Calvin Mitchell is posting a miniscule .167 (8-for-48) stroke in July and is 2 for his last 25 with nine strikeouts. As a team, West Virginia has notched a .201 mark in July, the worst average in the league, while its 4.58 ERA is third-highest on the circuit (Greensboro, 4.95 and Columbia, 4.75).

IN NEED OF LATE-INNING MAGIC: Delmarva set down the final 15 Power batters they faced Monday night, as the Power did not register a baserunner past the fifth inning. West Virginia also had its bats quieted late in the series opener at Hickory last Wednesday, when the Crawdads' staff retired the last 19 Power batters at the plate.

BYE BYE BIRDIE(S): Tuesday's afternoon affair marks the last time West Virginia and Delmarva will see each other this season. Fittingly, the game serves as a rubber match in the season series, while the Power are trying to avoid a fourth straight series loss in the second half, as the 'Birds currently hold a 2-1 series lead. West Virginia did not make the trip to Arthur W. Perdue Stadium this season, one of three ballparks the Power will not travel to in 2018 (Asheville's McCormick Field and Greenville's Flour Field).

SAL ALL-STAR GAME RETURNS TO CHARLESTON: The West Virginia Power and the City of Charleston will host the 2019 South Atlantic League All-Star Game, the team announced Thursday afternoon. 2019 will mark the second time Appalachian Power Park has played host to the SAL's Mid-Summer Classic, with the first time occurring back in 2009. The City of Charleston hosted the All-Star Game for the first time in 1989, when the team was named the Charleston Wheelers. The 2019 South Atlantic League All-Star Game will take place on Tuesday, June 18, 2019.

POWER POINTS: West Virginia went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position, stranding six men on base... The Power turned their 69th and 70th double plays of the season last night, becoming the eighth South Atlantic League team with at least 70 double palys in 2018... Medrano is hitting .400 (4-for-10) with three RBI in the Delmarva series.

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