West Virginia Power: Game Notes (May 29)
May 29, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release
The Power begin a three-game series in Lexington, Kentucky, tonight, with first pitch Tuesday set for 7:05 p.m. LHP Domingo Robles (3-3, 3.06 ERA) goes for his fifth consecutive quality start in the series opener and below.
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POWER FALLS IN RAIN-SHORTENED FINALE: Max Kranick was solid in his second South Atlantic League outing, tossing 5.1 innings and tying his career-high with five strikeouts, but allowed a solo home run to Luis Gonzalez and Anthony Villa, the latter of which proved to be the difference as Kannapolis eked out a 2-1 win over West Virginia as the game was completed after 5 and 1/2 innings due to heavy rain in the area on Monday afternoon at Appalachian Power Park. The Power struck first in the opening frame against Intimidators starter John Parke, as Deon Stafford drilled a ground ball to third that Luis Curbelo could not field cleanly, allowing Oneil Cruz to score and give West Virginia a 1-0 edge. Gonzalez then led off the third with his homer, followed by Villa's in the fourth to break the 1-1 tie. Parke was credited with his second complete game of the season as the game was called before the bottom of the sixth began. Drew Fischer faced one batter in the sixth inning, inducing an inning-ending double play on three pitches.
ONE RUN NO FUN: West Virginia is 9-9 in one run affairs, tied for seventh-best in the SAL with Columbia. Five of the Power's last six losses have come by one run, including back-to-back defeats in Columbia and against Kannapolis.
A TURN FOR THE WORSE: On May 15, the Power sat at 22-14, winners of seven of their last eight games and just 2.5 games back in the first half Northern Division standings. Since then, West Virginia has dropped eight of its last 11 games, including three straight series to Lexington, Columbia and Kannapolis. During this stretch, the Power are hitting .231 (77-for-331) while the pitching staff has posted a 3.74 ERA (38 ER/91.1 IP). West Virginia is now 6.0 games back of first-place Kannapolis with 20 games to go in the first half.
WHITE SMOKE! A NEW POPE: Brett Pope has gotten off to a hot start since his promotion to the Power. After going hitless in his first game, Pope has recorded a hit in his last six contests, averaging .444 (8-for-18) with a home run and three RBI. He has also played exceptional defense, committing one error in 20 total chances over 53.1 innings.
POWER OUTAGE: West Virginia did not hit a home run across its a four-game series against Kannapolis. Despite their drought, the Power's 44 homers still stand at third-best in the league behind Asheville (50) and Lexington (52). West Virginia had homered at least once in all but two series prior to the four-game dry spell against the Intimidators.
ROLLING ROBLES: Tuesday starter Domingo Robles has been outstanding in the month of May, spinning four consecutive quality starts. Since his April 29 scuffle against Lexington, the Dominican native is 2-1 with a 2.42 ERA over 26 innings pitched, during which he has struck out 14 batters and walked just five. Robles has five quality starts on the season, the most of any West Virginia starter in 2018. His 3.06 season ERA is sixth-lowest among all Pirates farmhands, while Evan Piechota's 1.96 mark leads the pack. Robles has faced Lexington twice in 2018, going 1-1 with a spotless ERA in 7.2 innings pitched, as all nine runs he has allowed have been unearned. Last time the southpaw battled the Legends, he tied his career-high in innings pitched with a seven-inning gem, scattering five hits and fanning six.
SEEKING REVENGE: West Virginia begins a six-game road trip in Lexington, Kentucky, as the club faces Lexington for the third time in 2018. The last time these two teams met, the Legends took three of four from the Power, beginning West Virginia's recent down tick. However, the Power did claim two of three at Whitaker Bank Ballpark in late April.
WILY WEIMAN: Blake Weiman has been exceptional in 2018 for the Power. The left-hander hurled two perfect innings in Friday's 5-0 win over Kannapolis, striking out a pair and bringing his season ERA down to 1.29 over 14 appearances. These sterling frames came one outing after he had the best relief appearance of his season, twirling a career-high four scoreless innings on May 21 in Columbia, where he stranded four baserunners in extras. The Kansas product has not allowed a run in his last 10.1 innings, during which he has 13 strikeouts. The Power have won the last six games Weiman has appeared in. He holds the lowest BB/9IP in the SAL at 0.64, while his 7.71 baserunners/9IP is fourth-lowest.
POWER POINTS: Mason Martin is mired in a 5-for-43 (.116) slump in the month of May... The Power went 0-for-7 with RISP Monday... Chris Sharpe notched his sixth outfield assist Monday, the most of any West Virginia outfielder.
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.
South Atlantic League Stories from May 29, 2018
- 21 Hit Attack Leads Rome to 11-3 Win - Rome Emperors
- Power Doubled up by Lexington in Series Opener - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Olivares Stays Scalding Hot in RiverDogs Defeat to Columbia - Charleston RiverDogs
- Suns Shutout in Third Straight Loss - Hagerstown Suns
- Fireflies Win Tense Series Opener in Charleston - Columbia Fireflies
- Lexington Legends Double up West Virginia in First of Three Games - Lexington Legends
- Miller Matches Career-High 7.0 IP in Loss - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Rosso, Claws Top Greensboro 5-1 for 5th Straight Win - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Game Postponed - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Shorebirds Rained out in K-Town - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Tuesday's Action at Fluor Field Postponed - Greenville Drive
- Rain Postpones Games in Greenville - Augusta GreenJackets
- Bret Boswell Named SAL Player of the Week - Asheville Tourists
- West Virginia Power: Game Notes (May 29) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Fireflies Game Notes: May 29 at Charleston (Game 49) - Columbia Fireflies
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