SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

West Virginia Power: Game Notes (September 3)

Published on September 3, 2018 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


With one game remaining in the 2018 regular season and a spot in the South Atlantic League playoffs up for grabs, West Virginia concludes its final regular season series against the Charleston RiverDogs this afternoon. First pitch is set for 2:05 p.m. from Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. RHP Sergio Cubilete (5-5, 5.23 ERA) toes the rubber for the Power.

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NUNEZ HURLS QUALITY START IN LOSS: Oddy Nunez tossed his fourth quality start since joining the West Virginia Power, but the Power's offense could not solve Shawn Semple and Alexander Vargas as they fell to the RiverDogs, 3-2, Sunday evening at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. Nunez spun 7.1 innings, the most he has recorded with the Power in 2018, and allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out four batters and walking one. The RiverDogs scored their first two runs against Nunez on Leonardo Molina's single and a throwing error by Travis Swaggerty in the fourth. They plated their third and final run in the fifth courtesy of a sacrifice fly by Jerry Seitz. West Virginia was finally able to get to Semple in the sixth, tallying two runs on an RBI double from Calvin Mitchell and a wild pitch by Semple that scored Connor Kaiser. However, the offense was stymied the rest of the game, as Vargas fired three scoreless innings to close out the contest and pick up his fourth save of the season.

QUALITY STUFF: West Virginia's rotation has turned in seven consecutive quality starts. In their 43.1 innings pitched, Ike Schlabach, Nunez, Sergio Cubilete, Samuel Reyes and Hunter Stratton have allowed just seven earned runs on 31 hits while totaling 31 strikeouts, good for a 1.45 ERA. Here's each of their lines in their most recent starts:

8/27 vs. Hagerstown; Schlabach: 6 IP, 6H, 2R, 3BB, 5K

8/28 vs. Hagerstown; Nunez: 6 IP, 2H, 2R, 3BB, 4K

8/29 vs. Hagerstown; Cubilete: 6 IP, 3H, 0R, 5BB, 5K

8/30 vs. Hagerstown; Reyes: 6 IP, 4H, 1R (unearned), 0BB, 7K

8/31 at Charleston; Stratton: 6 IP, 6H, 2R, 1ER, 3BB, 3K

9/1 at Charleston; Schlabach: 6 IP, 2H, 0R, 4BB, 3K

9/2 at Charleston; Nunez: 7.1 IP, 8H, 3R, 2 ER, 1BB, 4K

GOOD GRIEF, THAT'S SOME RELIEF: The Power's bullpen has been stellar over the team's last seven games. Over these seven contests, the relief corps has surrendered just two earned runs over 19.2 innings of work, ceding only 10 hits and five walks while striking out 18 batters and posting a 0.92 ERA in that stretch. West Virginia's bullpen capped a streak of six straight games with a save with three consecutive in the first three games of the series against Hagerstown. The Power has had 16 different pitchers record at least one save this season, a new club record.

MASHING MITCHELL: Mitchell has continued to dominate down the stretch for West Virginia. Over his last 11 games, the South Atlantic League Annual All-Star is averaging .273 (12-for-44) with a home run and 12 RBI. Mitchell connected for his second straight home run against the RiverDogs Saturday, with the last one coming August 18. The outfielder's 10 homers are fourth-best on the team (Oneil Cruz, 14), while his 65 RBI lead all Power sluggers and sit at third-highest in the Pirates organization, trailing Logan Hill (72) and Will Craig (101) of Double-A Altoona. Mitchell has reached base in eight straight games, dating back to August 26 against the Rome Braves.

QUALITY ODDY: Nunez turned in another nice outing with the Power, recording his fourth quality start in five tries with West Virginia in 2018. Since he rejoined the Power's rotation in August, Nunez is 1-1 with a 2.30 ERA. He has struck out 21 batters compared to just seven walks over 31.1 innings, while holding batters to a .221 clip against him. Nunez has not allowed more than three runs and has gone at least five innings in all five of his starts with the Power.

WIN AND YOU'RE IN: Hagerstown defeated Kannapolis Sunday, 4-1, sending West Virginia's magic number down to one in the South Atlantic League's Northern Division Wild Card race. With one game left in the regular season, here are the scenarios where West Virginia can qualify for the 2018 South Atlantic League postseason:

- Win against the Charleston RiverDogs

- Kannapolis loses to the Hagerstown Suns

The only way West Virginia would not qualify for the postseason is if they lose to the Charleston RiverDogs and Kannapolis defeats the Hagerstown Suns Monday afternoon. Both games are scheduled for 2:05 p.m.

POWER POINTS: The Power is 31-18 when their starter goes six innings... Lolo Sanchez has reached base in nine straight games going back to August 24... West Virginia went 1-for-6 with RISP... The Power is 16-26 in one-run games.

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South Atlantic League Stories from September 3, 2018


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