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Charleston Dirty Birds

WV Power Game Notes

April 7, 2013 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


Asheville Tourists (3-0) at West Virginia Power (0-3)

Game 4 | April 7, 2013 | Appalachian Power Park | Charleston, WV

Radio: Charleston's ESPN 104.5 & 1490 - www.wvpower.com Airtime: 1:45 pm

TODAY'S MATCHUP

LH Jonathan Vargas (No Record) vs. RH John Kuchno (No Record)

Vargas: Pitched in six games for Grand Junction in 2012 after missing all of 2011 w/ injury

Kuchno: Appeared in four games for State College in 2012 (0-1, 9.00 ERA w/ 6 K & 3 BB over 5.0 IP )

THE LEAD OFF: West Virginia fell for the third consecutive game, dropping a 4-1 final to Asheville on Saturday night. The Power took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a single by Stetson Allie and the Tourists tied the game in the fourth. Asheville took the lead off West Virginia starter Orlando Castro in the top of the seventh and plated an insurance run in the ninth. Castro took the loss despite notching the team's first quality start of the season. Allie and Dilson Herrera each collected a pair of hits; their first base knocks of the season.

ROSTER RUNDOWN: The initial 2013 Power roster features five players ranked by Baseball America in the top 30 Pittsburgh Pirates prospects, eight with South Atlantic League experience, and 13 selected within the last two drafts. Outfielder Josh Bell (6th according to BA) returns after missing most of the 2012 season with a knee injury. Other top prospects include pitcher Clay Holmes (10), catcher Wyatt Mathisen (15), pitcher Tyler Glasnow (19), and infielder Dilson Herrera (20), the reigning Topps GCL Player-of-the-Year.

CHASING 300: West Virginia remains eight wins away from reaching 300 home victories. The franchise holds a current mark of 292-263 at Appalachian Power Park including both regular season and playoff contests.

HIGH QUALITY: Orlando Castro's quality start on Saturday was the fourth of his career and the first since July 2, 2011 while pitching in the GCL. The southpaw made one spot start last year, snapping a string of 24 straight relief appearances between July 2011 and May 2012, before returning to the Power or State College Spikes bullpen for the remainder of the 2012 season.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Charleston's ESPN Radio 104.5 FM and 1490 will carry the Cincinnati Reds game on Monday starting at 4:10 and will join West Virginia's series opener with the Charleston RiverDogs in progress after the final out in St. Louis. The full Power broadcast will be available online at www.wvpower.com starting at 6:45 pm.

HISTORY IS IN THE PAST: West Virginia teams have gotten off to rough starts in six of their first eight seasons, regardless of affiliation with Milwaukee (2005 - 08) or Pittsburgh (2009 - present). Power clubs have gone 8-21 combined during their first series of each season from 2005 though 2012.

TOP TO BOTTOM TROUBLE: After three days of action, Pittsburgh's farm teams have the second lowest combined winning percentage. Only Kansas City's Minor League affiliates, who remain winless at a combined 0-11, have won less than Indianapolis, Altoona, Bradenton, and West Virginia combined (3-9 for a .250 winning percentage).

TOURISTS TRAVEL WELL: Asheville leads the all-time series with West Virginia 40-27 and have gone 23-13 at Appalachian Power Park since 2005. These two clubs close out this series this afternoon, but will meet again later this week at McCormick Field when the Tourists hold their home opening series. The Power are 14-17 all-time in Asheville.

ALUMNI WATCH: Jameson Taillon (2011) made his season debut yesterday, pitching five shutout innings for the Altoona Curve. Chris Lashmet went 2-4 last night as the designated hitter for Bradenton.

POWER POINTS: Copies of the 2013 Media Guide are available upon request... David Jagoditch is the only reliever who has not seen action over the first three games for West Virginia... Walker Gourley went 0-4 on Saturday and saw his two game hitting streak snapped. No Power player has hit safely in all three games...

AROUND THE ORGANIZATION: Pittsburgh was shutout by Los Angeles for the second consecutive game. Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers bullpen held the Pirates to just a pair of hits... Indianapolis garnered its' first win of the season, beating Columbus 5-3. Darren Ford went 1-4 with a run batted in... Altoona edged Erie 6-3... Bradenton remained winless, losing 10-6 at Fort Myers. Matt Benedict took the loss after allowing seven runs (2 earned) over three innings.

ON THE AIR: West Virginia Power games can be heard on Charleston's ESPN 104.5 FM and 1490 AM in Charleston, WV, and online at wvpower.com. Adam Marco will call the action for all 140 games this season and will be joined by Mike Baggerman when the team plays at Appalachian Power Park.

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