SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

WV Power Game Notes

Published on August 5, 2014 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


Hagerstown Suns (27-17, 71-43) at West Virginia Power (21-23, 41-71)

Game 113 | August 5, 2014 | Appalachian Power Park | Charleston, WV

Radio: Charleston's ESPN 104.5 & 1490 - wvpower.com Airtime: 6:45 pm

TONIGHT'S MATCH-UP

RH Lucas Giolito (7-2, 2.17) vs. RH Dovydas Neverauskas (5-9, 5.35)

Neverauskas: Allowed 2 R on 8 H over 6.0 IP in 7/31 ND vs. LEX w/ 4 K & 0 BB (5-4 LEX)

Giolito: Allowed 0 R on 2 H over 6.0 IP in 7/31 W @ CSC w/ 6 K & 1 BB (1-0 CSC)

THE LEAD OFF: The Power bested the Hagerstown Suns in the series opener 5-2 on Monday evening at Appalachian Power Park. Hagerstown got on the board first with a Spencer Kieboom solo blast in the fourth, but in the bottom half the Power responded when a run scored on a Suns error. West Virginia, however, blew the game wide open in the sixth with four runs on RBI base hits from JaCoby Jones, Reese McGuire and Erich Weiss. Buddy Borden tossed seven innings, allowing one run on two hits to get the win and Andrew Cooper was charged with the loss.

BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES: Tuesday's matchup with the Hagerstown Suns continues the toughest stretch left in 2014 season for the West Virginia Power. The Power continue a three-game set with the Suns tonight, who currently sit atop the Northern Division with a 27-17 second half record. When the series concludes, West Virginia will travel to Asheville to battle the Tourists for four games. Asheville is in first place in the Southern Division with a 32-13 second half mark. The Power are currently 6.5 games behind Hagerstown.

SUN SET: West Virginia and Hagerstown continue their final series of the season tonight. The Suns lead the all-time series 71-60 dating back to 2005, though the Power have the home advantage at 34 wins over 30 losses. The Power were swept by Hagerstown in a four-game set in late April, allowing five or more runs in every game.

WAKE UP CALL: The West Virginia Power have been outscored in the first inning in 2014 81-51. Power hurler Dovydas Neverauskas has allowed 20 earned runs in 21 first innings pitched, most of any Power starter.

POWER OUTAGE: The West Virginia Power are second-to-last in the South Atlantic League in home runs in 2014. The Power have blasted 44 long balls, just three in front of Delmarva. The last Power home run came on July 25 in Hickory from Edwin Espinal. JaCoby Jones is tops on the team with 16 long balls with Espinal second at five.

BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL: In 66 of West Virginia's 112 games, the Power have allowed the first run of the ballgame. West Virginia is 13-53 when allowing the first run of the game in 2014 and 28-18 when scoring first. Meanwhile, when West Virginia trails after six innings, the Power are 8-46 compared to 25-8 when they lead.

UNLIKELY HEROES: On Saturday's Power victory over Lexington, it was the bottom of the lineup that did the majority of the damage for West Virginia. Erich Weiss, Wyatt Mathisen, Francisco Diaz and Chris Diaz combined to 7-14 with three doubles, a triple, five runs scored and three runs batted in.

SECOND HALF SURGE: The West Virginia Power won 20 games in the first half of the 2014 season. With 26 games remaining in the second half, the Power bested that mark on Monday with their 21st second half win in a 5-2 victory over Hagerstown. West Virginia won their 20th game of the first half on May 30 with a 6-2 victory at Greensboro.

POWER PROMO UPDATE- AUGUST 23: The Power battle the Kannapolis Intimidators on Saturday, August 23 at Appalachian Power Park on for Back to School Night. Backpacks will be given away to the first 1,000 fans 12 and under for the 7:05 first pitch.

POWER POINTS: Before Friday's game, the Pittsburgh Pirates placed Jeff Roy on the Power Disabled List after a knee injury sustained on July 29 in Rome. The outfielder was hitting .216 with a home run and 10 RBIs in his time with West Virginia. Meanwhile, the Pirates activated infielder Chris Diaz from the Disabled List. Diaz was placed on the Disabled List on 7/21 and was hitting .216 with 18 runs batted in.

AROUND THE ORGANIZATION: The Pittsburgh Pirates were idle on Monday evening. Pittsburgh will host the Miami Marlins tonight at PNC Park with Charlie Morton on the hill... Indianapolis fell to Toledo 4-1. Starling Marte was 0-4 in the rehab start in centerfield... Altoona was idle on Monday. The Curve visit the Trenton Thunder tonight... Bradenton outlasted Brevard County 9-6. Jordan Steranka blasted a home run and drove in four runs in the Maruades victory... Jamestown's split a doubleheader with Lowell, taking game one 2-1 and fell in game two 2-0.

ON THE AIR: West Virginia Power games can be heard on Charleston's ESPN 104.5 FM and 1490 AM in Charleston, online at wvpower.com and on the TuneIn Radio App.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 5, 2014


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