Game 127 Preview — Power at RiverDogs
Game #127 — Road Game #64
West Virginia Power (26–30, 63–63) at Charleston RiverDogs (28–28, 65–61)
Tuesday, August 20–7:05 p.m.
Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park (Charleston, S.C.)
POWER DOUBLES UP SUNS IN FINALE: Bernie Martinez hurled a quality start in his first start in the Minor Leagues, while Dean Nevarez provided a crucial two-run single that propelled West Virginia to a 4–2 win over the Hagerstown Suns Sunday afternoon at Appalachian Power Park. The Power jumped on the board in the first inning against Jake Irvin, loading the bases with nobody out. Matt Sanders then grounded into a 6–4–3 double play, plating a run to give West Virginia a 1–0 lead. The Power duplicated those efforts in the second, as the first three batters reached on two walks and a single. However, Nick Rodriguez grounded into another 6–4–3 double play, bringing in Nevarez from third to double West Virginia’s edge. The third inning saw the Power produce some two-out magic, as Sanders singled, Austin Shenton doubled and Nevarez brought them both home with his RBI knock to center that made it 4–0. Meanwhile, Martinez mowed through Hagerstown’s lineup, hurling four perfect innings before allowing a base hit and a run in the fifth on a throwing error by Nevarez. The righty buckled down and finished off the fifth and sixth before handing the ball to Logan Rinehart for the seventh. Rinehart spun a scoreless seventh and allowed an unearned tally in the eighth while fanning two, and Elias Espino locked down the win in the ninth with a 1–2–3 frame and two punchouts.
PITCHING MATCH-UP:
RHP Evan Johnson (0–4, 4.22 ERA) gets the ball in the opener for West Virginia, while RHP Roansy Contreras (9–5, 3.62 ERA) toes the slab for Charleston.
Johnson heads into his seventh start with West Virginia this evening and his first against the RiverDogs. The right-hander lasted just four innings last time out against Hagerstown, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out four and walking four. The Creighton product has only completed the fifth inning twice in his first six starts with the Power, with his career-high coming July 24 at Hickory with 5.2 innings of one-run ball.
Contreras makes his 22nd start for the RiverDogs and first against the Power. The 19-year-old has won his last three decisions, including a seven-inning, one-hit, 10-strikeout (season-high/tied for career-high) gem last time out against Columbia August 14. Contreras has hurled four consecutive quality starts (July 25-Current), as well as six quality outings in his last seven games.
POWER LINEUP:
Ryan Ramiz — LF
Mike Salvatore — SS
Bobby Honeyman — 3B
Matt Sanders — 2B
Austin Shenton — DH
Dean Nevarez — C
Charlie McConnell — CF
Onil Pena — 1B
DeAires Moses — RF
Evan Johnson — RHP
GAME NOTES:
ALL-STAR NUMBERS: Though he did not play in the entire Delmarva series, Bobby Honeyman picked up right where he left off over the entire Hagerstown set, stroking two doubles and scoring two runs. He has been really hot over the last six weeks, as across his last 37 games, Honeyman is boasting a .359 (52-for-145) clip, the second-best average in the South Atlantic League during this span (Malvin Matos, .368, Lakewood), along with two homers and 21 RBI. He also has notched a hit in 33 of those 37 contests. Honeyman’s overall .281 average sits 10th-best among qualified league hitters, while his 119 hits are tied for fourth-highest.
QUALITY ROTATION: Despite dropping three of four to the Suns, the Power’s starting staff was very solid across the series, spinning three quality starts (Josias De Los Santos, Matt Martin and Martinez). After Tuesday starter Evan Johnson lasted just four innings Thursday, De Los Santos twirled his third consecutive quality start, while Martin and Martinez each fired a quality outing in their first professional starts. The starting staff posted a 2.05 ERA (5 ER/22 IP) in the four-game series along with 17 strikeouts compared to eight walks.
SAVE ME: Espino recorded his first professional save in his third career opportunity Sunday afternoon after tossing a perfect ninth inning. The right-hander had never entered in a save situation before the 2019 season, as 19 of his first 23 Minor League appearances were starts over the past two years. Espino is the seventh different Power pitcher to notch a save this season, while his save was the 31st overall for West Virginia, tied with the Columbia Fireflies for seventh-best in the South Atlantic League.
ARIAS PROMOTED: Following Saturday’s game, the Seattle Mariners announced reliever Dayeison Arias had been promoted to the High-A Modesto Nuts. The West Virginia closer really turned it on over his last few outings with the Power, issuing eight consecutive scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts dating back to July 25. The right-hander’s 13 saves are the most by a West Virginia reliever since Nick Neumann’s Power-franchise record 17 saves in 19 opportunities in 2015. His 13 saves this year are also third-best in the South Atlantic League (Jesus Tona, Augusta, 16) and second in the Mariners’ system, with Art Warren edging him out with 15 for Arkansas. Arias only allowed an earned run in six of his 39 total appearances.
THEN TO DEBUT WEDNESDAY: After being added to the Power’s roster Saturday night, RHP Juan Then is slated to start the middle match of the team’s series in Charleston, S.C. Then is 0–3 with a 3.34 ERA in eight games (six starts) between the AZL and Everett. Then was dealt back to Seattle in June of this year in the deal for Edwin Encarnacion after the Mariners traded him back in 2017 to the Yankees. The right-hander is the 16th-best prospect in the Mariners’ system per MLB.com.
POWER POINTS: Ryan Ramiz collected his 28th multi-hit game of the season, second-most on the team (Honeyman, 30)… Charlie McConnell has not committed an error in 70 consecutive games (May 15 at Charleston)… Sanders has hit safely in 18 of his last 20 contests, averaging .298 in that stretch… Nevarez posted his seventh multi-RBI game with the Power this year… West Virginia has dropped its last five meetings with the Charleston RiverDogs (all in South Carolina)… McConnell swiped his team-leading 11th stolen base of the season Sunday, tying his output from 2018 with Short-Season Everett… The Power’s elimination number stands at five with 14 games to go, with seven of those games against their division.
ON THE AIR: West Virginia Power games can be heard on The Jock 1300 and 1340 AM in the Kanawha Valley, online at wvpower.com and on the TuneIn Radio App. David Kahn and Kyle Youmans will handle play-by-play duties in 2019. Tuesday’s pregame coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on the West Virginia Power Baseball Network.
