Game 19 Preview: Wheelers vs. Fireflies
Game #19 — Home Game #9
Charleston Wheelers (11–6) vs. Columbia Fireflies (7–11)
Wednesday, April 24–7:05 p.m.
Appalachian Power Park (Charleston, W.Va.)
INMAN FLIRTS WITH NO-HITTER IN 10–3 ROMP: Ryne Inman tossed 5.1 no-hit innings and struck out a career-high 10 batters, while the Power’s offense stormed to a 9–0 lead over the first three innings to cruise to a 10–3 blowout win over the Columbia Fireflies Tuesday evening at Appalachian Power Park. Inman retired the first eight men he faced and only allowed three total baserunners on a pair of walks and a dropped third strike. West Virginia’s offense wasted no time getting to Jaison Vilera in the first inning, as Charlie McConnell led off the game with a double and scored two batters later on a two-base error to make it 1–0. Bobby Honeyman would add another tally with a sacrifice fly later in the frame for a 2–0 edge. In the second, the Power sent 10 men to the plate and notched six runs on five hits to expand their lead to 8–0. Ryne Ogren ignited the charge with a solo blast to right field, while newcomers Dean Nevarez and Nick Rodriguez each smacked a two-run double and Joseph Rosa laced an RBI single. In the third,Onil Pena pushed it to a 9–0 advantage with an RBI groundout to short. Sal Biasi kept the no-hitter intact through six, inducing a 5–4–3 double play to end the frame, but Columbia broke it up in the seventh, as Ronny Mauricio led off with a single to center and Zach Rheams parked a two-run homer to right. Cesar Trejo responded with a solo shot in the bottom of the frame to make it 10–2, while Ben Onyshko and Dayeison Arias combined to spin the final two frames.
PITCHING MATCH-UP:
RHP Damon Casetta-Stubbs (first start) toes the rubber for West Virginia, while Columbia sends RHP Christian James to the slab (0–2, 5.40 ERA).
Casetta-Stubbs makes his West Virginia Power debut after being transferred to Charleston Wednesday. The righty out of Washington made one start with the Modesto Nuts and allowed four runs over 2.1 innings in his full-season debut.
James will make his fourth start of the 2019 season after notching a loss in his first two starts and a no-decision against Hickory last week. He was selected in the 14th round of the 2016 MLB Draft and spent most of 2018 with short-season Brooklyn, but had short stints with both Binghamton and St. Lucie.
WHEELERS LINEUP:
Ryan Ramiz— LF
Charlie McConnell— CF
Joseph Rosa — SS
Dean Nevarez — DH
Bobby Honeyman — 3B
Nick Rodriguez — 1B
Jake Anchia — C
Cesar Trejo — RF
Cesar Izturis Jr. — 2B
Damon Casetta-Stubbs — RHP
GAME NOTES:
CLICK, CLICK, KELENIC: Jarred Kelenic has been on an absolute tear recently, currently riding an 11-game hitting streak (dating back to April 11), during which he is 22-for-45 (.489) with two home runs, seven doubles and 12 RBI. During this surge, his average has increased to .328 (+248 points), giving him the eighth highest-average in the SAL. Kelenic’s streak is currently the longest active streak in the South Atlantic League, and second-longest this season (Justin Dean, 12, Rome Braves). The Mariners’ second-best prospect per MLB.com and Baseball America is also among the league leaders in hits (22, tied for second), OBP (.438, third), walks (12, tied for fourth), doubles (7, tied for fifth) and OPS (.915, 10th). The Wisconsin native has reached base safely in each of his last 12 games (dating back to April 10).
ROSA RISING: Rosa put together another three-hit night Tuesday evening, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Following his second three-hit game of the season (and seventh multi-hit affair overall), the New York native is now averaging .362, which is good for third-best in the South Atlantic League. Rosa has reached base safely in 14 of his 16 games played this season, including his first six. He has four multi-hit efforts in his last six games. The switch-hitter is also among the South Atlantic League’s top sluggers in hits (21, tied for fifth) and on-base percentage (.433, sixth).
STAYING LOCKED IN(MAN): Inman has been a very reliable piece of the Power’s starting rotation. Over his last three starts, the Atlanta, Georgia, native has surrendered just one run on five hits over 16.1 innings (0.55 ERA), while striking out 25 batters and walking just four. Inman now holds the second-highest strikeout total in the SAL with 32 (and tied for fifth-most in all of Minor League Baseball), as well as the seventh-most innings in the league at 20.1 and the seventh-lowest WHIP (0.74) and batting average against (.129).
PILING UP THE STRIKEOUTS: West Virginia’s pitching staff set down 15 batters via the strikeout last night, upping their season total to 192, third-highest in the South Atlantic League (Charleston RiverDogs, 205; Delmarva Shorebirds, 199). The arms struck out double-digit batters for the 11th time this season, finishing four shy of their season-high (19, 2x). Inman registered a new career-high in strikeouts Tuesday with 10, becoming the second consecutive Power pitcher to set down 10 batters in a start this season, following Clay Chandler’s output in the season opener Monday.
THE LONG BALL: Ogren and Trejo both went deep Tuesday night, with Ogren joining the now-foursome of Power batters boasting a pair of home runs this season (Jake Anchia, Honeyman and Kelenic). The Power now has 12 home runs on the season, tied for fifth-best in the South Atlantic League with the Augusta GreenJackets.
OFFENSE FINDING ITS RHYTHM: Tuesday’s 10–3 win marks the seventh straight game that West Virginia has scored at least five runs (eight, with the suspended game factored in). The Power is 7–2 when reaching the five-run plateau in 2019. West Virginia posted a double-digit scoring output for the second time this season (12, April 18 at Asheville).
BREAK OUT THE BROOMS: With a win tonight, West Virginia would complete their second series sweep of the season, with both broomings coming at home. The Power’s other sweep came last homestand against Lakewood (4/15–17).
WHEELER WORDS: West Virginia is 9–3 overall at Appalachian Power Park against the Fireflies in series history.
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. Wednesday’s pregame coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on the West Virginia Power Baseball Network.
