Game #55 Preview — Power vs. Legends
Game #55 — Home Game #33
Lexington Legends (31–25) vs. West Virginia Power (28–26)
Thursday, June 7–7:05 p.m.
Appalachian Power Park (Charleston, W.V.)
STAFFORD’S BIG BLAST LIFTS POWER TO 5–3 WIN: Deon Stafford capped off a four-run first for West Virginia with his fifth home run of the season, and that was more than enough offense for the Power, who cruised to a 5–3 win over the Lexington Legends Wednesday evening at Appalachian Power Park. The first five West Virginia batters reached safely against Legends starter Garrett Davila, as Oneil Cruz singled and Brett Pope was hit by a pitch before Calvin Mitchell brought in the first run of the game with a single. Stafford then mashed his home run to straightaway center field to push the lead to 4–0. Mitchell scored the final Power run in the third on a passed ball to extend West Virginia’s edge to 5–0. Power starter Domingo Robles tossed three shutout innings before leaving the game after a ball deflected off him in the third. Sergio Cubilete came on in the fourth and earned his first win after spinning four innings and allowing three unearned runs on three hits while striking out four. Drew Fischer and Blake Cederlind finished the game with an inning of relief each, as Cederlind notched his first save of the season.
PITCHING MATCHUP: RHP Gavin Wallace (3–0, 3.59 ERA) will get the nod for West Virginia. The New Jersey native has only allowed two runs in his last nine innings pitched. Lexington is countering with RHP Janser Lara (1–2, 3.47 ERA).
POWER LINEUP:
Oneil Cruz — SS
Brett Pope — 2B
Cal Mitchell — RF
Deon Stafford — C
Ben Bengtson — 3B
Chris Sharpe — LF
Mason Martin— DH
Kyle Watson — 1B
Ryan Peurifoy — CF
Gavin Wallace — RHP
ODDS AND ENDS:
MULTI-HIT MITCHELL: After his 2-for-4 effort Wednesday, Mitchell has 18 multi-hit games in 2018, the most of any West Virginia batter. The Pirates’ 15th-best prospect per MLB.com is one of three Power batters with double digit multi-hit efforts in 2018 (Cruz, 15; Stafford 11). Mitchell has hit safely in 15 of his last 18 games, and in 23 of his last 30 contests since May 1. Overall, Mitchell’s .327 stroke is tied for second-best in the SAL with Asheville’s Chad Spanberger, while his 16 doubles are second-most in the league, trailing only Kannapolis’ Craig Dedelow. Mitchell’s 66 hits are second-best in the league and his team-leading 34 RBI sit at fifth-highest in the SAL. The SAL All-Star has totaled 26 extra-base hits in 2018, tied with three others for the top spot amongst the league’s sluggers. His .327 average also ranks second in the Pirates system (Albert Baur, .333 with Bradenton). Mitchell has found more success on the road in 2018, boasting a .356 (31-for-87) clip (21 games) compared to a .304 (35-for-115) stroke at home (32 games). Mitchell was recently tabbed as the 99th-best prospect in baseball in Baseball America’s newly-minted Top 100 rankings. The San Diego native is currently riding a seven-game hitting streak (his third streak of six games or more in 2018) that dates back to May 29, during which he is hitting .379 (11-for-29) with a home run and four RBI.
CRUZIN FOR A BRUISIN: Cruz went 1-for-4 with a run scored in Wednesday’s 5–3 victory. Cruz is in the midst of a nine-game hitting streak, his second streak of six games or longer in 2018. During this span, he is hitting .457 (16-for-35) with a home run and five RBI. Since May 1, the Dominican native is averaging .342 (40-for-117) with four home runs, 15 RBI and 15 extra-base hits. Cruz has been a leadoff catalyst for the Power, boasting a .405 stroke (30-for-74) with two of his team-leading eight homers and nine RBI as the leadoff man in the West Virginia lineup (19 games). The infielder’s .291 season average is eighth-best in the Pirates organization, while his eight long balls are tied for second with Baur of Advanced-A Bradenton and his 32 RBI rank fourth.
HOLY HOMERS: Stafford’s first-inning bomb was West Virginia’s 49th home run of the season, which is third-most in the South Atlantic League behind Asheville (57) and Lexington (60). Every Power batter has at least one homer this year except for Raul Hernandez, who is on the disabled list, and John Bormann, who has played in one game. Stafford hit his first home run since May 19, when he also homered against Davila in the first inning. The Power catcher also racked up his first three-RBI game of the season (10 total for West Virginia) and his 11th multi-hit game.
HEY NOW, YOU’RE AN ALL-STAR: Stafford and Mitchell were named South Atlantic League All-Stars Tuesday, with the pair set to represent the Power at this year’s Midsummer Classic in Greensboro, N.C., on June 19 at First National Bank Field. Stafford received his second consecutive All-Star nod, while Mitchell secured his first mid-season accolade. Stafford is the first Power catcher to garner an All-Star selection since Reese McGuire in 2014.
POWER POINTS: Chris Sharpe collected his third straight multi-hit game with a 2-for-4 day. That marks the first time in Sharpe’s career that he has record multi-hit efforts in three consecutive contests… Cederlind recorded the Power’s first save since May 17 against Lexington… Evan Piechota was promoted to Advanced-A Bradenton Wednesday.
RAINING ON WALLACE’S PARADE: Gavin Wallace makes his second start against the Legends tonight. He was replaced after the Power’s May 19 game was suspended in the top of the second inning due to heavy rain in the area.
ON THE AIR: West Virginia Power games can be heard on The Jock 1300 & 1340 AM in the Kanawha Valley, online at wvpower.com and on the TuneIn Radio App. David Kahn and John Kocsis will handle play-by-play duties in 2018. Thursday’s pregame coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on the West Virginia Power Baseball Network.
