Game 99 Preview: Power vs. Shorebirds
Game #99 — Home Game #50
Delmarva Shorebirds (19–9, 67–30) at West Virginia Power (14–14, 51–47)
Friday, July 19–7:15 p.m.
Appalachian Power Park (Charleston, W.Va.)
RAMIZ’S THREE-HIT NIGHT NOT ENOUGH IN 5–2 LOSS: Ryan Ramiz went 3-for-5 with the Power’s lone extra base hit and an RBI, but the Delmarva Shorebirds used four runs across the fifth and sixth innings to pull ahead for good and hand West Virginia a 5–2 loss in the series opener Thursday evening at Appalachian Power Park. Ramiz jumpstarted the offense in the opening frame, leading off the first with a double off the right-field wall. Three batters later, Bobby Honeyman drove him in with a base hit to give the Power a 1–0 lead. Meanwhile, Evan Johnson shined over the first four innings of his Low-A debut, ceding just one hit and striking out six. Delmarva was able to get to the new Power hurler in the fifth, though, as Ryne Ogren led off with a single and Alexis Torres roped a double to center to put runners at second and third with nobody out. Johnson battled back to strike out Cody Roberts for the first one to bring up J.C. Encarnacion. The righty induced a grounder to third, but Austin Shenton pulled his glove up a hair early as he tried to position himself to get the out at the plate, and the ball went through his legs, allowing Ogren to score and tie the game at one. Jaylen Ferguson then delivered the pivotal knock, stroking a two-run single to center that vaulted the ‘Birds ahead 3–1. Delmarva added one more in the sixth on an RBI knock from Alexis Torres, while Jhon Peluffo kept West Virginia at bay into the eighth inning. In that frame, the Power loaded the bases with two down on a pair of walks and a base hit by Charlie McConnell. Ramiz then laced his third hit of the night to plate a run and close the deficit to two, but that was as slim as it would get. Reed Hayes took over and set down all four men he faced to end it.
PITCHING MATCH-UP:
RHP Josias De Los Santos (1–6, 5.43 ERA) toes the slab for West Virginia, while southpaw Drew Rom (6–1, 1.82 ERA) gets the ball for Delmarva.
De Los Santos is coming off arguably his worst start of the year after he was touched up for seven runs on nine hits in five innings of work against the Greensboro Grasshoppers. However, the 19-year-old had one of the best starts of his career against this Delmarva squad earlier in the month. De Los Santos hurled six innings, struck out a career-high nine hitters and held the Shorebirds to just two earned runs in a loss.
Rom, a Midseason All-Star, returns to Appalachian Power Park and faces West Virginia for the second time this season. Back on June 11, Rom tossed five innings, allowed just one unearned run and tied his season-high in strikeouts with eight in a 1–0 loss.
POWER LINEUP:
Ryan Ramiz — LF
Matt Sanders — 2B
Julio Rodriguez — CF
Bobby Honeyman — 3B
Austin Shenton — DH
Jake Anchia — C
Onil Pena — 1B
Mike Salvatore — SS
Nick Rodriguez — RF
Josias De Los Santos — RHP
GAME NOTES:
GOING STREAKING: Thanks to his first-inning single that brought in the Power’s first run, Honeyman extended his hitting streak to 14 games, the longest active streak on the team. In this span, the infielder is averaging .339 (20-for-59) with a home run, seven RBI and nine runs scored, and has only struck out six times. In fact, Honeyman has only fanned six times over his last 18 games, stretching across 78 at-bats (8%). Honeyman is in the midst of his third hitting streak of eight games or more this season (May 13–20 and May 24-June 2 with identical .344 averages). The Stony Brook product is one of two batters with a hitting streak of 14 games or more this year (Jarred Kelenic, 18 games, April 11-May 2).
RAH-RAH-RAH-RAMIZ: Ramiz has continued to uptick his offense over the last few weeks, hitting safely in 13 of his last 16 games dating back to June 30. In that stretch, the New Jersey native is averaging .324 (22-for-68) with four homers, 13 RBI, 11 runs scored and eight walks. With his base knock yesterday, Ramiz pushed his hitting streak to seven games, riding the 13th hitting streak of six games or more by a Power player this season. Across his seven-game stretch (dating back to July 12), the Seton Hall product is averaging .407 (11-for-27) with two homers and six RBI. Ramiz also punched in his sixth career three-hit game yesterday (third of the season), and his 19th multi-hit affair of the year, third-most on the team (Honeyman, 20 and Joseph Rosa, 23).
JOHNSON JUST FINE IN DEBUT: Johnson showed real promise in his Low-A debut with West Virginia, turning in a brilliant four innings of work before stumbling in the fifth and facing some bad fortune due to Shenton’s fielding error. The Creighton University product struck out a career-high seven batters in his seventh career Minor League appearance and tossed a career-best 4.1 innings.
DOUBLE DOWN ON DEAN: In his two games back with the Power since rejoining the team July 15, Dean Nevarez has provided an instant spark to the offense. Nevarez has gone 2-for-4 in both games since his return, and lashed a two-RBI single in his first at-bat back with West Virginia July 16. This pair of multi-hit games has upped the backstop’s average with the Power to .222 from .195, a 27-point difference.
CHANDLER PROMOTED: Following the Power’s series finale with Columbia, the Seattle Mariners announced that RHP Clay Chandler had been promoted to High-A Modesto. The Kentucky native leaves the South Atlantic League with an 8–5 record and a 3.89 ERA in 19 starts, while compiling 104 strikeouts compared to 18 walks in 111.0 innings of work. The SAL Midseason All-Star is tied for the second-most wins in the league, while his strikeouts are tied for sixth-highest and his innings are third-most. LHP Nate Fisher has been transferred from Tacoma as the corresponding move.
THE REVOLVING DOOR: In addition to Chandler’s promotion Wednesday, the Mariners put through one more transaction involving the Power’s roster Thursday prior to their series opener with Delmarva. RHP Logan Rinehart was elevated from Everett, while RHP Reeves Martin was placed on the bereavement list.
POWER POINTS: McConnell has not committed an error in 48 games… The Power stranded 12 men on base last night.
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. Friday’s pregame coverage begins at 6:55 p.m. on the West Virginia Power Baseball Network.
