Power completes sweep with 2-0 shutout of Suns

HAGERSTOWN, MD (May 11, 2018) - Sergio Cubilete, Ike Schlabach and Blake Weiman combined to blank the Hagerstown Suns, 2-0, on Friday evening at Historic Municipal Stadium, scattering seven Suns hits and striking out eight to complete the Power's three-game sweep and give West Virginia its fifth consecutive victory.
Cubilete breezed through five shutout innings in his first start since returning from the disabled list, allowing just one hit and three total baserunners on 55 pitches. Schlabach (2-0) spun a clean sixth and seventh frame, ceding four hits and striking out a batter, while Weiman (S,3) locked down his third save in four tries after tossing a scoreless eighth and ninth inning.

Hagerstown (10-24) starter Nick Raquet (2-4) was stellar through the first six innings, as the Power (20-13) had just one hit against him through six on Oneil Cruz's single in the fourth. However, West Virginia broke through against the southpaw in the seventh. Calvin Mitchell laced a one-out double to center and Dylan Busby singled to left to push Mitchell to third. The next batter, Rodolfo Castro, smacked a high hopper in between third and the pitcher's mound that only Raquet could get to, but his throw to first was late as Mitchell came across the plate and gave the Power a 1-0 lead.
West Virginia tacked on an insurance run in the eighth, as Ryan Peurifoy led off with his fifth double of the season into the left field corner. Ben Bengtson moved him over to third with a sacrifice bunt, and Peurifoy later scored on a wild pitch from Suns reliever Jared Brasher. 
The Power found their first sign of struggle in the bottom of the sixth when the Suns put runners on the corners with one out, but Brandon Boggetto then hit a sharp grounder to Busby, who turned a 5-4-3 double play to get Schlabach out of the inning. The lefty would strand two more runners in the seventh before handing the ball over to Weiman. The Kansas product allowed a pair of two-out singles in the eighth, but struck out the final four batters he faced to finish off the sweep and give the Power their third shutout win of the season.
West Virginia now heads to Lakewood, N.J., to open up a four-game series on Saturday afternoon at FirstEnergy Park against the BlueClaws, with first pitch of game one set for 4:05 p.m. RHP Gavin Wallace (2-0, 4.56 ERA) toes the slab for the Power, while Lakewood counters with RHP Connor Brogdon (1-1, 3.63 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 3:45 p.m. on The Jock 1300 and 1340 AM, as well as online at wvpower.com, via the TuneIn Radio App and the MiLB First Pitch App.
After their trek through Maryland and New Jersey and a league-wide off day on Wednesday, May 16, West Virginia returns to Appalachian Power Park to face off with the Lexington Legends in a four-game series. The Power's second May homestand includes another Rock 105 Thirsty Thursday, a postgame fireworks show, presented by UniCare Healthplan of West Virginia and Electric 102.7, a Kidz Sunday Funday and an umbrella giveaway on Saturday, May 19. West Virginia will also host Power to End Stroke Night on Thursday, May 17, along with Military Appreciation Night on Friday, May 18. For tickets and more information, call the Power at 304-344-2287 or visit wvpower.com.