CHARLESTON, WV (April 26, 2018) - Ryan Peurifoy's three-run blast in the eighth inning, the last of three home runs the Power stroked against the Rome Braves on Thursday, led West Virginia to a 10-8 victory at Appalachian Power Park, snapping a four-game losing skid, their longest of the season.With the
CHARLESTON, WV (April 26, 2018) - Ryan Peurifoy's three-run blast in the eighth inning, the last of three home runs the Power stroked against the Rome Braves on Thursday, led West Virginia to a 10-8 victory at Appalachian Power Park, snapping a four-game losing skid, their longest of the season.
With the Power trailing 8-7 in the eighth, Rodolfo Castro led off the frame with an infield single to third. After Rome (12-8) reliever Drew Harrington (1-1) issued a walk to Mason Martin, both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Kyle Watson then sharply grounded one right back to the mound for the first out, bringing Peurifoy to the dish. The West Virginia outfielder unloaded on the first pitch he saw, blistering a 406-foot bomb to left to give the Power a 10-8 lead that they would not relinquish.
Jacob Taylor (S, 2) entered in the ninth and was able to work around a two-out walk to close out the win.
Despite running into trouble early, Blake Cederlind (2-2) was able to settle into a groove, striking out four batters in his latter two innings pitched. The righty allowed just two hits in 3.1 innings of relief, however, he did surrender three runs while striking out five.
Trailing 2-0, West Virginia's offense came alive in the bottom of the third, tallying six runs and sending all nine men to the plate. Chris Sharpe began the frame with a double, starting a stretch of four consecutive Power (11-10) batters reaching base safely. That included the game-tying hit from Calvin Mitchell, who laced a two-run double into the right-field corner. Mitchell's two-bagger extended his team-best hitting streak to 12 games, during which he is averaging .417 (20-for-48) with a home run and 11 RBI. Martin capped the Power's big inning with his fourth home run of the season, a towering shot to right field, to give West Virginia a 6-2 lead.
The Braves would retake the lead with three runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth against Hunter Stratton and Cederlind, but Deon Stafford would not let the lead last for long, as the Power backstop crushed his second home run in as many games in the seventh inning to tie the game at seven before Peurifoy's eigth-inning heroics.
West Virginia now hits the road for a three-game series against the Lexington Legends at Whitaker Bank Ballpark, with first pitch on Friday set for 7:05 p.m. LHP Braeden Ogle (2-0, 3.00 ERA) will get the start for the Power, while Lexington sends southpaw Daniel Tillo (0-0, 1.96 ERA) to the slab. Pregame coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on WSCW The Light, as well as online at wvpower.com, via the TuneIn Radio App and the MiLB First Pitch App.
After a three-day trip to Kentucky and a day off on Monday, the Power return home for a seven-game stretch beginning May 1. The homestand includes a three-game set against the Augusta GreenJackets and a four-game series with the Hickory Crawdads. Those seven games are loaded with fun promotions at Appalachian Power Park, including Star Wars Night on Friday, May 4, Pirates and Princesses Night on Saturday, May 5, Harry Potter Day on Sunday, May 6, and so much more. For tickets and more information, call the Power at 304-344-2287 or visit www.wvpower.com.
