Then hurls five no-hit innings in two-hit shutout

CHARLESTON, W. Va. (September 2, 2019) - Juan Then tossed five hitless innings, as the Power took a no-hitter into the eighth and held the Greensboro Grasshoppers to two hits in a 2-0 win Monday afternoon at Appalachian Power Park.
Then (1-2) began the day with a pair of strikeouts and a scoreless first after he surrendered a pair of walks. The West Virginia (32-37, 69-70) offense got the scoring started early, as Charlie McConnell led off the bottom of the first with a single. After back-to-back strikeouts, Bobby Honeyman doubled to right-center off Winston Nicacio (2-3) and drove in the first run of the ballgame to make it 1-0 Power. Dean Nevarez followed with an RBI double of his own to extend the West Virginia lead to 2-0. 

The Grasshoppers (35-34, 79-59) bats were silent over the next few innings, as Then retired 12 of the final 13 batters he faced and did not allow a hit through five innings. Nicasio also settled in, as he set down the last 10 batters he dealt with through his six frames. Brendan McGuigan entered in the sixth and worked a perfect frame to start his appearance, and then ceded just a walk in the seventh to keep Greensboro hitless into the eighth. 
Robert Winslow forced a groundout to Zack Kone, the first batter of the eighth, to pull West Virginia within five outs of a no-hitter. However, Justin Harrer snuck a fly ball over the head of Billy Cooke in center and put the first hit on the board for the Grasshoppers. Winslow buckled down, retiring the next two hitters and keeping the 'Hoppers scoreless into the ninth.
Elias Espino (S,2) was called upon in the final frame, and gave up a leadoff double to Jonah Davis that brought the tying run to the plate. Espino then set down the final three batters and closed out a two-hit shutout of the Grasshoppers in a 2-0 season finale win. 
Season tickets for the 2020 season will go on sale soon. For tickets and more information, call the Power at 304-344-2287 or visit wvpower.com.