West Virginia Power �6, � Greenville Drive �5 (box)
The Power held on to enough of a lead to get the win, after starter Nathan Baker pitched 6 scoreless innings for West Virginia. �Baker started off with a one-run lead, courtesy of 3B Jesus Brito in the top of the 1st. �In the bottom of the inning, Baker gave up a walk, then had that runner thrown out trying to steal second base. �He gave up a two-out single, but ended the 1st inning with a strikeout. �The Drive threatened in the 2nd inning, as the first two batters hit back-to-back singles. �The two runners moved up on a ground out, but a strikeout and a fly out ended that inning without a run scoring. �Baker settled in after that. �He retired the side in order in each of the next 4 innings — 14 consecutive batters retired.
The Power added a second run in the 2nd inning. �DH David Rubinstein led off with a double, then stole third base, and scored on LF Jose Hernandez’s ground out. �The Power bats were also quiet in the middle innings, but came to life again in the 6th. �CF Evan Chambers opened that inning with a solo homer over the right field wall. �2B Jarek Cunningham was hit by a pitch, stole second base, and scored an unearned run on a throwing error at second base. and the Power had a 4-0 lead.
The Power got another unearned run in the 8th. �Brito reached second base on a fielding error by the Drive third baseman, and he scored when Rubinstein singled on a grounder up the middle.
Zach Foster relieved Nathan Baker to begin the 7th inning. �He gave up a walk and a single with two outs, and a fielding error on the play put runners on second and third bases, but Foster got a fly out to end the threat. �In the 8th, Foster gave up a single and a 2-run homer, to make the score 5-2. �The Power got one more insurance run in the top of the 9th, when C Josue Peley doubled, and Chambers brought him in with an RBI single. �They turned out to need the extra insurance. �In the bottom of the inning, Foster retired the first two batters on pop outs to SS Benji Gonzalez. A single, a wild pitch, and another single scored one run, bringing the score to 6-3. �The next batter tripled, and the Drive scored again. �Ryan Kelly replaced Foster on the mound, but he gave up a double, and the Drive had the tying run standing on third base. �But Kelly got the next batter to strike out, ending the threat and the game.
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Charlotte Stone Crabs �11, �Bradenton Marauders �6 (box)
The Stone Crabs broke a 6-6 tie with a 5-run 8th inning, to overpower the Marauders 11-6. �Jeff Locke made the start for the Marauders. �He pitched two scoreless innings, then gave up 2 runs in the 3rd inning on a walk, a fielding error by SS Brock Holt, and a 2-RBI double. �Another double and a 2-run homer made the score 4-0 after four innings.
The Marauders got a batter as far as third base in the 3rd inning. �RF Austin McClune led off with a single, but was forced out at second on 2B Greg Picart’s grounder — though Picart was safe at first to avoid the double play. �Picart stole second base, and reached third base on Brock Holt’s single, but the two runners were left stranded. �Singles by 1B Calvin Anderson and C Eric Fryer followed by a fielding error by the Charlotte shortstop gave the Marauders an unearned run in the 4th inning.
Bradenton batted around to score 5 runs in the 5th inning, and take a 6-4 lead. �With one out, CF Robbie Grossman and DH Starling Marte singled. �A double by 3B Jeremy Farrell brought in Grossman (run #1). �A wild pitch allowed Marte to score (#2), and doubles by LF Quincy Latimore and Fryer each brought in another run (#3 and 4). �Two more wild pitches plated Fryer with run #5. �But Charlotte tied the score in the top of the 6th, with a lead-off walk and a 2-run homer off reliever Tyler Cox. �Diego Moreno retired the next three batters in the 6th, plus three more in the 7th.
Then came the 8th. �Mike Colla took the mound, and he just didn’t have it. �A single, a sacrifice bunt, and a walk put two runners on, then three more singles and a fielding error brought in 5 runs. �One more single was hit, but the Marauders were able to cut down a runner going into third base, before finally ending the inning.
The Marauders had two chances, but couldn’t come back. �Austin McClune led off the 8th with a single, but was erased with a double play. �Robbie Grossman reached base on a fielding error and Starling Marte walked to begin the 9th inning, but three straight strikeouts ended the threat and the game.
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