Better Late: Power score late to win

(Lakewood Township, NJ- June 22, 2014)-  The West Virginia Power edged the Lakewood BlueClaws 4-3 Sunday afternoon at FirstEnergy Park. Harold Ramirez singled in the game winning run one inning after the BlueClaws tied the game at three.

West Virginia opened the scoring in the second for the third straight game due to a Lakewood error. Erich Weiss reached on a missed catch and scored on a single by Wyatt Mathisen. The BlueClaws evened the score in the bottom of the inning on a run-scoring single by Mitch Walding.

The Power regained the advantage in the third with a single by Edwin Espinal that brought home Chris Diaz and added a run of support in the fifth when Weiss singled in Ramirez for a 3-1 lead. The BlueClaws scored once in the seventh against Power reliever Henry Hirsch and tied the game on a Carlos Tocci infield single in the eighth that brought in Larry Greene, Jr. 

In the top of the ninth, Justin Maffei walked and moved into scoring position on a passed ball. With two outs and Maffei at third, Ramirez singled past Walding, Lakewood's third baseman, to plate Maffei and put West Virginia back in front for good.

Shane Carle allowed one run over six innings but did not factor in the decision. Hirsch (1-3) was charged with his first blown save of the year and was the benefactor of the run in the ninth. Chris O'Hare (0-3) took the loss after surrendering the run in hos only inning of work. Mathisen and Ramirez had multi-hit games to lead the Power to the series win after taking three out of four from the BlueClaws.

West Virginia opens a four game series against the Delmarva Shorebirds on Monday evening. Dovydas Neverauskas will start for the Power against the Shorebirds Hunter Harvey. West Virginia returns to Appalachian Power Park on Friday, June 27, to open a seven game homestand. For tickets or more information, call 304-344-BATS.