WV sweeps doubleheader
West Virginia pitchers limited Lexington to two solo homers, one in each game, as the Power swept a doubleheader from the Legends, 5-1 and 3-1 in front of 5,354 fans Friday night at Whitaker Bank Ballpark.
In the first game, Power starter Mitch Keller (2-0) shut out the Legends on two hits through the first five innings. He struck out 10 batters and walked none. Keller has not allowed a run in 15 innings pitched this season.
Starter J.T. Brubaker and reliever Tate Scioneaux combined for a one-hitter in the second game. Legends shortstop Marten Gasparini homered off Brubaker in the third inning.
In the opener, the Power scored in the top of the first inning when Tito Polo reached on an error by Gasparini, stole second, went to third on a hit by Mitchell Tolman and scored on a ground out by Casey Hughston. They added a run in the second on a walk to Daniel Arribas, a ground out, and singles by Christian Kelley and Alfredo Reyes.
Carlos Munoz and Kelley had run-producing singles in the third inning to give West Virginia a 4-0 lead. In the fourth, a walk to Polo, a stolen base and a single by Ke'Bryan Hayes brought home the final West Virginia run.
Ben Johnson's homer off reliever Daniel Zamora with two outs in the bottom of the seventh provided the only run for Lexington.
Julio Pinto (0-2), the Legends starter, took the loss.
The Power opened the scoring in the second game with a run in the second inning on a walk to Munoz, a sacrifice by Arribas and two wild pitches. In the third, a double by Polo, a sacrifice by Tolman and a sacrifice fly by Hayes gave West Virginia a 2-0 lead.
Gasparini's homer in the third cut the lead to 2-1, but Munoz led off the fourth with a homer to give West Virginia its final margin.
Brubaker (2-0) worked the first five innings and got the win. Legends starter Scott Blewett (1-2) was the losing pitcher.
The series continues Saturday night. Game time is 6:35.