Legends sweep Power, 12-4, 2-1
Travis Maezes had three hits, including a three-run homer, and drove in four runs as the Lexington Legends rolled to a 12-4 win over the West Virginia Power in the first game of a doubleheader Thursday night.
In the second game, the Legends completed the sweep with a 2-1 win behind the strong pitching of starter Scott Blewett.
The Power started quickly in game one. For the second straight game, Casey Hughston led off the top of the first inning with a home run, and John Bormann's two-run double in the second gave West Virginia a 3-0 lead.
But after Xavier Fernandez doubled and Amalani Fukofuka singled in the bottom of the second, Maezes followed with a drive over the wall in right field to tie the game at 3-3.
The Legends took the lead with a run in the third and then broke the game open with four runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth.
In the fourth, Maezes doubled with one out and moved to third on Tanner Stanley's infield single. Both scored on a double by D.J. Burt, and Chase Vallot hit a two-run homer to give the Legends an 8-3 lead.
West Virginia scored a run in the top of the fifth, but the Legends answered in the bottom half. Fernandez reached on an error by shortstop Tyler Filliben. Fukofuka walked, and after Marten Gasparini grounded into a force play at second, Maezes doubled, scoring Fernandez and sending Gasparini to third. Tanner Stanley walked to load the bases, and Burt singled home a run. A sacrifice fly by Roman Collins brought Maezes home, and Vallot's double scored Stanley with the game's final run.
Matt Ditman (1-0), who pitched the seventh inning, was awarded the win in relief. Starter Emilio Ogando worked the first four innings, one short of the required five for the starter to win. Power starter Gage Hinsz (4-8) was the losing pitcher.
In game two, the Legends scored a run in the first inning when Collins drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Gasparini. The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fifth. Maezes led off with his third double of the night, and Ben Johnson walked. Jecksson Flores bunted into a force play at third base, but after Collins struck out, consecutive walks to Gasparini and Vallot forced home a run.
Mitchell Tolman's solo homer in the sixth cut the lead to 2-1, and the Power threatened in the seventh inning when Ryan Nagle doubled with two outs, but Gabe Cramer relieved Blewett and struck out Logan Ratledge to end the game. South Atlantic League doubleheader games are a regulation seven innings in length.
Blewett (7-11) allowed four hits and one run in six and two-thirds innings to get the win. He did not walk a batter and struck out five.
The Legends had just two hits in the game, one each off starter Taylor Hearn and reliever Yunior Montero. Hearn (1-1) took the loss.
The Legends won two out of three in the series, and will remain at home to open a four-game series against Hagerstown Friday night. Game time is 7:05 p.m.
Attendance 4,663