CHARLESTON, W.V. - With the first five batters in the Kannapolis (15-18) lineup collecting multi-hit nights, the Intimidators took the first of the three-game series with the Power 10-7 Saturday night.Kannapolis got off to a strong start at the plate in the first inning, using an Ian Dawkins single and
CHARLESTON, W.V. - With the first five batters in the Kannapolis (15-18) lineup collecting multi-hit nights, the Intimidators took the first of the three-game series with the Power 10-7 Saturday night.
Kannapolis got off to a strong start at the plate in the first inning, using an Ian Dawkins single and Damon Casetta-Stubbs wild pitch to put a runner in scoring position. On a 3-2 pitch, Lenyn Sosa doubled (9) on a ball to left field, scoring Dawkins to give the Intimidators an early lead.
After a groundout and flyout, Alex Destino connected on his first home run of the season on the first pitch of his at-bat, increasing the Kannapolis lead to three after the two-run shot.
Up by three, Kannapolis' Davis Martin (W, 3-2) walked two and allowed a J.R. Davis single to right field, helping West Virginia jump back in the ball game, down 3-2. With two on and two outs, Jake Anchia homered (5) on a 1-0 pitch from Martin to left field, leapfrogging Kannapolis, 5-3.
Adding on two more runs in the fourth inning thanks to two singles and a fielding error committed by second baseman Ramon Beltre, the Power increased their lead to four, up 7-3.
In need of a big inning, Jhoandro Alfaro and Dawkins both singled to put runners at first and second for the Intimidators, as Sosa doubled (10) on a 1-2 pitch to center field, cutting the lead to three, 7-4. After a West Virginia mound visit, Romy Gonzalez reached on an infield to shortstop Cesar Izturis Jr., bringing home Dawkins for the Intimidators' fifth run.
Sal Biasi replaced Casetta-Stubbs after giving up four straight hits, as Bryce Bush joined in on the hit-party in the fifth, tripling (3) on an 0-2 pitch to bring in two runs to tie the game, 7-7.
With no runs coming in to score for either team in the sixth inning, Bush homered on a 1-2 pitch to help Kannapolis erase the four-run deficit and take the lead, now up 8-7.
Sam Long (H, 4) held off the West Virginia bats in the seventh and eighth innings with Martin exiting, as the Intimidators tacked on another run in the eighth thanks to a Dawkins double (12) that scored Beltre.
Up 9-7, Gonzalez scored on a wild pitch from Davin Sweet after reaching on his third hit of the night, increasing the lead to three. Bennett Sousa collected one strikeout in the ninth to earn his third save and lower his team-leading ERA to a 1.65.
The Intimidators will send Johan Dominguez to the mound for his start of the 2019 season against Steven Moyers of the Power. First pitch is set for 2:05 p.m.
