Power overcomes rocky first in win at Rome

ROME, GA (August 24, 2018) - West Virginia scored three runs over the eighth and ninth innings to push past Rome, 6-4, Friday night at State Mutual Stadium.
Rafelin Lorenzo launched his second homer of the season past the left field fence to tie the game at four in the eighth inning.

In the ninth, Kelvin Rodriguez (BS, 3; 3-5) began to lose control. After Lolo Sanchez lined the ball up the gut with one out, Rodriguez hit Travis Swaggerty with a pitch. With Connor Kaiser at the plate, Rodriguez lofted a wild pitch to the backstop to advance Sanchez to third and Swaggerty to second. Rodriguez then intentionally walked Kaiser.
With the bases loaed and Calvin Mitchell at the dish, Rodriguez fired another errant pitch that scored Sanchez to give West Virginia their first lead of the game at 5-4. Swaggerty, who advanced to third on the wild pitch, scored on a sacrifice fly by Mitchell to make the score 6-4.
West Virginia (27-30, 64-59) scored their first run in the third. Jesse Medrano led off the inning with a single before Swaggerty plated him with a sacrifice fly later in the frame.
The bottom of the line-up produced most of the early offense against Rome (26-31, 66-60). In the fifth, Medrano hustled out a single before Sanchez rocked an RBI double to left to score him. After that, Kaiser laced his own double down the right-field line to bring home Sanchez and cut the Braves' lead to 4-3.
The Braves torched Sergio Cubilete in the first inning. The starter retired Justin Dean to start the game, but then allowed the next five batters to reach safely. AJ Graffanino started the stretch with a double to right field. After that, Jefrey Ramos singled to move Graffanino to third. Then, Drew Lugbauer beat the shift at second to drive home Graffanino and break the scoreless tie. Cubilete tossed a wild pitch that scored Ramos to double Rome's lead before Trey Harris roped a double to left-center to score Lugbauer. Hagen Owenby finished the stretch by knocking a single through to left to send in Harris and put Rome up 4-0.
Cubilete calmed down after that. He finished the game by hurling a season-high tying six innings and fanning a season-best seven batters. He did not allow a run in his final five frames before giving way to Elvis Escobar (3-2).
Escobar spun two scoreless innings, setting down three batters. Logan Stoelke (S, 1) finished the game. The Texas native wrung up two batters in the ninth to complete the game. 
West Virginia continues its four-game series with the Rome Braves at State Mutual Stadium Saturday evening, with first pitch set for 6:00 p.m. RHP Samuel Reyes (2-3, 2.25 ERA) takes the hill for the Power, while the Braves counter with righty Freddy Tarnok (4-4, 4.24 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 5:40 p.m. on The Jock 1300 and 1340 AM, as well as online at www.wvpower.com and via the TuneIn Radio App and MiLB First Pitch App.
The Power opens their final homestand of the 2018 regular season Monday, August 27, against the Hagerstown Suns. The final home stretch kicks off with Family Buck Night and ends with a Thirsty Thursday, presented by Rock 105. The homestand also includes a Two for Tuesday, presented by Rock 105, August 28, and a Pets in the Park Night August 29. For tickets and more information, call the Power at 304-344-2287 or visit wvpower.com.