LAKEWOOD, NJ – The late comeback for the Lakewood BlueClaws was not enough this time as the West Virginia Power hang on to a 4-3 victory in game one of a four game series on Tuesday night.
The Power (18-28) got out to a nice lead with a big second inning off Jesus Sanchez as they struck for three runs. Sanchez got into trouble with walks as he walked both Calvin Anderson and Quincy Lattimore so put two on with one out for Marcus Davis. Davis then struck a double to right, scoring Anderson to take a one run lead. With runners in scoring position, Josue Peley tripled in both runs to the corner in right field to take a 3-0 lead.
The Power added another run in the fourth as Davis tripled and scored on a ground ball to Troy Hanzawa by Erik Huber. However, the BlueClaws would attempt their comeback.
The BlueClaws (25-19) scored one in the bottom of the fourth as Steve Susdorf doubled to the corner in left, scoring Travis d’Arnaud who walked and making it a 4-1 game. The game got a run tighter as Jim Murphy hit his second double of the day, scoring Harold Garcia to make it a 4-2 game. The BlueClaws stranded runners in scoring position in the inning.
The BlueClaws had aspirations of tying the game in the ninth, but base running mistakes keep them from scoring the necessary two runs to win the game. After a single to lead off the inning, D’Arby Myers was caught stealing before a double by Travis Mattair, and a single by Zach Collier. Mattair was then thrown out at home on a weak groundball to the pitcher before another single that could have given the BlueClaws the victory. The BlueClaws scored on the last single by Jeremy Hamilton, but stranded Collier in scoring position.
For the second time this season, the BlueClaws could not solve Kyle McPherson (4-1) as he went five innings and allowed just one run. He allowed one run in 6.1 innings in his first start this season against the BlueClaws in Charleston, WV. He was relieved by Brian Leach, who struggled, but allowed just one run in two innings. Owen Broisma pitched the eighth and Eddie Pena the ninth for the save.
Sanchez (1-3) went five innings and allowed four runs for the BlueClaws on five hits and two walks. He was relieved by Santo Hernandez, who continues to pitch very well, in four innings of work; he struck out four and did not allow a run to keep the BlueClaws in the game.
These same teams will be back in action on Wednesday afternoon at 11:05 am as the BlueClaws look to regain their dominance against the Power with Jon Velasquez (5-2) starting against Gabriel Alvarado (2-2).