Link Report for Games of Thursday, April 14th

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.wvgazette.com/section.../200504151

 

No place like home

Power picks up first win in first game at hitter-friendly park

By Mike Whiteford

Charleston Gazette Staff Writer

 

Not long after the trolleys had deposited their final load of passengers at Appalachian Power Park, Hagerstown?s Dante Brinkley raised a relevant ballpark question.

 

On the game?s third pitch, Brinkley, the Suns? designated hitter, lofted a solo home run over the right-center concourse and onto Morris Street.

 

It was a healthy poke, but did it have the distance to escape the spacious confines of old Watt Powell Park, the 56-year-old Charleston landmark that on Thursday officially became a thing of the past?

 

Whatever the distance of Brinkley?s blast, it offered a hint that, in addition to Appalachian Power Park?s other wonderful attributes, the park will be a more hitter-friendly place than its predecessor.

 

All in all, the ballpark was quite friendly to the West Virginia Power and the 5,354 in attendance. In the opening game in its history, the Power responded with four first-inning runs, added another in the fifth, another in the seventh and two more in the eighth for an 8-3 victory over the Suns Thursday night.

 

The night?s activities produced more than just the Power?s first victory after seven losses to open the season.

 

?This park is unbelievable, isn?t it,?? said the Power?s Greg Kloosterman, a pitcher who watched the game from the dugout. ?And the fan base, that was the most amazing part.??

 

?I couldn?t have pictured it any better than it was tonight,?? added Power first baseman Grant Richardson, a former Washington State athlete. ?The stands were full, and everybody was cheering. And they were cheering for us, which is nice after a seven-game road trip where everyone was telling us we stink. I can?t explain how nice the field is and how great it is to be playing in a ballpark like this.??

 

Although the first-inning home run did not bode well for the home team, the Power players responded with some rockets of their own. In the bottom of the first, Hernan Iribarren led off with a triple to right center and, one out later, Carlos Corporan brought him home with a sizzling single to right.

 

After Richardson singled and Josh Murray walked, William Lewis rocketed a double to left center, clearing the bases and bringing the fans to their feet for the city?s liveliest baseball commotion in years.

 

The rally produced a 4-1 first-inning Power lead ? not bad for a team that batted .184 in its opening seven-game road trip and entered the game ranked last in the league in batting average.

 

The Power finished the night with 12 hits and did not make an error.

 

The new park, with its 359-foot distance to right center and a 363-foot dimension to left center, suddenly looked like a place that will lend itself to offense, perhaps changing Charleston?s long-standing reputation as an easy town for pitchers.

 

?The ball definitely carries,?? said Kloosterman. ?The ball hangs up there.??

 

?The ball carries well to right center and right field,?? said manager Ramon Aviles. ?In batting practice, balls were carrying well to right but not to left.??

 

The Power added a run in the fifth as Alcides Escobar led off with a single to left and later scored on Freddy Parejo?s infield out. The Power even scored on a delayed double steal in the eighth, Escobar stealing second to draw a throw and Iribarren scooting home a split second ahead of the return throw.

 

A second run came home in the eighth on a third strike in which the Hagerstown catcher dropped the ball, allowing the batter to reach safely and the runner from third to score.

 

To contact staff writer Mike Whiteford, use e-mail or call 348-7948.

[Mass Haas]

Links to some nice photos from Opening Day at the new ballpark -- PDF (Adobe) format:

 

www.wvgazette.com/images/...ower6A.pdf

 

Another set in PDF format; these photos are great, color so vivid -- nice shot of 18-year-old Alcides Escobar signing autographs for fans included here:

 

www.wvgazette.com/images/...ower7A.pdf

 

Fans look on as the first pitch is thrown at Appalachian Power Park Thursday night.

Charleston Gazette Photo by Chip Ellis

 

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/images/stories/pitch1.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.dailymail.com/news/Sp...005041513/

 

Pomp, circumstance and a victory

Matt Lockhart

Charleston Daily Mail Sportswriter

 

He hasn't moped. He hasn't cried. He hasn't pouted around.

 

Will Lewis has just changed - positions, that is. The only thing flying off the handle with this West Virginia Power ultra-utility man are screaming line drives.

 

Lewis is sparking a batting order that's hitting over .200 for the first time this early 1-7 season.

 

His three-run, first-inning double that put the Power in front for good in an 8-3 home-opener win over previously-unbeaten Hagerstown at Appalachian Power Park Thursday is just the latest in Lewis' file.

 

See, the 23-year-old was a middle infielder. But he was playing left field Thursday.

 

"I might have played outfield when I was 12 years old," Lewis said.

 

The problem for him is that the Milwaukee Brewer brass believes shortstop Alcides Escobar and second baseman Hernan Iribarren -- both Venezuelans -- are the future.

 

So, when Lewis sat out the first two games of the season on the pine, no one flinched. Then, he showed up in the outfield for two games, before sitting out the next two.

 

Instead of kicking and screaming, Lewis came out Wednesday and smacked two homers. He followed it up with Thursday's three-run double to boost him into team highs in batting (.333), RBI (5) and home runs (2), despite playing in only four of the eight games.

 

West Virginia Power Manager Ramon Aviles isn't shocked by the hitting, however. After all, Lewis batted .328 in Beloit last season with the Class A team West Virginia replaced.

 

What did surprise the former big leaguer Aviles was Lewis' second at-bat. He bunted, sacrificially.

 

"It surprised me when he bunted because he did it on his own," Aviles said, as fireworks crashed in the background of an opening night that drew a standing room only crowd of 5,354. "He surprised me by bunting."

 

Then again, anyone is surprised by a bunt from someone that had two home runs and a three-run double in his few previous at-bats.

 

"I saw (the third baseman) back," Lewis said. "I was like, ?I'll sacrifice myself.' "

 

Sacrificing himself is something that might just pay off for Lewis. The move to the outfield appeared natural Thursday. At times, he even showed off a strong arm on throws to second from left field.

 

"We feel he can do both," Aviles said about Lewis playing infield and outfield. "That will give him more value. Anytime you can do that, you have more value on a team."

 

And more value as a prospect.

 

"Whatever is going to get me on the field and get me seen to give me a chance to move up," said Lewis, who was a 32nd round pick in 2003 out of Texas Christian University.

 

"That is what I'm going to do. I don't care if I have to catch -- and I've never caught in my life.

 

"Whatever it takes to play every day."

 

He didn't mope, cry or pout. Lewis just changed.

 

***

 

Just like that. It took only three pitches and a deep home run by Hagerstown's Dante Brinkley for players and fans to see what is in store for this season at the new $23 million park.

 

"Man it flies out to right, right center," said Lewis. "It is going to be crazy. The balls will fly out for sure, especially when we get a little wind going."

 

Hagerstown's Wilson Batista followed with a homer to right two innings later, but West Virginia's four-run first inning was too much for the Suns to overcome. The four runs equaled the combined Power total in the four-loss season-opening series at Hagerstown (7-1).

 

Even though the Suns got to Power starter Derek DeCarlo (1-0) early with two homers, the 22-year-old from Miami, Fla., didn't allow another run in his five innings of work to pick up the club's first win.

 

He was the unlikely benefactor of a lively right-center field.

 

"We just had a meeting and the pitchers were talking about it," outfielder Dallas Bates said. "We practiced over at (Watt Powell Park) and that place was huge. But balls were getting hit pretty hard tonight. The ball carries."

 

When asked to compare the new stadium's playing conditions to Watt Powell Park, Aviles pointed to the ground and said "From here to the moon."

 

POWER PLUGS: Right-hander Forrest Martin (0-1, 2.45 ERA) will start for the Power at 7:05 (6:05 Central) tonight in front of a sellout crowd against right-hander Jose Sanchez (1-0, 0.00). ...

 

The Power got its final run in strange fashion. Grant Richardson stuck out swinging for the third out, but the ball went in the dirt and the catcher failed to tag him. Richardson thought the inning was over, so he slammed his helmet out of frustration and walked to his first base position.

 

Then, Richardson realized he hadn't been tagged out and ran to first safely. In the meantime, Alcides Escobar scored from third. ...

 

The Power struck out eight times Thursday to raise its total to 75 in eight games. ...West Virginia outfielder Jason Tuttle is 0-for-21. ... Former West Virginia University shortstop Grant Psomas was 3-for-4 Thursday for Hagerstown to raise his batting average to .433. ...

 

Appalachian Power Park isn't the only new South Atlantic League stadium. The Greensboro Grasshoppers are averaging 7,024 fans in the first two games at the 8,000-seat First Horizon Park. ... Hagerstown catcher Tony Piazza isn't related to New York Mets' backstop Mike Piazza. That designation would belong to another Mets' minor league catcher, Tommy Piazza.

 

West Virginia Power's Dallas Bates, center, gets caught in a rundown against Hagerstown third baseman Grant Psomas, far right, and catcher Aaron Hathaway (13) while West Virginia Manager Ramon Aviles looks on during the Power's first game at Appalachian Power Park.

Photo: Bob Wojcieszak

 

http://www.dailymail.com/images/Race0415.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Charleston Daily Mail records the following for history:

 

Top of the firsts

 

A look at firsts at Appalachian Power Park:

 

Attendance -- 5,354

 

Pitcher -- Derek DeCarlo, West Virginia

 

Batter -- Wilson Batista, Hagerstown

 

Pitch -- Fastball, called strike

 

Hit -- Home run by Dante Brinkley, Hagerstown

 

Run -- Brinkley, Hagerstown

 

Single -- Carlos Gomez, Hagerstown

 

Double -- Will Lewis, West Virginia

 

Triple -- Hernan Iribarren, West Virginia

 

Home run -- Brinkley, Hagerstown

 

Run batted in -- Brinkley, Hagerstown

 

Putout -- Alcides Escobar, West Virginia, line drive to shortstop

 

Outfield assist -- Carlos Gomez, Hagerstown, threw out Lewis at home

 

Strikeout -- Ambiorix Concepcion, Hagerstown

 

Walk -- Josh Murray, West Virginia

 

Stolen base -- Carlos Gomez, Hagerstown

 

Hit by pitch -- Dallas Bates, West Virginia (by Jeff Landing, Hagerstown)

 

Error -- Wilson Batista, Hagerstown, dropped infield popup

 

Winning pitcher -- DeCarlo, West Virginia

 

Losing pitcher -- Jeff Landing, Hagerstown

 

Save -- Yovani Gallardo, West Virginia

 

Pickoff -- Brinkley, Hagerstown, by DeCarlo, West Virginia (at first)

 

Sacrifice -- Lewis, West Virginia (bunt)

 

Wild pitch -- Rafael Cova, Hagerstown

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

dailymail.com/news/Jack+B...k-20050415

 

New ballpark, new energy for the Power

 

Jack Bogaczyk

Charleston Daily Mail Sports Editor

 

It wasn't a night about baseball, or at least it didn't start that way.

 

It was about pomp, and the circumstances were all about seeing and being seen.

 

It was opening night at Appalachian Power Park. In the seats behind home plate, there were so many politicians that it looked like the State Legislature was in one of those traveling special sessions.

 

It was an electric Thursday night at "The APP" and it wasn't just because the box seat cheerleading chatterbox, Rod Blacktoast ... er, Blackstone ... now has a wall outlet installed near his front-row location for toaster heating purposes.

 

(Gee, wonder how much of The APP's $23 million it cost to run that Power line. Can we get Blackstone a surge protector, too?)

 

A standing room only crowd of 5,354 (approaching 900 over the 4,474-seat capacity) came for a celebration and really got more than it expected to see. All it took for West Virginia was a dramatic change of scenery, a debut in a gleaming jewel of a ballpark surrounding the most expensive diamond the capital city has seen.

 

The first week of "Powerball" had been like a lottery ticket with the wrong numbers. No winners. Then, with a Dante Brinkley homer on the third pitch in APP history, it appeared Hagerstown still had plenty of juice.

 

After a woeful 0-7 road start, in the bottom of the first inning, the home team got into the atmosphere in its Power Park dress whites, then ripped into the unbeaten Suns for four runs, matching the Power's futile scoreboard total in four dates last week against the Suns.

 

The Power outage was history. Charleston's club, already with a new park, a new name and a new sudsy affiliation to follow on last year's new ownership and management, played with a new verve in an 8-3 triumph.

 

West Virginia had timely hitting (the top three hitters in the order were 7-for-15), solid pitching and played errorless ball, leaving Class AA Tennessee (0-7) as the only winless team in baseball's bushes.

 

Hey, who needed postgame fireworks?

 

"That's what we saw all spring," said visiting Milwaukee Brewer player development chief Reid Nichols of the Power play.

 

As for the ballpark, it plays like a hitter's paradise. Watt Powell Park, it isn't. The ball carries very well to right field. A bouncer or a roller remain just that, not an adventure, on a superb playing surface.

 

A 359-foot power alley in right-center is pitcher-unfriendly. The asymmetrical fence distances, altering heights and angles of the outfield wall figure to be fun for fans, but not for double-chasers. The low walls in foul territory offer fielders and fans equal opportunity on pops.

 

OK, so the Power is 1-7. It's been a tough start for the Double-A and Class A full-season levels for the Brewers so far, with three teams combining for a 5-17 record.

 

For the Power, it's a long way to Labor Day, especially since West Virginia plays Lexington and the Suns, the teams that unplugged the Power in the season's first week, a combined 44 more times this season.

 

That's why winning to start the home season was crucial, not so much because the stands were overflowing.

 

Really, though, success doesn't matter this season as much at the new yard.

 

The Power already has sold more than 140,000 tickets. Curiosity about The APP is going to sell more, as will an enhanced ballpark experience provided by more entertainment than the talents of Brewer second base prospect Hernan Iribarren and strike-throwing pitchers.

 

Charleston's pro baseball season attendance record is a very snappable 185,389, set in 1991 at Watt Powell by the Cincinnati-affiliated Wheelers, who went 92-50 with current Reds Manager Dave Miley as the skipper.

 

There's a second straight sellout tonight, but there will be days when baseball will be the game that matters at the new ballpark.

 

What mattered Thursday was that even with a bunch of newfangled appliances to jolt the senses, the Power was no longer burnt toast.