Lakewood BlueClaws Hang on For 5-3 Win Over West Virginia Power

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com -LAKEWOOD, NJ - With the help of Phillies reliever J.C. Romero, the Lakewood BlueClaws dispatch the West Virginia Power as they scored early and held on late in a 5-3 victory on Wednesday afternoon.

Romero pitched the sixth and seventh innings in a rehab stint before his June 3rd return to the Phillies and was as advertised, getting the six men he faced in order and picking up the hold.

The BlueClaws (26-19) started the game with a number of baserunners through the first three innings as Power (18-28) starter Gabriel Alvarado had trouble finding the zone early on. In the first, Anthony Gose reached on an error before Steve Susdorf was hit in the head, forcing him out of the game, and Jim Murphy walked to load the bases. Travis Mattair singled in a run, however the bases were left loaded.

In the second, with no one on and two outs, Harold Garcia walked before Gose was hit by a pitch and Travis d'Arnaud walked as well to load the bases. Sebastian Valle became the fourth straight BlueClaw to reach base without putting the ball in play as he walked and it made the game 2-0. The BlueClaws would leave the bases loaded again though in the second.

In the third, Mattair led off getting hit by a pitch, then Zach Collier singled before Troy Hanzawa singled. Mattair scored on a wild pitch and Collier on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Harold Garcia to make it a 4-0 lead.

BlueClaws starter Jon Velasquez (6-2) ran into trouble in the fourth as he allowed a leadoff walk to Chase d'Arnaud before walking Marcus Davis and allowing a run on a ground out. Then, with two on, Velasquez allowed a double to Austin McClune to make it a 4-3 game before getting Greg Picart to pop out to end the inning. Velasquez went five innings and allowed three runs to pick up his sixth win of the season.

After two perfect innings from Romero, the BlueClaws added a run in the eighth before the second half of BJ Rosenberg's eighth save of the season. Rosenberg allowed five hits and a walk in two innings, loading the bases with one out in the ninth, but did not allow a run for the save.

The loss went to Alvarado (2-3), who only lasted three and allowed three runs and never took command of his pitches. The bullpen allowed one run in the last five innings to keep the game close.

The win was important for the BlueClaws as they gain a game on Delmarva, whom they were percentage points behind in first place in the South Atlantic League North Division. They are now in first place by a full game.

The BlueClaws and Power will be back in action on Thursday at 6:35 as Tyler Cloyd (4-2) will look to extend his three game winning streak. Cloyd will be opposed by Maurice Bankston (1-3).

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