· By Whitney Hunt
Charleston Dirty Birds Dominate Lexington Legends, 14–1
Charleston, WV — The Charleston Dirty Birds delivered a commanding performance Friday night, dismantling the Lexington Legends 14–1 at GoMart Ballpark. Fueled by an explosive eight-run second inning and a sharp outing from starter Anthony Diaz, Charleston never trailed and coasted to one of their most complete wins of the season.
Early Knockout Blow
Charleston wasted no time getting on the board, tagging Lexington starter Wilston Castillo for 10 runs (all earned) in just 1.2 innings. The big blow came in the bottom of the second, when the Dirty Birds sent 13 men to the plate. Jose Rosa launched his 15th homer of the season, a three-run blast that chased Castillo. Alan Alonso, in just his first start, followed with a two-run homer of his own—his first with the Dirty Birds—to cap off the scoring.
Alonso’s Dream Dirty Birds Debut
In a night he’ll never forget, Alex Alonso went 2-for-2 with a double, a home run, 2 RBI, 4 runs scored, and a stolen base—reaching base all four times via hits and walks. He also showed impressive speed and situational awareness, swiping a base in the sixth.
Diaz Sharp in First Win
Charleston starter Athony Diaz (1-0) picked up his first win of the year in dominant fashion, tossing 5 innings of 3-hit, 1-run ball while striking out five. He worked efficiently and escaped early trouble after an RBI groundout by Lexington's Xane Washington in the third.
The bullpen—Chasse, Van Gurp, Lusk, and Alesandro—combined for 4 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and no walks while striking out five.
Offensive Standouts
- Jose Rosa (SS): 2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI
- Alex Alonso (DH): 2-for-2, HR, 2 RBI, 4 R, BB, SB
- Keon Barnum (1B): 1-for-2, 2 RBI, 2 R, HBP, 2 BB
- Travis Demeritte (RF): 1-for-5, 2 RBI
- Jonathan Nelson (3B): 2-for-5, RBI double, 2 R
Dirty Birds host Lexington for game two tomorrow night at 6:35pm.