If Lexington’s streak of minor league baseball championships is going to end at two, the Legends aren’t going to go down without a fight.
Lexington and Charleston (W.Va.) battled for 13 innings Monday night before the host Dirty Birds came away with a 3-2 victory in the opening game of their Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Southern Division playoff series.
A crowd listed at 2,647 watched the series opener at Charleston’s Appalachian Power Park. The Dirty Birds, formerly known as the West Virginia Power, rebranded under a new name this season.
The best-of-three series was scheduled to continue Tuesday night at Whitaker Bank Ballpark in Lexington. If a Game 3 is needed on Wednesday in Lexington, the first pitch would be at 6:31 p.m.
The Long Island Ducks and Southern Maryland Blue Crabs are simultaneously doing battle for the ALPB’s Northern Division crown. The two division champions will face off in a best-of-five series for the league title.
The Legends won the championship of the South Atlantic League in both 2018 and 2019 before the 2020 season was derailed by the pandemic. Lexington switched leagues before the 2021 season.
Dario Pizzano’s single to left field off reliever Bryan Quillens with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 13th gave Charleston the victory on Monday night.
Lexington scored the game’s first run in the fourth on an RBI single by former Cincinnati Reds All-Star Brandon Phillips. Pizzzano matched that with a run-scoring single for the Dirty Birds in the bottom of the inning.
The teams both scored again in the 10th. Phillips got home for the Legends on a bunt single by Denis Phipps. Scott Kelly drove in Matthew Harrison with Charleston’s tying run.
Seven Charleston pitchers limited Lexington to five hits on the night. The Legends trotted out nine pitchers, scattering 10 hits.
Notes
▪ The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported that five Charleston players tested positive Monday for COVID-19 and will miss the postseason. Dirty Birds Manager Mark Minicozzi also missed the game under quarantine.
▪ Southern Maryland won the opening game of the Northern Division series, 3-2, over Long Island on Monday night.