"It's good to get it out of the way," Taillon said. "I didn't throw as good as I was hoping, but I fought through some adversity with the weather and not really feeling my delivery the first inning, missing up. But I think we've got a good club and it's going to be fun."
Taillon, the Pittsburgh Pirates first round selection in the 2010 draft, battled a light, steady rain that muddied the mound, the 6-foot-6 right-hander from The Woodlands, Texas, needed 45 pitches to get through two innings. He walked two in the first inning, including 2010 No. 1 draft pick Bryce Harper, and yielded three hits.
He wasn't pleased with the showdown with Harper. The two are friends and were batterymates on the gold medal-winning U.S. team in the Pan Am 18-under tournament last year and in an all-star game in 2009.
"I didn't go at him the way I wanted to," he said.
Taillon will not factor in the decision when the game becomes final.
West Virginia and Hagerstown will resume play of this game on Thursday at 6:05 pm and will complete this game to a full nine innings. The Power and Suns will play the regularly schedule game 30 minutes after the first contest concludes, but will only play seven innings in the nightcap.