Aeros Notes
Published on May 10, 2008 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release
Game #35 - Home Game #19 - Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 7:05 P.M.
Akron Aeros (15-19) vs. Trenton Thunder (24-12)
Cleveland Indians New York Yankees
Today's Starters: Akron - RHP Kevin Dixon (0-3, 5.97 ERA)
Trenton - RHP George Kontos (1-3, 3.79 ERA)
Upcoming Probables:
Sunday: AKR LHP Chuck Lofgren (1-3, 5.51 ERA) vs. TRE RHP Dan McCutchen (4-2, 2.15 ERA)
Monday: OFF DAY
Tuesday: AKR LHP David Huff (2-1, 2.52 ERA) at ALT TBA
Wednesday: AKR RHP Frank Herrmann (4-2, 3.54 ERA) at ALT TBA
2BThe Book on Kevin Dixon...
1B- High Strikeouts - 7, set 5/5 vs. Altoona - Most Hits Allowed - 9, set 4/30 vs. Erie
- Longest Outing - 6.2 IP, set 4/30 vs. Erie - Most Walks Allowed - 5, set 4/19 at Bowie
- Shortest Outing - 2.1 IP, set 4/24 vs. Harrisburg - HR Allowed (Season) - 4
- Coming off back-to-back quality starts for the first time since April 13th and 20th while pitching for Kinston last season
Has struggled in four starts at Canal Park, going 0-2 with a 7.29 ERA and .341 opponents BA (0-1, 3.38 ERA in two road starts)
Throws a four-seam fastball between 87-92 mph, as well as a sinker (two-seamer), changeup, slider and splitter
Aeros are 3-3 when Dixon starts
Last time out: Took a NO-DECISION in a 9-4 victory vs. Altoona 5/5 (6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, 1 HR)
UAEROS REGULAR SEASON BREAKDOWN ('08)
CURRENT STREAK - ............................ L1 LONGEST WINNING STREAK - . 2 (4x, last 5/7 - 5/8)
LAST 5 GAMES - ......................................................... 3-2 LONGEST LOSING STREAK - ............................. 4 (4/18 - 4/22)
LAST 10 GAMES - ...................................................... 5-5 BEST RECORD - ...................................................... 6-7 (April 17th)
HOME RECORD - ........................................................ 10-8 WORST RECORD - .............................................. 8-13 (April 25th)
ROAD RECORD - .................................. 5-11 SEASON VS. TRENTON - .................................. 0-1
3BAerodynamics...
Lights Off...The Aeros offense has crawled to a near-standstill of late. Akron has scored just six runs in the last four outings, but the club has been able to scratch out two wins in those four games. The Aeros suffered a 3-1 loss vs. Altoona Tuesday before picking up 3-2 and 1-0 wins to close the series, winning three out of four games in the set. Akron managed just a single run last night in a 12-1 loss to Trenton, and the 11-run difference was the biggest defeat of the year for the Aeros.
Not Slugging...Part of the reason for Akron's struggles at the plate has been a lack of extra-base hits. The Aeros are slugging just .331 in the month of May, worst in the Eastern League. With six hits last night, all singles, Akron has now gone 17 innings without an extra-base hit. The last non-single came in the eighth inning Wednesday vs. Altoona when outfielder Nathan Panther doubled down the left field line. The Aeros have not homered since Matt Whitney hit a solo shot against Altoona Monday night in the sixth inning. Not only have the Aeros not tallied many extra-base hits, they also have not been able to get any extra runs on home runs. Nineteen of Akron's 27 home runs have been solo shots. The last time an Aeros player hit a multiple-run homer was Sunday at Bowie, six games ago, when Wes Hodges hit a three-run shot.
Staying Hot...One Aeros player who has been producing offensively is CF Jose Constanza. Through April 22nd, Constanza was batting .115 on the season. Since then, he has hit safely in 14 out of 15 games to raise his average to .264. In those 15 games, Constanza is batting .417 (25-60) with four doubles and three triples and has seven multi-hit games. His strikeout in yesterday's loss was his first since April 30th and he has struck out just three times in his last 15 games.
Efficient and Effective...Akron reliever Scott Roehl hasn't been wasting any time in his last couple of appearances. In his last two outings, Roehl has thrown just four pitches while recording three outs. In yesterday's game vs. Trenton, Roehl entered the game in the eighth inning with one out and a runner at first and got Jose Tabata to ground into a 4-3 double play on his second pitch. On Tuesday vs. Altoona, Roehl came on in the ninth with two down and a runner at second. On the second pitch, he got Brian Finegan to ground out back to the mound to end the inning. The native of Kenosha, WI has stranded five of the seven runners he has inherited this season.
Did You Know...The Aeros have used a pinch-hitter only twice this season. Chris de la Cruz pinch hit for 3B Wes Hodges in the eighth inning yesterday and reached on an error. It was the first pinch-hitter employed by manager Mike Sarbaugh since Jose Constanza batted for Stephen Head April 15th.
Eastern League Stories from May 10, 2008
- Dixon Settles In, Aeros Win 3-1 - Akron RubberDucks
- Akron Tops Trenton 3-1 on Saturday Night - Trenton Thunder
- SeaWolves Fall 9-0 - Erie SeaWolves
- Herrera Pitches And Hits Curve To 5-2 Win At Reading - Altoona Curve
- Martinez, Palazzolo And Matos Combine For Shut Out - Connecticut Defenders
- Senators blow out Erie - Harrisburg Senators
- B-Mets Shut Out - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Sea Dogs Rule The 'Pen - Chesapeake Baysox
- Aeros Notes - Akron RubberDucks
- Sea Dogs commit five errors but even the series at one game apiece - Portland Sea Dogs
- Snider belts three-run HR in Fisher Cats' 5-3 win over Rock Cats - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
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