EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Aeros Media Notes

Published on September 14, 2008 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


Playoff Game #8 - Road Game #4 - Sunday, September 14, 2008 - 6:05 P.M.

Akron Aeros (80-62, 4-3) vs. Trenton Thunder (86-54, 5-1)

Cleveland Indians New York Yankees

Trenton Leads Best-of-Five Series 2-1

Today's Starters: Akron - RHP Frank Herrmann (1-0, 1.29 ERA in post-season, 11-6, 4.10 ERA in regular season)

Trenton - RHP Jeff Marquez (0-0, 5.40 ERA in post-season, 1-1, 2.93 ERA in regular season)

Upcoming Probables:

Monday if nec. (ELCS Game 5): AKR RHP Kevin Dixon (0-1, 4.76 ERA) at TRE RHP Eric Hacker (2-0, 1.54 ERA)

***END POST-SEASON***

The Book on Frank Herrmann...

- High Strikeouts - 8, set 8/10 at Trenton - Most Hits Allowed - 12, set 5/18 at Reading

- Longest Outing - 7.1 IP set 8/10 at TRE and 8/21 at CT - Most Walks Allowed - 3 (set five times), last 8/30 at ERI

- Shortest Outing - 2.1 IP, set 5/18 at Reading - HR Allowed (Season) - 9

- Propelled Akron into the ELCS with a fantastic seven-inning performance against Bowie in game four of the SDCS

- Struck out 34 in his last 38.2 innings, with seven or more Ks four times (didn't have more than six Ks in his first 17 starts)

Throws a four-seam fastball between 88-92 mph, as well as a two-seamer, slider and change

Aeros were 13-10 when Herrmann started in the regular season, and are 1-0 when he starts in the post-season

Last time out: Earned the WIN in a 5-1 victory vs. Bowie 9/6 (7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K)

UAEROS REGULAR SEASON BREAKDOWN ('08)

CURRENT STREAK...................................................... W1 LONGEST WINNING STREAK............................... 10 (6/4 - 6/14)

LAST 5 GAMES............................................................. 3-2 LONGEST LOSING STREAK.................................. 4 (8/15 - 8/19) LAST 10 GAMES........................................................... 5-5 BEST RECORD....................................................... 61-35 (July 14th)

HOME RECORD............................................................ 39-31 WORST RECORD................................................... 8-13 (April 25th)

ROAD RECORD............................................................ 41-31 SEASON vs. TRENTON................................................................. 3-4

Aerodynamics...

Gotta Have It...The Aeros enter tonight's game with their backs pressed firmly against the proverbial wall after dropping game three of this Eastern League Championship Series 4-1 last night. Dating back to 1989, the Aeros are 8-9 in elimination games all-time in franchise history (including both first round and championship round games). However, the Aeros have won five of nine elimination games since moving to Akron in 1997. The club faced two elimination games in last season's championship series against Trenton, winning game three to stay alive but falling in the fourth game.

He Giveth, He Taketh...Thunder CF Austin Jackson was the story on both sides last night, hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the first to give Trenton the early advantage and then robbing the Aeros of not one but two home runs on spectacular leaping catches in right and left-center, both of which would have tied the game. His first theft came in the top of the fourth inning, when All-Star 3B Wes Hodges sent a drive to deep right-center, only to have Jackson time his leap perfectly at the base of the fence and bring it back. Jackson's robbery in the fifth was even more gut-wrenching for Akron, as the Aeros trailed 3-0 but had two on with no one out thanks to consecutive walks to 1B Stephen Head and C Wyatt Toregas. Trenton starter George Kontos then ran the count full on 1B Matt Whitney, and, faced with the possibility of walking the bases loaded, decided to challenge the slugger with a fastball. Whitney sent a booming drive to left-center, but again Jackson covered an acre of ground, set his feet, and leapt over the wall to take it away. The play was a microcosm of how Whitney's post-season has gone, as his average dropped to .046 (1-22) in seven playoff games with an 0-3 last night. His lone hit was a solo home run in game two at Bowie September 4th (16 at-bats and 19 plate appearances ago).

Head of the Class...Aeros 1B Stephen Head continues to swing the bat well in this series, going 1-3 with a walk and a run scored last night and boosting his average to .400 (4-10) in the championship round. The native of Raymond, MS has also walked twice for a .500 on-base percentage against Trenton, and is hitting .269 (7-26) in the post-season overall. RF Bronson Sardinha is hitting .417 (5-12) in this series, although four of his five hits, both of his extra-base hits, all three of his runs scored and all four of his RBI came in Akron's game two win. He's hitting .143 (1-7) in the other two games.

Those Who Cannot Remember the Past...Although Heraclitus has long been the patron philosopher of the Aeros media relations department, now is an appropriate time to adopt the teachings of George Santayana, the Spaniard who is perhaps best known for his oft-misquoted remark "Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it." For those looking for a sign that points to a positive result for the Aeros tonight, consider this: Akron defeated Trenton exactly one year ago today, winning 8-2 in game three of last season's championship series. Just saying.

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