Monster First Paces Curve to 7-3 Victory
July 26, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release
AKRON, OH - Altoona won its first series against the Aeros in six tries this season, defeating Akron in the rubber match of this three-game series Sunday afternoon by the final score of 7-3 in front of 2,451 fans at Canal Park. Five runs in the very first inning against Aeros lefty Bobby Livingston would be all the offense the Curve would need as Akron's late-inning chances fell short. The victory improved Altoona to 21-20 in their past 41 games and 40-62 on the season, while the Aeros dropped to 61-41.
It was a quick start for the Curve offense against Livingston, as Brian Friday led off the game with a single and Gorkys Hernandez followed with an RBI double to right-center. Jose Tabata tripled home Hernandez before Jason Delaney and Miles Durham collected RBI doubles and Ray Chang capped the inning with a run-scoring single as the Curve batted around. Livingston settled down from there and retired 15 straight hitters following Chang's hit, but Altoona's Yoslan Herrera had too much of a head start.
Herrera allowed only an infield single and a hit batter through the first 13 hitters before Akron got on the board in the bottom of the fourth, as Beau Mills lifted a towering solo home run just inside the right field four pole. It was Mills' eight home run of the year, but just his second of the season at Canal Park. The Aeros scored again in the fifth inning when Herrera hit Armando Camacaro with one out and Cristo Arnal followed with a run-scoring double to right-center before he was thrown out trying for third on the play.
The drama was just beginning however, as three members of the home side were thrown out in a three-batter span to close out the bottom of the sixth inning. The frame began with a single from newcomer Jesus Merchan and a walk to Nick Weglarz, but Matt McBride popped up and Mills struck out looking, leading to a heated exchange with home plate umpire John Conrad that ended only when both Mills and manager Mike Sarbaugh were ejected. Jerad Head drew a two-out walk to load the bases, but Curve reliever Michael Dubee then entered and got a called strike three on John Drennen to end the inning. Drennen also disagreed with Conrad's strike zone, and he too was kindly asked to leave. Dubee got into a bases loaded jam of his own making in the seventh, but got Weglarz on a fly to left and McBride on a grounder to third to end the inning as the Aeros finished 0-9 with runners in scoring position on the day.
Carlos Santana, who replaced Mills as the designated hitter for Akron, made it 5-3 when he kicked off the top of the eighth inning with a solo home run to right field, his third home run in as many days and 18th of the season. The Curve responded with a pair of runs in the ninth inning against Akron reliever Josh Judy however, as Gorkys Hernandez poked a two-run single inside the first base bag to provide the final margin.
Herrera (7-0) stayed perfect in Double-A by limiting Akron to four hits and two walks over 5.2 innings, while Livingston took the loss and fell to 1-4 with a 7.88 ERA in five starts for the Aeros. Scott Nestor worked the final two innings for Altoona for his sixth save. Santana became only the second Aero to homer in three straight games this season, as Weglarz also did so June 23rd-25th against Trenton. Arnal went 2-4 on the day with his fifth double, while Drennen's hitting streak ended at eight games.
The Aeros continue their season-long seven-game home stand Monday evening at Canal Park against the second-place Erie SeaWolves beginning at 7:05 p.m. It is another Dollar Dog Monday as consistent left-hander Ryan Edell (2-1, 2.71 ERA) gets the nod for Akron against Erie's Jon Kibler (6-5, 3.71 ERA) in the opener of a four-game set. The game broadcast begins at 6:50 p.m. on SportsRadio 1350 AM and online at www.akronaeros.com. For more information, please call the Aeros at (330) 253-5151.
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Eastern League Stories from July 26, 2009
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- Reading Kills Rally To Best Baysox - Bowie Baysox
- Red Hot Curve Return Home for Seven Games of Summer Fun - Altoona Curve
- Monster First Paces Curve to 7-3 Victory - Akron RubberDucks
- Defenders Sweep Series With 10-6 Win - Connecticut Defenders
- Scott Campbell hits second home run of season for Fisher Cats - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Sea Dogs roll to an 8-3 win over Cats - Portland Sea Dogs
- Harrisburg Drops Trenton 5-2 On Sunday Afternoon - Trenton Thunder
- Spearman Leads Sens to Sweep with 5-2 Win - Harrisburg Senators
- Curve Take Two Of Three From Aeros - Altoona Curve
- B-Mets game washed away Sunday - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- SeaWolves and B-Mets rained out Sunday - Erie SeaWolves
- Baysox announce series of roster moves - Bowie Baysox
- Aeros Game Notes for July 26 - Akron RubberDucks
- Aeros make several roster moves for July 26 - Akron RubberDucks
- Curve Game Notes for July 26 - Altoona Curve
- Sea Dogs Game Notes for July 26 - Portland Sea Dogs
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