Aerodynamics
July 6, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release
How Sweep it Is...The Aeros pulled off their fifth doubleheader sweep of the season yesterday, taking two from Harrisburg by final scores of 6-2 in game one and 2-0 in game two at Metro Bank Park. It marked the second time this year that Akron swept a twin bill from the Senators, as the Aeros won 2-0 and 3-2 on April 22nd (also on the road). Newcomer Bobby Livingston was superb in his Akron debut the opener, going the distance en route to his seventh win of the season and his first with the Aeros. Livingston surrendered the runs on an RBI groundout and a sacrifice fly, and allowed just two singles over the final four innings to notch the quality start. Akron struck for four runs in the top of the third to erase an early 1-0 deficit before collecting sac flies in the fifth and seventh to account for the final margin. C Armando Camacaro provided the offensive punch in game two, drilling a two-run homer with two away in the top of the second to account for all the scoring. RHP Steven Wright got the spot-start and didn't allow a runner past first base in three innings before RHP Erik Stiller followed with a pair of scoreless frames. LHP Matt Meyer then struck out a pair in the sixth before closer Vinnie Pestano earned his league-leading 24th save to put the finishing touches on Akron's 10th shutout of the season. Cuyahoga Rivero...SS Carlos Rivero went 4-6 between the two games of the doubleheader yesterday, continuing a recent hot spell at the plate for the native of Barquisimeto, VZ. Rivero is hitting a sizzling .360 (9-25) through the first eight games of the road trip, and his 3-3 effort in game one was his first three-hit performance since May 30th at Erie. Rivero, who didn't turn 21 until the season was six weeks old, has hits in nine of his last 11 games and is hitting .353 (12-34) over that stretch, raising his batting average 19 points from .196 to .215 in the process. He is also still leading all Eastern League shortstops with a .977 fielding percentage, and is on pace to break Ivan Ochoa's franchise record of a .970 fielding percentage set in 2005.
Dirty Dozen...Akron's two victories last night kept the club perfect against Harrisburg, as the Aeros are now 11-0 against the Senators in 2009 and just one win away from sweeping the entire 12-game season series. Akron is hitting .305 as a team against Harrisburg pitching and is out-scoring the Sens 59-26 in the 11 games. The Aeros are 6-0 at Canal Park, 5-0 at Metro Bank Park, have swept two doubleheaders, and have pitched three shutouts. The Aeros were 7-7 against the Senators last season, and in fact were losing the all-time series 180-186 entering this year. A win tonight will mark the first season sweep for Akron since winning all six games against New Britain in 2006.
Did You Know...Closer Vinnie Pestano's 24 saves aren't just the most in the Eastern League, they're tied for the most in all of professional baseball. Only five other pitchers have reached the 20-save plateau in the minors, and at the Major League level Brian Fuentes of the LA Angels leads the American League with 24 saves while San Diego's Heath Bell paces the NL with 23.
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Eastern League Stories from July 6, 2009
- Curve Offense Explodes in Routs - Bowie Baysox
- Aeros Close Out Road Trip with 8-2 Loss - Akron RubberDucks
- Curve Power Past Baysox 12-3 - Altoona Curve
- New Britain Picks Up 3-1 Win Over Trenton On Monday Night - Trenton Thunder
- Garcia's Streak Alive, Erie Takes Game and Series - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Stephens on DL - Trenton Thunder
- Aerodynamics - Akron RubberDucks
- Sea Dogs Fall to New Hampshire - Portland Sea Dogs
- Defenders Win Nail Biter 4-3 Over R-Phils - Connecticut Defenders
- Kervin's single lifts Fisher Cats over Sea Dogs, 6-5 - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Rock Cats Prepped For 7th Homestand Of 2009 - New Britain Rock Cats
- It's So Bad, We Couldn't Even Come Up With A Name For It - Altoona Curve
- Eastern League Announces Weekly Award Winners - EL1
- Face Your Fears This Friday - Bowie Baysox
- Van Pelt Bobbles Into Bowie - Bowie Baysox
- Red Sox SS Jed Lowrie Playing in Manchester Today at Noon - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Jed Lowrie to Rehab with the Sea Dogs - Portland Sea Dogs
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