EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Aerodynamics

Published on July 13, 2009 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


Not Quite Enough...The Aeros got another solid pitching performance yesterday but the offense mustered just one big swing of the bat on a two-run homer by 1B Matt McBride in a 3-2 defeat against the SeaWolves. It was Akron's fourth straight loss (tying the club's season-high) and sixth defeat in seven games, although the Aeros did maintain a five-game lead over second place Reading thanks to Harrisburg's 10-3 win over the Phillies. Erie got all three runs with two down in the bottom of the second, and the SeaWolves have now scored their last 13 runs in the series with two outs. What makes that number even more incredible is that Erie has scored a total of 15 runs in the series, and you have to go all the way back to Ryan Strieby's two-run double in the first inning of Friday night's contest to find the first and only time that Erie has scored with less than two outs in this series. Aeros left-hander Michael Tejera made his second start of the season and allowed three runs in five innings before Steven Wright and Erik Stiller kept Erie off the board for the final three frames.

Masterful McBride...With the absence of All-Stars Carlos Santana and Nick Weglarz from the lineup, Matt McBride has picked up the lion's share of the offensive burden. McBride's two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning last night accounted for both of Akron's runs, and he has now homered in two straight games and three of his last four outings. In those four games, the product of Lehigh University is hitting .471 (8-17) with four doubles, three homers, five runs scored and five RBI, meaning seven of his last eight hits have gone for extra-bases. McBride has raised his average 23 points over his current four-game hitting streak, from .226 after Wednesday's game to .249 entering play tonight.

Futurama...Santana and Weglarz had to wait out a four-hour rain delay but finally got on the field and helped lead the World Team to a 7-5 victory in the 11th annual XM All-Star Futures Game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis yesterday, although the game was shortened to seven innings. Weglarz started in left field and went 0-2, while Santana entered in the third inning for Trenton's Jesus Montero and finished 0-1 with a walk. The World Team struck for four runs in the top of the seventh to get the win, with New Britain's Rene Tosoni snapping a 5-5 tie with an RBI double before scoring the game's final run en route to claiming MVP honors. The World Team has now won six of the 11 games.

They Swing Hard...Speaking of Santana and Weglarz, both will compete in the Yankees-Steiner Collectibles Home Run Derby as part of the Eastern League All-Star festivities Wednesday in Trenton. Weglarz was originally named to the competition, while Santana will participate because of an injury to Erie's Brennan Boesch. Remember, the All-Star game will be carried live on Akron's flagship radio station Fox Sports 1350 AM starting at 6:45 with Trenton broadcasters Steve Rudenstein and Jared Smith.

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Eastern League Stories from July 13, 2009


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