EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Aeros Even Series, Defeat Senators 4-3

Published on May 22, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


AKRON, OH - The Aeros beat the visiting Harrisburg Senators 4-3 in before 5,892 fans at Canal Park Sunday to tie up their three-game series at one win each. Akron starter Paolo Espino went six quality innings and earned the win while the Aeros scattered 13 hits throughout the night. The win improved Akron to 17-25 on the year and the Senators fell back to .500 at 21-21.

Harrisburg scored the first run of the ballgame on an RBI groundout by left fielder Jesus Valdez in the top of the first inning. Back-to-back one-out solo home runs in the fourth by Valdez and first baseman Chris Marrero then helped Harrisburg extended their advantage to 3-0. That would be all the damage done against Espino or the Aeros pitching staff on the night.

Red-hot third baseman Jared Goedert helped Akron make a furious comeback in the bottom half of that fourth inning. He began the frame with a single and right fielder Matt McBride following with a walk against Senators starter Tom Milone. First baseman Beau Mills then delivered the big hit of the inning with a double to left-center field scoring Goedert while shortstop Carlos Rivero hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2. Left fielder John Drennen tied the game at three runs each with a two-out single up the middle to score Mills.

The comeback was finally complete in the top of the sixth as recently arrived DH Jerad Head led off the inning by being hit by a pitch from Harrisburg reliever Hassan Pena. A passed ball by Harrisburg catcher Sean Rooney, his second in as many innings, advanced Head to second base. Drennen then delivered the game-winning fourth run by plating Head with a single to left field.

The Aeros bullpen took care of business from there as reliever Omar Aguilar replaced Espino in the top of the seventh. Aguilar held the Senators scoreless in the seventh and eighth before passing the torch to closer Carlton Smith for the ninth. The visitors stranded one runner in each of these last three innings, but there was never any doubt about the final margin of the night.

Espino (4-2) earned his first career Double-A quality start by lasting six innings and permitting just three hits and three runs while striking out five and Pena (0-2) took the loss by allowing the sixth inning run. Smith earned his first save of the year by walking one and striking out a pair in the ninth.

Akron center fielder Tim Fedroff led the hit brigade with three singles on the night, as three other Aeros had multi-hit performances. Mills collected the only extra-base hit of the night however, as his crucial double in the fourth helped start the comeback. Yet again, Goedert collected a hit Saturday to tie up the season-high for any Akron player with an 11-game hitting streak.

The Aeros and Senators will play the rubber match of this three-game series Sunday at 1:35 p.m. Alex White, Cleveland's first-round pick in the June 2009 Draft, will make his Double-A debut off against Harrisburg starter Erik Arnesen (2-2, 6.08 ERA). Sunday's game will feature a logo baseball giveaway sponsored by BPI Information Systems and kids will be able to run the bases following the game thanks to Smith Dairy. The game broadcast begins at 1:20 p.m. on Sports Radio 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 May 22, 2010


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