EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Aeros Game Notes

Published on May 27, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


Game #47 . Thursday, May 27, 2010 . 10:35 A.M.

Home Game #25 . Canal Park . Akron, OH

Akron Aeros (18-28) vs. Altoona Curve (30-16)

Cleveland Indians Pittsburgh Pirates

Today's Starters: Akron - RHP Paolo Espino (4-2, 4.05 ERA)

Altoona - RHP Jared Hughes (7-1, 3.45 ERA)

Upcoming Probables:

Friday, May 28: AKR RHP Alex White (1-0, 2.57 ERA) at BIN RHP Scott Shaw (4-3, 8.72 ERA)

Saturday, May 29: AKR LHP Scott Barnes (1-5, 7.45 ERA) at BIN LHP Michael Antonini (3-4, 4.62 ERA)

Sunday, May 30: AKR LHP Eric Berger (1-3, 8.51 ERA) at BIN RHP Eddie Kunz (4-3, 5.28 ERA)

Monday, May 31: AKR LHP Kelvin De La Cruz (1-3, 4.58 ERA) at BIN TBA

The Book on Paolo Espino...

Longest Outing - 6.0 IP, set 5/22 vs. Harrisburg

Shortest Outing - 4.2 IP, set 5/16 vs. Reading

High Strikeouts - 6, set 4/27 at Altoona

Most Hits Allowed - 9, set 4/21 vs. Altoona

Most Walks Allowed - 6, set 5/2 vs. Binghamton

HR Allowed (Season) - 7

Leads Aeros pitchers with 46.2 innings pitched on the season and now holds a 2.87 ERA in his last six appearances

Delivered five shutout innings in his only relief outing of the year at Blair County Ballpark in Altoona on April 27

He finished 11-7 with a 3.01 ERA in 2009 in 27 starts (23 games) combined between Class A Kinston and Lake County

Aeros are 4-4 when Espino starts

Last time out: Earned the WIN in a 4-3 victory vs. Harrisburg 5/22 (6.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 2 HR)

Aeros 2010 Regular Season Breakdown.

CURRENT STREAK: L3 MAY RECORD: 10-15

LAST 5 GAMES: 2-3 LONGEST WINNING STREAK: 4 (4/10 - 4/13)

LAST 10 GAMES: 4-6 LONGEST LOSING STREAK: 6 (4/27 - 5/3)

HOME RECORD: 6-18 BEST RECORD: 5-1 (April 13th)

ROAD RECORD: 12-10 WORST RECORD: 18-28 (May 26th)

SEASON vs. ALTOONA: 2-9 SEASON vs. WESTERN DIVISION: 8-17

Aerodynamics.

Wacky Wednesday. Altoona defeated the Aeros yet again Wednesday night, taking the penultimate contest of this four-game series by the final margin of 5-2. The Curve won for the sixth straight time in Akron this season as the team struck first with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Akron brought the deficit to 2-1 on a run-scoring hit by Damaso Espino in that fifth while the visitors promptly responded yet again with three runs in an error-filled sixth. A home run by Jerad Head was the final run of the night as the home team stranded two runners in each of the final two frames. Altoona's Bryan Morris (2-0) earned the win with an efficient 5.2-inning start while Aeros starter Kelvin De La Cruz (1-3) took his second straight loss as he could not last past the fifth inning. Curve reliever Michael Dubee picked up his first save by recording the final Akron four outs of the game.

The Illustrious Ichabod. Head was the offensive star Wednesday in just his fifth game back in Double-A. He went 2-3 with the seventh-inning solo homer, two runs scored and a walk for arguably his best performance since last season. He spent the first month of the year with the Class AAA Columbus Clippers and played in only six contests. He originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Indians in 2005 after a four-year playing career as an Ichabod at Washburn University in Topeka, KS.

Bloopers. Wednesday's game was back-and-forth throughout and was one of the slowest and sloppiest all year for the Aeros. The final game time was clocked at 3 hours and 24 minutes, the fourth longest nine-inning game in 2010. In committing three errors yesterday, Akron also fell to 2-7 on the season when finishing with multiple errors. The top of the sixth alone led to three Altoona runs because of a peculiar mixture of three bunt attempts, three infield singles and two throwing errors. It was the fifth time the team committed exactly two errors in an inning, a feat last set in the top of the ninth in game two May 14 against Reading.

Hit the Road, Jack. The Aeros will journey to New York after today's game for a wrap-around four-game series against the Binghamton Mets. Akron won three of four at NYSEG Stadium to start the year but the B-Mets swept a three-game set at Canal Park one month ago. On the year, the Aeros are an impressive 12-10 away from Ohio, but stand at just 6-18 at home.

Stayin' Alive. Third baseman Jared Goedert finished 1-4 at the plate last night to extend his hitting streak yet again. His 15-game stretch is now the longest active mark in Double-A as he is batting .352 (19-54) with nine doubles and eight runs scored. The 25-year-old Concordia, KS native currently ranks third in the Eastern League in batting average and fifth in OPS.

Did You Know. Left-hander Kelvin De La Cruz now ranks second in the Indians minor league system with 47 strikeouts this year. He recorded seven more last night to add to his 2010 combined total between Class A Kinston and Akron in 49.0 IP.

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