Aeros Media Notes
June 4, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release
Game #52 - Road Game #25 - Thursday, June 4, 2009 - 7:05 P.M.
Akron Aeros (33-18) at Reading Phillies (29-22)
Cleveland Indians Philadelphia Phillies
Today's Starters: Akron - RHP Hector Rondon (6-3, 2.61 ERA)
Reading - LHP Joe Savery (5-1, 3.83 ERA)
Upcoming Probables:
Friday: AKR RHP Jeanmar Gomez (4-2, 2.77 ERA) at ALT LHP Kyle Bloom (0-3, 4.70 ERA)
Saturday (Game 1): AKR TBA at ALT RHP Brad Lincoln (1-3, 2.18 ERA)
Saturday (Game 2): AKR TBA at ALT RHP Sean Smith (1-1, 3.31 ERA)
Sunday: AKR LHP Ryan Edell (1-0, 2.81 ERA) at ALT RHP Yoslan Herrera (3-0, 4.13 ERA)
Monday: OFF DAY
The Book on Hector Rondon...
- High Strikeouts - 9, set 4/28 vs. Harrisburg - Most Hits Allowed - 8, set 5/30 at Erie
- Longest Start - 6.2 IP, set 4/28 vs. Harrisburg - Most Walks Allowed - 4, set 5/25 vs. Erie
- Shortest Start - 5.0 IP (three times), last 5/30 at Erie - HR Allowed (Season) - 2
- Looking to become the first seven-game winner in the Eastern League tonight
Won his first five starts before going to the bullpen for two appearances; since returning has 3.94 ERA in 16.0 innings
Throws a four-seam fastball between 92-94 mph, plus a two-seamer, changeup, and slider
Aeros are 6-2 when Rondon starts
Last time out: Took the LOSS in an 4-1 defeat at Erie 5/30 (5.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 8 K, 1 WP)
UAEROS REGULAR SEASON BREAKDOWN ('09)
CURRENT STREAK...................................................... L2 LONGEST WINNING STREAK......................... 7 (4/17 - 4/24 (1))
LAST 5 GAMES............................................................. 1-4 LONGEST LOSING STREAK.................................. 4 (5/28 - 5/31) LAST 10 GAMES........................................................... 3-7 BEST RECORD........................................................ 32-12 (May 27th)
HOME RECORD............................................................ 18-9 WORST RECORD..................................................... 2-1 (April 10th)
ROAD RECORD............................................................ 15-9 SEASON vs. READING................................................................... 2-4
Aerodynamics...
Drabek Dominates...The Aeros lost for the ninth time in their last 13 games last night, falling 6-1 to Reading. It was a scoreless battle in the early going until the host Phillies put three on the board in the bottom of the fifth against Akron starter Josh Tomlin. The native of Whitehouse, TX retired the first 11 batters he faced and turned in his team-leading fifth quality start, but still suffered the loss (6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 7 K). The Phillies scored three more times in the bottom of the eighth, and the Aeros managed only an unearned run in the ninth to avoid the shutout. Reading's Kyle Drabek tossed seven shutout innings while allowing just three hits in his Double-A debut, and the no.-5 prospect in the Philadelphia chain has now delivered 16.1 consecutive scoreless innings dating back to his previous two appearances with Class A Clearwater.
Coming Through in the Clutch...Akron dropped to 2-4 on the year against the R-Phils with yesterday's loss, and one of the key aspects of the season series has been clutch hitting. In the first three games of this series Reading is batting .472 (17-36) with runners in scoring position, and in the six games total this year against the Aeros they are batting .426 with RISP. Meanwhile, Akron is hitting.286 (10-35) with men in scoring position during these three games but just .235 in the season series.
Beau Leads the Way...1B Beau Mills was the lone wolf on offense for the Aeros last night, going 3-3 with a walk, a double, and the only run scored. He is now riding a season-high six-game hitting streak, one game shy of Jose Constanza's two seven-game streaks this year. Mills has now hit safely during every game this road trip, and is batting .423 (11-26) with two doubles, two home runs, six runs scored and four RBI during the past six games. He is starting to get into a groove much like the way he did with Kinston last year, when he batted .327 with 12 HR and 43 RBI after the All-Star break including a 15-game hitting streak during the month of July, the second-longest for a member of the K-Tribe in 2008.
Starting Poor...While the Akron offense has scored 53 runs in the past 13 games (4.08 runs per game), the pitching has allowed 78 runs (an even 6.0 runs per game). Through the season's first 39 games Akron starters were 22-7 with a 2.33 ERA, but in the past 13 contests the starters are a collective 1-6 with a 6.99 ERA. The Aeros' overall staff ERA of 3.62 is fifth in the Eastern League but the club does rank first in the EL with a 1.24 team WHIP.
Did You Know...Akron skipper Mike Sarbaugh enters tonight just one win shy of 400 career victories as a minor league manager. Sarbaugh is in his sixth year as a manager in the Cleveland minor league system, and has never had a losing season. He entered 2009 with a career record of 366-268, good for a .577 winning percentage.
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Eastern League Stories from June 4, 2009
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- Just one hit for the âDogs, no problem, beat Mets 3-2 - Portland Sea Dogs
- Defenders Win 8-4 - Connecticut Defenders
- Trenton Blanks Bowie - Trenton Thunder
- Senators Improve Record - Harrisburg Senators
- Aeros Media Notes - Akron RubberDucks
- Reegie Corona Transferred To Trenton - Trenton Thunder
- Adam Mills Joins Sea Dogs - Portland Sea Dogs
- Solano to AAA, Herrera rejoins Sens - Harrisburg Senators
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