Aeros Media Notes
August 12, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release
Game #117 - Road Game #58 - Wednesday, August 12, 2009 - 6:35 P.M. Akron Aeros (72-44) at Connecticut Defenders (66-49)
Cleveland Indians San Francisco Giants
Today's Starters: Akron - LHP Scott Barnes (Akron debut; 12-3, 2.85 ERA with San Jose, 0-0, 2.13 ERA with Kinston)
Connecticut - RHP Daryl Maday (5-3, 3.44 ERA)
Upcoming Probables:
Thursday: AKR LHP Eric Berger (0-1, 7.94 ERA) at CON LHP Madison Bumgarner (7-1, 2.11 ERA)
Friday: AKR RHP Jeanmar Gomez (10-3, 3.18 ERA) at NBR TBA
Saturday: AKR RHP Connor Graham (0-1, 4.38 ERA) at NBR TBA
Sunday: AKR RHP Josh Tomlin (11-8, 4.19 ERA) at NBR TBA
The Book on Scott Barnes (with Class A San Jose and Class A Kinston)... - High Strikeouts - 10, set 6/26 vs. Stockton - Most Hits Allowed - 8, set 7/12 at VIS and 7/29 at W-S - Longest Start - 8.0 IP, set 7/18 vs. Modesto - Most Walks Allowed - 4, set 5/10 at Modesto
- Shortest Start - 3.2 IP, set 5/5 at Bakersfield - HR Allowed (Season) - 8
Acquired from San Francisco Giants in exchange for Ryan Garko July 28th Rated by Baseball America as the no.-9 prospect in the Giants organization entering the season Has racked up 109 strikeouts and issued only 35 walks in 110.2 innings this year between San Jose and Kinston Throws a four-seam fastball between 90-93 mph, as well as a circle-change and a curve San Jose was 14-4 when Barnes started; Kinston was 1-2 Last time out: Took a NO-DECISION in a 7-1 victory vs. Salem 8/8 (3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) UAEROS REGULAR SEASON BREAKDOWN ('09)
CURRENT STREAK...................................................... W1 LONGEST WINNING STREAK....... 7 (4/17-4/24 (1) and 7/27 - 8/2)
LAST 5 GAMES............................................................. 3-2 LONGEST LOSING STREAK.................................... 6 (7/9 - 7/16) LAST 10 GAMES........................................................... 7-3 BEST RECORD.................................................. 72-44 (August 11th) HOME RECORD............................................................ 38-21 WORST RECORD..................................................... 2-1 (April 10th) ROAD RECORD............................................................ 34-23 SEASON vs. CONNECTICUT....................................................... 3-1
Aerodynamics... Enough in the Tank...The Aeros didn't have a plethora of offense last night, but they got the big hits that Connecticut could not and the result was 6-4 win before 2,410 fans at Dodd Stadium in the opener of this three-game series. With the game tied at 1-1 after four innings, Akron cashed in with five runs over the next two frames despite collecting only two hits in that span. C Carlos Santana delivered the big hit in the top of the fifth with a two-run double into the left field corner, and CF Jose Constanza put two big insurance runs on the board in the top of the sixth by bouncing a two-run single inside the third base bag. The run support made a winner out of RHP Josh Tomlin, who became just the second 11-game winner in the Eastern League with his team-leading 13th quality start of the season (and seventh in his last nine starts). The Aeros have now taken three out of four games from the Northern Division leaders this year, although just three runs separate the clubs on aggregate.
Spin Cycle...Santana paced the offense with a 3-5 effort last night, and finished a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. The native of Santo Domingo, DR began his big night with a Vladimir Guerrero-esque swing in the top of the second, taking an 0-2 curveball from Connecticut's Jesse English off his shoe tops and flicking it the other way to right-center for a leadoff triple. Santana used the opposite field again in the fourth by grounding a fastball on the outside corner to right field for a single, and then turned on another fastball in the fifth for the two-run double. The switch-hitter is now up to 84 RBI on the season and is on pace for 112, which would demolish the franchise record of 97 RBI in a season set just a year ago by Wes Hodges. To put that mark in greater perspective, only two players in team history (dating to 1989) have even hit the 90-RBI plateau.
Don't Stop, Thief...Constanza has designs of setting a team record of his own, and like Santana he is on pace to do it. The speedster swiped his 32nd base of the season last night, second most in the league and just nine shy of tying Akron's single-season record of 41 bags set by Eider Torres in 2006. Constanza is on pace for 42 steals this year, and with 55 in the last season-and-a-half is just two behind Trevor Crowe for fifth-place on the career list.
Southern Comfort...With inter-division play in full force this week in the Eastern League, all six Southern Division teams defeated their Northern Division counterparts last night. That meant all three of Akron's closest pursuers kept pace, as Reading came back to nip Trenton 6-5, Erie held off New Britain 5-3, and Bowie bested New Hampshire 4-3 in 12 innings.
Semi-Familiar Face...In a twist of fate, Akron starter Scott Barnes will make his Double-A debut this evening against the organization that originally drafted him in the eighth round out of St. John's University 14 months ago. Barnes came to the Indians from the Giants organization in the Ryan Garko trade, and Connecticut is of course a San Francisco affiliate.
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Eastern League Stories from August 12, 2009
- Late Blast Buries Baysox - Chesapeake Baysox
- Barnes Wins Debut, Aeros Pound Defenders - Akron RubberDucks
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- B-Mets Drop 4-1 Decision to Senators in Mejia's Return - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Arnesen Sharp in 4-1 Win over B-Mets - Harrisburg Senators
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- Trenton Holds Off Reading - Trenton Thunder
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- Aeros Media Notes - Akron RubberDucks
- Richie Robnett And Wilkin De La Rosa Both Placed On The Disabled List - Trenton Thunder
- Baysox Celebrate Orioles Pride With Mike Devereaux - Chesapeake Baysox
- Two 2009 New Britain Pitchers Receive Promotions - New Britain Rock Cats
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