EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Aeros Notes

Published on May 20, 2008 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


Game #41 - Home Game #21 - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 - 7:05 P.M.

Akron Aeros (19-21) vs. Altoona Curve (15-25)

Cleveland Indians Pittsburgh Pirates

Today's Starters: Akron - RHP Kevin Dixon (1-3, 5.26 ERA)

Altoona - RHP Jimmy Barthmaier (2-2, 5.35 ERA)

Upcoming Probables:

Wednesday: AKR LHP David Huff (3-1, 2.14 ERA) vs. ALT RHP Yoslan Herrera (3-3, 2.57 ERA)

Thursday: AKR LHP Chuck Lofgren (1-3, 5.59 ERA) vs. ALT RHP Josh Hill (3-4, 4.42 ERA)

Friday: AKR RHP Frank Herrmann (4-3, 5.23 ERA) vs. ERI TBA

Saturday: AKR LHP Ryan Edell (1-3, 5.57 ERA) vs. ERI TBA

2BThe Book on Kevin Dixon...

1B- High Strikeouts - 7, set 5/5 vs. Altoona - Most Hits Allowed - 9, set 4/30 vs. Erie

- Longest Outing - 6.2 IP, set 4/30 vs. Erie - Most Walks Allowed - 5, set 4/19 at Bowie

- Shortest Outing - 2.1 IP, set 4/24 vs. Harrisburg - HR Allowed (Season) - 4

- Has turned in three straight quality starts, during which he is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 18.2 innings

Holding left-handed hitters to a .235 average, while right-handed batters are hitting .366 off him (a 131-point difference)

Throws a four-seam fastball between 87-92 mph, as well as a sinker (two-seamer), changeup, slider and splitter

Aeros are 4-3 when Dixon starts

Last time out: Earned the WIN in a 3-1 victory vs. Trenton 5/10 (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 1 HB, 1 WP)

UAEROS REGULAR SEASON BREAKDOWN ('08)

CURRENT STREAK - ................................................. W1 LONGEST WINNING STREAK - ...... 2 (5x, last 5/10 - 5/15 (1))

LAST 5 GAMES - ......................................................... 3-2 LONGEST LOSING STREAK - .................................. 3 (5/2 - 5/4) LAST 10 GAMES - ...................................................... 6-4 BEST RECORD - ...................................................... 6-7 (April 17th)

HOME RECORD - ........................................................ 12-8 WORST RECORD - .............................................. 8-13 (April 25th)

ROAD RECORD - ........................................................ 7-13 SEASON vs. ALTOONA - ............................................................ 6-4

3BAerodynamics...

Ryno Tough...You could tell that Akron starter Ryan Edell was off from the beginning last night, but the left-hander battled his way through five innings and kept his club in the game before the offense came around against the Altoona bullpen and scored a 5-3 win over the Curve in the opener of this four-game series. Edell allowed three runs in the top of the first (including a booming two-run homer to left-center by Brad Corley that bounced off a concrete walkway and landed in the canal beyond the fence), but kept his composure and danced out of trouble by stranding six runners (five in scoring position) over the next four innings. Edell worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the second, and then stranded runners at second base in each of the next three innings before departing after five solid innings. Together with relievers J.D. Martin, Jeff Stevens and Randy Newsom, the Aeros blanked Altoona for the final eight frames last night despite allowing nine hits over that stretch.

Think Pinck...2B Brandon Pinckney continued his fine month of May at the plate, stroking two more singles and even drawing his first walk of the year while extending his hitting streak to 10 straight games. Pinckney is hitting .400 (14-35) with four multi-hit games over his streak, and last night broke a four-way tie for the longest hitting streak for Akron this season. This is Pinckney's longest hitting streak since a 12-game run for Kinston from August 14th-27th of 2006; his career-long, 15-game hitting streak was set with the Aeros in 2004, during which he hit .389 (21-54) from August 8th-29th.

Walk This Way...Akron tied its season-high by drawing eight walks last night, and although just two of those walks came around to score they ended up being the two deciding runs. SS Josh Rodriguez and C Chris Gimenez drew consecutive one-out walks in the bottom of the seventh, and the pair came around to score the winning runs on an RBI double from 3B Wes Hodges and an RBI groundout by RF Stephen Head, respectively. Altoona pitching was able to survive the other six walks thanks in large part by inducing three double plays from the Aeros, which also tied a season-high for the offense.

Walking the Tightrope...Aeros pitchers have found themselves in some pretty serious jams over the last three games, but have shown a knack for making the big pitch when they've needed to and have either escaped unharmed or with minimal damage. Akron has gotten into five bases-loaded situations in the last three games, but opponents have scored only three times and have plated a total of just four runs under those circumstances.

Did You Know...Aeros closer Randy Newsom has notched a save in each of his last five appearances, and has used a game-ending double play to finish off Akron's last two victories. Newsom got a 5-4-3 twin killing to close out Saturday's 8-5 victory at Reading, and the Aeros turned a 4-6-3 double play behind him to finish last night's contest.

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