EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Aeros Notes

Published on May 23, 2008 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


Game #44 - Home Game #24 - Friday, May 23, 2008 - 7:05 P.M.

Akron Aeros (22-21) vs. Erie SeaWolves (17-29)

Cleveland Indians Detroit Tigers

Today's Starters: Akron – RHP Jake Westbrook (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Erie – LHP Jon Connolly (0-3, 7.07 ERA)

Upcoming Probables:

Saturday: AKR LHP Ryan Edell (1-3, 5.57 ERA) vs. ERI LHP Daniel Christensen (0-4, 5.23 ERA)

Sunday: AKR RHP Kevin Dixon (2-3, 4.34 ERA) vs. ERI LHP Luke French (2-4, 4.15 ERA)

Monday: AKR LHP David Huff (4-1, 2.03 ERA) vs. ERI LHP Matt Righter (1-1, 5.12 ERA)

Tuesday: AKR LHP Chuck Lofgren (1-3, 5.62 ERA) at HAR TBA

The Book on Jake Westbrook (with Cleveland)…

- High Strikeouts – 5, set 4/14 vs. Boston - Most Hits Allowed – 8, set 4/19 at Minnesota

- Longest Outing – 9.0 IP, set 4/8 at Los Angeles Angels - Most Walks Allowed – 3, set 4/14 vs. Boston

- Shortest Outing – 6.1 IP, set 4/14 vs. Boston - HR Allowed (Season) – 4

- Placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left intercostal strain April 22nd (retroactive to April 20th)

Limited to six innings or 90 pitches tonight (whatever comes first), and is expected to rejoin Cleveland after his outing

Throws a fastball (sinker) between 87-92 mph, plus a cutter, slider, curve and change-up

Indians are 1-3 when Westbrook starts

Last time out (with Lake County): Took a NO-DECISION in a 6-1 victory vs. Lexington (3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K)

UAEROS REGULAR SEASON BREAKDOWN ('08)

CURRENT STREAK – ................................................. W4 LONGEST WINNING STREAK – ..................... 4 (5/19 – current)

LAST 5 GAMES – ......................................................... 4-1 LONGEST LOSING STREAK – .................................. 3 (5/2 – 5/4) LAST 10 GAMES – ...................................................... 7-3 BEST RECORD – ................................................... 22-21 (May 22nd)

HOME RECORD – ........................................................ 15-8 WORST RECORD – .............................................. 8-13 (April 25th)

ROAD RECORD – ........................................................ 7-13 SEASON vs. ERIE – ........................................................................ 2-1

Aerodynamics…

Continuing Education…The Aeros wrapped up the 2008 edition of Roadway Education Days in style yesterday morning, taking advantage of four Altoona errors to claim a 6-4 victory and polish off a four-game sweep of the reeling Curve. Neither team was particularly sharp, with two errors and a passed ball leading directly to four Akron runs and Aeros starter Chuck Lofgren issuing five walks and hitting three batters in 4.2 innings of work. Akron took the lead for good on an RBI triple from 1B Chris Gimenez in the bottom of the fifth, and then added a pair of unearned insurance runs in the seventh and eighth. Akron improved to 10-4 in day games and finished 3-1 on Education Days.

Sweep Dreams…Not only did yesterday's win cap a four-game sweep for the Aeros, it also put Akron over .500 for the first time this year and marked the first time the Aeros have completed a sweep in 2008. Akron's last sweep of any kind came July 31st-August 2nd when the club took three straight games from the Connecticut Defenders at Dodd Stadium, and the last four-game sweep came almost exactly one year ago when the Aeros took four from Altoona at home from May 21st-24th. Akron has not been swept since last July 7th-9th, when Erie won three in a row at Canal Park.

Popping the Clutch…Akron 3B Wes Hodges has been a man possessed with runners in scoring position this season. The Eastern League's RBI leader is hitting .396 with RISP with four doubles, three homers and 34 RBI in 48 at-bats in those situations. On the year Hodges is hitting .299 with seven homers in 43 games, and his 38 RBI are 10 more than any other Indians minor leaguer (Lake County's Ramon Pena is second with 28 RBI). Hodges is hitting .356 in May with six doubles and 18 RBI in 18 games. The native of Chattanooga, TN has driven in at least one run in five of his last six games, with six RBI over that stretch. He has also hit in eight of his last nine games, with three multi-hit games in that span.

Rehabbing Westbrook…Cleveland starter Jake Westbrook will make his second rehab start tonight while recovering from a strained left intercostal muscle. He went 6-9 with a 4.32 ERA for the Indians last year, landed on the disabled list April 22nd (retroactive to April 20th), and worked 3.2 innings for Lake County in his first rehab start Sunday. He opened the year strongly for Cleveland, going 1-2 with a 2.73 ERA and turning in a quality start in each of his first four outings. Westbrook is the third big leaguer to appear at Canal Park this season; Cleveland closer Joe Borowski worked a scoreless inning of relief Wednesday night and Pittsburgh's All-Star shortstop Jack Wilson appeared in the last three games of the series for Altoona.

Did You Know…The Aeros topped the 100,000 mark in attendance yesterday, and the crowd of 8,469 was the third-largest of the season at Canal Park and the biggest Education Day attendance of the year.

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