EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Aeros Notes

Published on July 22, 2008 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


Game #103 - Away Game #52 - Tuesday, July 22, 2008 - 7:05 P.M.

Akron Aeros (62-40) at Altoona Curve (45-56)

Cleveland Indians Pittsburgh Pirates

Today's Starters: Akron - RHP Steven Wright (1-1, 6.00 ERA)

Altoona - RHP Derek Hankins (1-6, 4.26 ERA)

Upcoming Probables:

Wednesday: AKR LHP Ryan Edell (5-6, 4.18 ERA) at ALT RHP Luis Munoz (1-4, 8.37 ERA)

Thursday: AKR RHP Kevin Dixon (8-5, 4.05 ERA) at ALT RHP Dan Reichert (0-1, 6.75 ERA)

Friday: AKR LHP Scott Lewis (4-2, 3.45 ERA) vs. BIN TBA

Saturday: AKR RHP Frank Herrmann (8-3, 4.85 ERA) vs. BIN TBA

The Book on Steven Wright...

1B- High Strikeouts - 7, set 7/10 vs. Bowie - Most Hits Allowed - 8, set 6/24 vs. BOW and 7/17 vs. ERI

- Longest Outing - 6.0 IP, set 7/17 vs. Erie - Most Walks Allowed - 3, set 6/29 vs. REA & 7/10 vs. BOW

- Shortest Outing - 4.0 IP, set 7/4 at BIN & 7/10 vs. BOW - HR Allowed (Season) - 7

- Notched his first quality start in his last outing after being called up from Class A Kinston June 19th

Has allowed a home run in each of his six starts at Akron (seven in 30 innings) after allowing just six in 72.1 innings at Kinston

Throws a four-seam fastball between 88-92 mph, as well as a two-seamer, curve, slider, and change

Aeros are 4-2 when Wright starts

Last time out: Took a NO-DECISION in a 7-5 defeat vs. Erie 7/17 (6.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 2 HB)

UAEROS REGULAR SEASON BREAKDOWN ('08)

CURRENT STREAK - ................................................. L3 LONGEST WINNING STREAK - .......................... 10 (6/4 - 6/14)

LAST 5 GAMES - ......................................................... 1-4 LONGEST LOSING STREAK - ... 3 (set 3x, last 7/20 - current) LAST 10 GAMES - ...................................................... 4-6 BEST RECORD - ................................................... 61-35 (July 14th)

HOME RECORD - ........................................................ 31-20 WORST RECORD - .............................................. 8-13 (April 25th)

ROAD RECORD - ........................................................ 31-20 SEASON vs. ALTOONA - ............................................................ 9-6

Aerodynamics...

Close But No Cigar...The Curve swept a double-header from the Aeros yesterday in Altoona by scores of 3-2 and 5-3. Akron's staple this season has been winning close games (they entered yesterday's action with a 32-17 record in one or two-run games), but the Aeros could not pull off any late-inning dramatics (also a strength of this team). The first run for Akron in the opener came in the third to tie the game at 1-1 when CF Trevor Crowe's RBI double scored RF Nathan Panther. After Altoona took a 2-1 lead in the fifth, the Aeros re-tied it in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by SS Brandon Chaves. The game went into the eighth inning even, but James Boone's RBI double scored the winning run off Aeros reliever Erik Stiller. The first three men reached for Akron in game two, the last coming on an RBI single by LF Matt LaPorta. Akron picked up a 2-0 lead when 3B Wes Hodges' double play scored another run, but eliminated the chance for the rally to continue. Altoona scored four times in the third, and Akron's other run in the game came on a solo shot by 2B Brandon Pinckney in the fourth.

Hawaiian Punch...Aeros OF Bronson Sardinha carries an eight-game hitting streak into tonight's game. During the streak, the Kailua, HI native is hitting .414 (12-29) with a double, a triple, a home run, and three RBI. He's raised his batting average from .290 to .307, which puts him second on the team behind RF/1B Stephen Head (.308). Sardinha, though, has just one RBI in his last 13 games after putting up 25 RBI in his first 25 games with the Aeros.

Alumni Report...Several players who began the season with the Aeros are performing well at Class AAA Buffalo. 1B/DH Michael Aubrey, who had a brief stint with the Indians earlier this season, is hitting .298 with four home runs and 17 RBI, and is hitting .448 (13-29) in his last seven games. Bisons C Chris Gimenez is hitting .247 with a home run and eight RBI, and after struggling in his first couple weeks at Triple-A is hitting .438 (7-16) in his last four games. LHP David Huff has made nine starts with Buffalo and has compiled a 2-3 record and a 3.19 ERA. He has struck out 50 and walked just five in 48 innings. RHP Randy Newsom is 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA and one save in seven games and RHP Jeff Stevens (Team USA Olympian) has a 4.32 ERA and five saves in 16 appearances, with opponents hitting just .182 against him.

Did You Know...With Bowie's win last night, Akron's magic number to clinch first place remained steady at 36 games.

Did You Know (Part Two)...The Aeros will need to win the next three games of this series to avoid their first road series loss since May 2nd-4th when they were swept by Bowie. Akron will also need a win tonight if they hope to avoid their first four-game losing streak of the season, and their longest losing streak since August 15th-21st, 2007 when they lost five in a row to Harrisburg, Reading, and Erie.

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