EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Aeros Notes

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


Game #131 - Road Game #64 - Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 6:35 P.M.

Akron Aeros (73-57) at Connecticut Defenders (65-63)

Cleveland Indians San Francisco Giants

Today's Starters: Akron - RHP J.D. Martin (9-3, 2.84 ERA)

Connecticut - LHP Ben Snyder (1-5, 6.40 ERA)

Upcoming Probables:

Thursday: AKR RHP Frank Herrmann (9-6, 4.18 ERA) at CT RHP Dave McKae (7-7, 4.45 ERA)

Friday: AKR LHP Ryan Edell (6-7, 3.97 ERA) ERA) at NBR TBA

Saturday: AKR RHP Steven Wright (3-3, 4.69 ERA) at NBR TBA

Sunday: AKR RHP Kevin Dixon (8-10, 4.59 ERA) at NBR TBA

The Book on John Dale Martin...

1B- High Strikeouts - 5, set 6/18 at BOW & 8/8 at TRE - Most Hits Allowed - 6, set 4/25 vs. Harrisburg

- Longest Outing - 5.2 IP, set 8/14 vs. Connecticut - Most Walks Allowed - 2, set 4/29 vs. ERI and 5/2 at BOW

- Shortest Outing - 1.0 IP (in relief), last set 7/24 at Altoona - HR Allowed (Season) - 4

Moved into the starting rotation last Thursday, replacing LHP Scott Lewis after he was promoted to Class AAA Buffalo

Tied for the team lead with nine wins, and his 2.84 ERA would rank fifth in the league if he had enough innings to qualify

Throws a four-seam fastball between 88-90 mph, in addition to a two-seamer, curve, cutter and change

Aeros are 2-3 when Martin starts

Last start: Earned the WIN in a 2-1 victory vs. Connecticut 8/14 (5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 HB)

UAEROS REGULAR SEASON BREAKDOWN ('08)

CURRENT STREAK...................................................... L4 LONGEST WINNING STREAK............................... 10 (6/4 - 6/14)

LAST 5 GAMES............................................................. 1-4 LONGEST LOSING STREAK............................ 4 (8/15 - current) LAST 10 GAMES........................................................... 3-7 BEST RECORD....................................................... 61-35 (July 14th)

HOME RECORD............................................................ 37-30 WORST RECORD................................................... 8-13 (April 25th)

ROAD RECORD............................................................ 36-27 SEASON vs. CONNECTICUT....................................................... 1-3

Aerodynamics...

Blanked...Akron's offensive woes continued last night, as the club was shutout on just five hits in an 8-0 loss to Connecticut. The Defenders jumped all over Aeros starter Kevin Dixon in the early going, scoring three times in each of the first two innings while sending eight men to the plate in both frames. Dixon retired the first two hitters in the bottom of the first, but Connecticut then loaded the bases without a ball leaving the infield. Simon Klink got the home side on the board with a two-run single to center, and Carlos Sosa followed with an RBI single to right to make it 3-0. A fielding error by Akron 2B Josh Rodriguez in the top of the second plated Connecticut's fourth run, and run-scoring hits from Eliezer Alfonzo and Adam Witter swelled the lead to 6-0. The Aeros managed to get only four runners past first base on the night, and went 0-7 with runners in scoring position.

No Go on O...While not wanting to beat a dead horse and also realizing that there's plenty of time for the offense to break out of its current funk, you simply can't ignore Akron's offensive struggles this month. The Aeros have played 18 games thus far in August, and have scuffled to a 6-12 mark. Akron has scored 30 runs in the six wins, but just 24 runs in the 12 losses. Akron hasn't scored more than three runs in a game since August 8th (game two of a doubleheader in Trenton) and has scored just nine runs in the last eight games, including two shutouts in the last four contests. The Aeros are hitting just .224 as a team with a league-low eight home runs this month, but ironically have their best team ERA of any month this season at 3.37 through 18 games. Reading is the only team with a worse record than Akron this month, as the R-Phils have managed just a 2-16 mark this month.

Roster Moves...The Aeros have made a bevy of roster moves the past two days, losing C Armando Camacaro and CF Jose Constanza and receiving C Doug Pickens and utility man extraordinaire Jerad Head. Camacaro was promoted to Class AAA Buffalo prior to last night's game, leaving Akron with only Damaso Espino behind the plate. Regular catcher Wyatt Toregas is eligible to come off the disabled list today but isn't ready as he continues to battle left elbow inflammation, so Pickens will get his first taste of Double-A. Selected in the 50th round out of the University of Michigan last year, Pickens has split time this season between Lake County and Mahoning Valley, hitting .232 two homers and 25 RBI between the two stops. Head was hitting .224 with 10 homers and 43 RBI in 83 games for Kinston this season, with 39 starts in the infield, 30 in the outfield, and 21 as the K-Tribe's designated hitter.

Magic Men...Harrisburg lost for the fourth straight game last night, dropping Akron's magic number to eight.

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Eastern League Stories from August 20, 2008


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