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EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Aeros Notes

August 24, 2008 - Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


Game #135 - Road Game #68 - Sunday, August 24, 2008 - 1:35 P.M.

Akron Aeros (75-59) at New Britain Rock Cats (57-74)

Cleveland Indians Minnesota Twins

Today's Starters: Akron - RHP Kevin Dixon (8-10, 4.59 ERA)

New Britain - RHP Jay Rainville (8-9, 6.22 ERA)

Upcoming Probables:

Monday: OFF DAY

Tuesday: AKR RHP J.D. Martin (10-3, 2.64 ERA) vs. ALT RHP Derek Hankins (1-10, 4.88 ERA)

Wednesday: AKR RHP Frank Herrmann (10-6, 4.01 ERA) vs. ALT LHP Kyle Bloom (5-7, 4.17 ERA)

Thursday: AKR LHP Ryan Edell (6-8, 3.96 ERA) vs. ALT RHP Jared Hughes (2-1, 3.81 ERA)

The Book on Kevin Dixon...

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

- Longest Outing - 8.0 IP, set 5/20 vs. ALT & 8/13 vs. CT - Most Walks Allowed - 5, set 4/19 at Bowie

- Shortest Outing - 2.1 IP, set 4/24 vs. Harrisburg - HR Allowed (Season) - 15

Looking for his first win since July 12th, going 0-5 in his last seven outings despite three quality starts and a four-inning save

- Leads the Aeros with 101 strikeouts and 143.0 innings pitched (fifth-most in the Eastern League)

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

Aeros are 13-11 when Dixon starts

Last time out: Took the LOSS in an 8-0 defeat at Connecticut 8/19 (4.0 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HB)

UAEROS REGULAR SEASON BREAKDOWN ('08)

CURRENT STREAK...................................................... L2 LONGEST WINNING STREAK............................... 10 (6/4 - 6/14)

LAST 5 GAMES............................................................. 2-3 LONGEST LOSING STREAK.................................. 4 (8/15 - 8/19) LAST 10 GAMES........................................................... 3-7 BEST RECORD....................................................... 61-35 (July 14th)

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

ROAD RECORD............................................................ 38-29 SEASON vs. NEW BRITAIN......................................................... 0-5

Aerodynamics...

Déjà vu All Over Again...The Aeros dropped their second straight 3-2 decision to New Britain last night, as an early lead evaporated on the strength of two Rock Cats homers in the latter stages of the game. 3B Wes Hodges got Akron on the board with a solo home run in the top of the first, his 15th of the year. It also gave Hodges 90 RBI on the season, moving him into second place on the franchise's single-season RBI list behind only record holder Chan Perry (96 RBI in 1997). Back-to-back doubles from 1B Matt Whitney and DH Ryan Goleski pushed the Akron advantage to 2-0 in the second, but New Britain would rebound to score the final three runs of the contest. Drew Butera lined an RBI triple to center with two away in the fourth, and Danny Valencia tied it with a solo homer in the sixth when Aeros starter Steven Wright hung a slider. Dustin Martin provided the winning margin in the eighth, drilling a solo home run to dead center field off reliever Neil Wagner.

The Strand Hotel...Akron didn't finish with just two runs for lack of opportunities, as the Aeros left nine runners on base last night including seven in scoring position. The Aeros also left a runner in scoring position in six straight innings from the second through the seventh, going 0-9 with runners in scoring position during that stretch. Akron was just 1-12 with men in scoring position for the game (Goleski's RBI double in the second), and the club is just 1-18 with runners in scoring position in the first two games of the series. Couple that with Akron's 1-17 performance with men in scoring position in the three-game series at Canal Park last week, and the Aeros are hitting .057 (2-35) with men at second or third in five games against New Britain pitching this season (which helps explain why Akron has scored just eight runs in those five games).

Whit and Wisdom...1B Matt Whitney has been on a roll away from home this week, collecting a hit in all five games of this road trip while extending his hitting streak overall to a season-high tying six games. Whitney is hitting .391 (9-23) with three doubles and three multi-hit games during his run, while raising his batting average to .261 for the season. The native of West Palm Beach, FL is hitting .288 this month (his best average of any month this season), but has managed only three RBI in 20 games and hasn't homered since July 29th against Erie.

Bits and Pieces...Akron hasn't beaten New Britain since August 11th of last year, a span of six games and 379 days...C Doug Pickens collected his first Eastern League hit last night, a single in the sixth inning...Akron pitching has allowed 20 home runs in 22 games this month, with starters Steven Wright (seven), Ryan Edell (four) and Kevin Dixon (four) accounting for 15 of the long balls...Wright, Edell, and Dixon were the three starters for Akron in this series...Akron's magic number to clinch a playoff spot dropped to three last night, as Harrisburg lost at home to Portland, 5-3.

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Eastern League Stories from August 24, 2008


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