EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Aeros Notes

Published on July 16, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


Game #92 - Friday, July 16, 2010 - 7:05 P.M.

Home Game #46 - Canal Park - Akron, OH

Akron Aeros (46-45) vs. Erie SeaWolves (38-54)

Cleveland Indians Detroit Tigers

Today's Starters: Akron - RHP Paolo Espino (8-3, 4.02 ERA)

Erie - RHP Brooks Brown (7-5, 3.77 ERA)

Upcoming Probables:

Saturday, July 17: AKR LHP Eric Berger (4-5, 4.79 ERA) vs. ERI LHP Charlie Furbush (1-0, 2.30 ERA)

Sunday, July 18: AKR LHP Scott Barnes (4-8, 5.08 ERA) vs. ERI RHP Thad Weber (6-9, 3.93 ERA)

Monday, July 19: AKR RHP Alex White (4-4, 1.53 ERA) vs. ALT LHP Rudy Owens (8-3, 3.00 ERA)

Tuesday, July 20: AKR LHP Kelvin De La Cruz (2-5, 5.28 ERA) vs. ALT RHP Jared Hughes (10-6, 4.46 ERA)

The Book on Paolo Espino...

- High Strikeouts - 7, set 6/1 vs. ERI and 6/28 at RIC - Most Hits Allowed - 9, set 4/21 vs. Altoona

- Longest Outing - 6.0 IP (start), set 5/22 vs. Harrisburg - Most Walks Allowed - 6, set 5/2 vs. Binghamton

- Shortest Outing - 2.2 IP (relief), set 6/18 at Portland - HR Allowed (Season) - 13

- Recorded a perfect fourth inning of relief with three strikeouts in Wednesday's Eastern League All-Star Game in Harrisburg, PA

- Served as a piggyback for LHP Nick Hagadone for most of the past six weeks, is 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA in six relief appearances

- Led the Class A Carolina League with a 2.59 ERA last year and originally selected in 10th round of June 2006 Draft by Cleveland

- Aeros are 7-5 when Espino starts; 9-8 when he appears in a game

- Last time out: Earned a WIN in a 10-1 victory at Erie 7/9 (5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, 1 HBP, 1 GIDP)

Aeros 2010 Regular Season Breakdown...

CURRENT STREAK: W1 JULY RECORD: 8-5

LAST 5 GAMES: 3-2 LONGEST WINNING STREAK: 12 (5/31 - 6/12)

LAST 10 GAMES: 6-4 LONGEST LOSING STREAK: 6 (4/27 - 5/3)

HOME RECORD: 21-24 BEST RECORD: 5-1 (April 13th)

ROAD RECORD: 25-21 WORST RECORD: 20-30 (May 30th)

SEASON vs. ERIE: 7-4 SEASON vs. WESTERN DIVISION: 24-23

Aeros Stat of the Night:

- The Akron Aeros have a 2.01 ERA over the course of 13 games played in the month of July, improving their team ERA to 4.09 for the season, sixth-best in the 12-team Eastern League.

Aerodynamics...

- Thirsty Thursday Triumph... The Aeros began the second half of the Eastern League schedule Thursday night with a 6-1 victory over the Erie SeaWolves at Canal Park. A crowd of 2,774 fans in downtown Akron witnessed the host offense take an early 2-0 lead thanks to six hits in the first two innings. The Wolves then scored their only run on a Justin Henry sacrifice fly in the third inning against Aeros starter Kelvin De La Cruz. Three straight singles by Jason Kipnis, Lonnie Chisenhall and Matt McBride began the bottom of the fifth as the team scored two more runs while back-to-back doubles by Beau Mills and Jerad Head created the four-run advantage in the seventh. McBride then capped the night with his team-leading 14th home run of the season in the eighth, giving De La Cruz (2-5) the win with the quality start while Erie starter Anthony Shawler (1-1) took the loss.

- Kelvin Scale... Thursday night's performance was the first victory by De La Cruz in precisely two months, dating back to May 15th in his second start in an Akron uniform this season. The 6'5" left-hander surrendered four hits and two walks in six innings, allowing the lone run while striking out five. The Dominican Republic native had a 6.70 ERA and a 1.98 WHIP over the course of his most recent 10 starts while averaging four and one-third innings per contest. He will turn 22 years old on August 1st and after missing most of last season with a left elbow ligament strain, the Indians placed him on the 40-man roster in November.

- Welcome Back... Cleveland Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera began his rehab stint with the Aeros Thursday night and finished 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. He also made a pair of nice defensive plays early in the game before leaving in favor of pinch-hitter Carlos Rivero in the bottom of the seventh inning. Cabrera played two games earlier this week with short-season Class A Mahoning Valley and is currently recovering from a fractured left forearm that he suffered on May 17th in Tampa Bay.

- A Mighty Wind... The Aeros bullpen sealed the victory Thursday by dominating the Erie offense after De La Cruz. Akron relievers Shane Lindsay, Chen-Chang Lee and Zach Putnam provided a perfect three innings with five strikeouts, continuing a very impressive stretch as 10 bullpen pitchers have combined for a 2.54 ERA in the past 56 contests since May 15th.

- Infield Fly... The five Aeros infielders combined to bat .444 (8-for-18) with three doubles, four runs scored and two walks Thursday night. Chisenhall, Cabrera, Kipnis and Mills all had solid outings while Rivero grounded out to second in his only at-bat.

- Déj=E0 Vu... Tonight's contest will be the sixth of eight straight meetings between the Akron Aeros and the Erie SeaWolves. Akron has won seven of 11 so far this season and the two teams will play a total of 22 games against each other overall. The Aeros have a 2.18 ERA as a team while limiting the Wolves to a .199 batting average as Erie has now lost 38 of their past 53 contests.

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Eastern League Stories from July 16, 2010


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