EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Aeros Notes

Published on July 21, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


Game #97 . Wednesday, July 21, 2010 . 7:05 P.M.

Home Game #51 . Canal Park . Akron, OH

Akron Aeros (51-45) vs. Altoona Curve (57-38)

Cleveland Indians Pittsburgh Pirates

Today's Starters: Akron - RHP Paolo Espino (9-3, 3.76 ERA)

Altoona - LHP Jeff Locke (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

Upcoming Probables:

Thursday, July 22: AKR TBA at REA RHP Drew Naylor (8-7, 4.05 ERA)

Friday, July 23: AKR LHP Scott Barnes (5-8, 4.95 ERA) at REA RHP Vance Worley (9-4, 3.20 ERA)

Saturday, July 24: AKR RHP Alex White (5-4, 1.50 ERA) at REA LHP Yohan Flande (7-6, 3.98 ERA)

Sunday, July 25: AKR LHP Kelvin De La Cruz (3-5, 5.16 ERA) at REA RHP J.C. Ramirez (2-2, 4.80 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, set 5/22 vs. HAR and 7/16 vs. ERI . 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 the Eastern League All-Star Game on July 14th 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 8-5 when Espino starts; 10-8 when he appears in a game

. Last time out: Earned a WIN in an 8-1 victory vs. Erie 7/16 (6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K)

Aeros 2010 Regular Season Breakdown.

CURRENT STREAK: W6 JULY RECORD: 13-5

LAST 5 GAMES: 5-0 LONGEST WINNING STREAK: 12 (5/31 - 6/12)

LAST 10 GAMES: 8-2 LONGEST LOSING STREAK: 6 (4/27 - 5/3)

HOME RECORD: 26-24 BEST RECORD: 51-45 (July 20th)

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

SEASON vs. ALTOONA: 5-9 SEASON vs. WESTERN DIVISION: 29-23

Aeros Stat of the Night:

. The Akron Aeros hold a perfect 6-0 record since the Eastern League All-Star Break, collecting 34 extra-base hits en route to 7.5 runs scored per game and a .629 slugging percentage.

Aerodynamics.

. Tuesday Thunder. The Akron Aeros smashed five homers Tuesday night for a sixth consecutive win at Canal Park by the score of 10-3 over the first-place Altoona Curve. Second baseman Jason Kipnis began his career performance with a leadoff home run in the first and Cleveland Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo later scored on a Beau Mills RBI single. Altoona tied the game at 2-2 in the third but third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall hit a solo shot to regain the lead. The home team then scored seven times in the fourth on a two-run homer by John Drennen, a three-run shot by Kipnis and finally, a two-out, two-run blast by Mills. The Curve scored the game's final run in the sixth inning against new Akron reliever Rob Bryson as left-hander Kelvin De La Cruz (3-5) earned the win and Altoona's Jared Hughes allowed all 10 runs (six earned) and the five home runs in taking the loss.

. Kelvin De La Cruz. De La Cruz earned his second straight victory Tuesday night, limiting the Curve to two runs on six hits in five innings pitched. The 6'5" left-hander struck out three against three walks, continuing a solid stretch after going 10 straight outings without a win. The 21-year-old native of the Dominican Republic improved to 2-0 with a 3.26 ERA in four July starts.

. Home, Sweet Home. Reliever Bryan Price avoided damage in the sixth inning Tuesday after replacing Bryson, who threw three wild pitches and walked four straight batters. Entering with no outs, Price recorded a strikeout and an inning-ending double play and he now has a 0.73 ERA in 25.0 innings pitched at Canal Park this season with 23 K's against only four walks.

. Kardiac Kipnis. No player has been hotter in minor league baseball over the past week than the 23-year-old Kipnis. He had his first-ever two-homer game Tuesday and his leadoff shot was Akron's first since Brad Snyder on May 26th, 2006. Kipnis has led the team to a six-game winning streak since last week's EL All-Star Break, batting .600 (15-for-25) with five RBI. The converted outfielder out of Arizona State University currently ranks among the top 10 in MiLB in batting average, hits, extra-base hits (six), total bases (25), on-base percentage (.643), slugging percentage (1.000) and OPS (1.643) over the past six days.

. Going the Distance. Akron's five home runs Tuesday set a new season-high, breaking the record of four previously set on July 2nd at Prince George's Stadium in Bowie. That night, Matt McBride tied a franchise-record with three homers in his first three at-bats. The Aeros now have eight long balls in this set against Altoona, already the most in any three-game series this year.

. On the Road. Tonight marks the end of a weeklong home stand for Akron against the Erie SeaWolves and the Curve. After the series finale, the Aeros head to Reading for a four-game weekend series before returning again to Canal Park next Monday. That contest will mark the beginning of another seven-game stretch in Akron against the Bowie Baysox and the Reading Phillies.

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Eastern League Stories from July 21, 2010


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