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EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Aeros Pull Away Late, Win 9-6

September 2, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


ALTOONA, PA - Akron overcame a pair of deficits and used a four-run explosion in the top of the seventh to take the lead for good, defeating Altoona 9-6 before 3,827 fans at Blair County Ballpark Wednesday night. The Aeros improved to a season-high 31 games over .500 at 84-53, while the Curve dropped to 60-77.

Altoona opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a pair of runs off Akron starter Scott Barnes, but the Aeros answered with three runs in the top of the third. Jared Goedert, who committed two errors in the first, opened the inning with a double and went to third when Jose Constanza beat out a sacrifice bunt attempt. Josh Rodriguez and Carlos Santana then evened the score with consecutive RBI singles, and Lonnie Chisenhall put Akron up by a run at 3-2 with a two-out RBI bloop single.

The Curve retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth as Barnes, who struggled with his command all night, hit Ray Chang to open the inning. Jeff Corsaletti followed with a single, and after Steve Lerud advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt Brian Friday tied the game with an RBI groundout and Gorkys Hernandez put Altoona in front 4-3 with a two-out RBI single to right.

The Aeros recovered and scored the next five runs however, as Altoona reliever Jared Hughes threw a wild pitch with two down in the sixth to tie the game before allowing all four runs in the seventh. Constanza walked to spark the rally, stole second, and went to third on an infield single by Rodriguez. Santana popped out, but Beau Mills followed with a slow roller to third. Constanza broke on contact, and Chang's throw home sailed over Lerud's head (and may not have been in time anyway). Matt McBride followed with an RBI double to make it 6-4 and knock Hughes from the game, and Carlos Rivero had the big blow with a two-out, two-run single to left-center to push the lead to 8-4.

Altoona got a run back in the eighth, Akron answered in the ninth on a run-scoring double by Rivero, and the Curve added one more in the ninth but couldn't get the potential tying run to the plate.

Carlton Smith (5-2) earned the win out of the bullpen, holding Altoona to a run in 2.1 innings. Hughes (1-6) took the loss, allowing four runs and three hits in just 0.2 innings. Rodriguez had his best night since returning from the disabled list, finishing 4-5 with a run scored and an RBI. It was his first four-hit game since recording a career-high five hits August 26th, 2006 against Batavia while playing for Mahoning Valley. Rivero finished 3-5 with three RBI and has driven in five runs in the first two games of this series, while Mills and Chisenhall both went 2-5. Santana drove in his 94th run of the year and is just three away from tying Wes Hodges' team record, while Constanza scored twice and is up to 93 runs on the year, tying Ken Ramos for fourth on the club's single-season list.

Akron will look for the three-game sweep Thursday night at 6:35 p.m., as left-hander Eric Berger (2-1, 3.18 ERA) goes for the Aeros against Altoona southpaw Kyle Bloom (6-8, 3.96 ERA). The game broadcast begins at 6:20 p.m. on SportsRadio 1350 AM and online at www.akronaeros.com. For more information, please call the Aeros at (330) 253-5151.

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