Aeros Rally Late, Down Senators 7-6
Published on April 29, 2009 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release
AKRON, OH - Akron scored three go-ahead runs in the seventh and plated a key insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to claim a 7-6 victory over Harrisburg before 2,304 boisterous fans at Canal Park Wednesday night. The Aeros improved to an Eastern League-best 15-4 while the struggling Senators lost their 11th straight game and fell to 2-15, easily the worst mark on the circuit.
The Aeros got two quick runs in the bottom of the first off Senators left-hander Ross Detwiler, as a fielding error by shortstop Michael Martinez led to one run and Niuman Romero provided the other tally with a sacrifice fly. Harrisburg's Leonard Davis tied the game in the third with a two-run homer into the bleachers in right field, but Akron retook the lead in the bottom of the frame as Carlos Santana walked with two out, went to third on Romero's double, and scored on a throwing error by right fielder Edgardo Baez.
Back came the Senators in the fourth as Ofilio Castro's sac fly tied the game at 3-3, and a solo home run from Matt Whitney (the second bomb in as many nights for the former Aero) and an RBI single from Castro in the fifth put Harrisburg in front at 5-3. That base hit also loaded the bases for the Senators with one out and chased Akron starter Josh Tomlin, who allowed a dozen hits in 4.1 innings. Steven Wright entered for the first relief appearance of his career, but struck out Martinez looking and got Mike Daniel on a bouncer to second to escape the jam.
Wright escaped another bases loaded predicament in the seventh, striking out Martinez for the second time and inducing another grounder from Daniel to set the stage for Akron's comeback. The bottom of the seventh got off to an inauspicious start as Carlos Rivero struck out looking, but Beau Mills and Santana followed with back-to-back doubles to cut the deficit to a run at 5-4. Romero popped up for the second out, but Nick Weglarz cracked an RBI single up the middle to score Santana and tie the game, and after a pair of infield singles loaded the bases Jerad Head dropped an RBI single into center to score Weglarz and put the Aeros back in front at 6-5.
Akron added a huge insurance run in the eighth as Jose Constanza opened the inning with an infield single and then stole second base, but only after the umpires gathered and overturned the original call of a caught stealing. The extra 90 feet loomed large when Santana ripped a two-out RBI double into the left field corner to make it 7-5, and in fact that proved to be the difference as Harrisburg got a run in the ninth before closer Vinnie Pestano notched the final out.
Wright (2-0) was terrific in earning the win out of the bullpen, tossing 2.2 shutout innings with no walks. He also stranded all three of his inherited runners. Yunior Novoa (0-2) took the loss for Harrisburg after allowing three runs and five hits in 1.2 innings, and Pestano's save was his league-leading ninth of the year. Mills went 3-5 with two doubles and two runs scored to lead the offense, while Santana was 2-3 with a pair of doubles of his own plus three RBI. Josh Rodriguez and Mickey Hall also finished with two hits each. Every Akron starter finished with at least one hit as the Aeros collected a season-high 14 on the night, although they also allowed a season-high 19 hits to the Senators.
Akron will look for the sweep at 10:35 a.m. Thursday, as Jeanmar Gomez (2-2, 2.63 ERA with Class A Kinston) makes his Eastern League debut against Harrisburg left-hander and former Baylor University star Cory VanAllen (0-1, 6.75 ERA). The game broadcast begins at 10:20 a.m. on SportsRadio 1350 WARF-AM and online at www.akronaeros.com. For more information, please call the Aeros at (330) 253-5151.
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