EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Aeros Rebound, Blast Baysox 8-6 in 10

Published on May 1, 2009 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


BOWIE, MD - Nick Weglarz and Jerad Head launched solo home runs in the top of the 10th as Akron bounced back after blowing a five-run lead to clip Bowie 8-6 in 10 innings before 8,778 fans at Prince George's Stadium Friday night. The Aeros improved to an Eastern League best 17-4 and won their fourth straight game while the Baysox slipped to 9-11 on the year.

Weglarz got Akron on the board first with an RBI double in the second, and after Bowie tied it in the third, the Aeros posted four runs in the fourth. Beau Mills and Carlos Santana both walked on four pitches to open the frame, and after Baysox starter Bobby Livingston recorded the next two outs Damaso Espino ripped a two-run single to left to push Akron back in front at 3-1. Mickey Hall followed with a fly ball to center that Ambiorix Concepcion dropped to put runners at second and third, and Head then delivered another two-run single to make it 5-1.

Hall's sacrifice fly in the sixth made it 6-1, but the Baysox came roaring back in the bottom of the eighth. Concepcion started a run of five straight hits that led to four runs and cut the Akron lead to a single run, and Bowie then capped the comeback in the ninth off closer Vinnie Pestano. Melvin Dorta started the rally with a two-strike single to center, and after Paco Figueroa popped up Concepcion added a two-strike hit of his own to put runners on the corners. Miguel Abreu then tied the game at 6-6 with an RBI single to right, but Pestano did well to get to the 10th. He walked Jonathan Tucker intentionally to load the bases, and the strategy paid off when Guillermo Rodriguez tapped back to the mound and Pestano took the force at the plate for the second out. Milwaukee native Joe Nowicki then flied to left to end the inning.

It didn't take long for Akron to retake the lead in the 10th, as Weglarz drilled the third pitch he saw over the wall in left-center to put the Aeros back in front to stay at 7-6. Head then added some insurance with a blast of his own, going deep the opposite way to right field to account for the final margin. Josh Judy worked the bottom of the 10th to earn his first Eastern League save, striking out Figueroa on a nasty slider to end it.

Chuck Lofgren started and battled through five innings for the Aeros, departing after five innings of one-run baseball but ultimately getting a no-decision. He has allowed just two runs and six hits over his last three starts, covering 17.0 innings. Pestano (1-0) got the win but blew his second save of the year, while Ryan Rodriguez (0-2) took the loss for Bowie. Weglarz, who began the season mired in an awful slump, continued to show signs of breaking out as he finished 3-5 with two doubles, a homer, and two RBI. It was his first three-hit game of the season, and he set a new Aeros season-high with eight total bases. Both of his home runs this season have come at Bowie. Head finished 2-4 with a walk and three RBI while hitting his third home run of the year, and Espino's base hit in the fourth pushed his hitting streak to a season-high five games.

Game two in this three-game series is set for 7:05 p.m. Saturday, as Frank Herrmann (1-1, 3.00 ERA) takes on Sean Gleason (0-1, 11.57 ERA). The game broadcast begins at 6:50 p.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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Eastern League Stories from May 1, 2009


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