EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Aeros Sweep Home Stand, Defeat Altoona 4-2

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


AKRON, OH - The Akron Aeros completed a perfect seven-game home stand Wednesday evening, defeating the first-place Altoona Curve by the final score of 4-2 at Canal Park. Catcher Damaso Espino scored the game-winning run with a dramatic two-out RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning in front of 1,782 fans in downtown Akron. The win improved the third-place Aeros to 52-45, a season-best seven games over .500 and only 5.5 games behind the Curve (57-39) in the Eastern League's Western Division.

Altoona began the scoring in the first against Akron starting pitcher Paolo Espino. The EL All-Star permitted a leadoff triple to shortstop Chase d'Arnaud and Gorkys Hernandez promptly gave the visitors a 1-0 advantage with a run-scoring groundout to first base.

The narrow lead did not last for long as the Aeros responded in the bottom half of the second, Matt McBride reached base to start the inning on a catcher's interference following a foul ball against Curve lefty starter Jeff Locke. Two straight outs ensued before left fielder Jerad Head unloaded on the first pitch he saw for a two-run homer to center.

With Akron leading 2-1 after two innings, a rain delay interrupted the game action at Canal Park for the second straight night. The pause lasted 37 minutes before Locke and Espino battled in a pitcher's duel for the remainder of the next three frames.

The Curve finally broke the standstill in the top of the sixth when Hague collected a one-out single to right. Third baseman Jordy Mercer then provided a game-tying double to left-center field, scoring Hague all the way from first base.

Both bullpens helped maintain the tie score until the deciding bottom of the eighth inning against Altoona reliever Ramon Aguero. The right-hander recorded two quick outs against Cleveland Indians star Shin-Soo Choo and McBride before Beau Mills started the rally with a triple to center. Aguero then loaded the bases with a pair of walks and Espino broke upon the game with his single to right on a 1-2 offering. Tim Fedroff followed with the RBI of the night on a five-pitch bases-loaded walk, providing for the game's final 4-2 margin.

Reliever Chen-Chang Lee (5-3) earned the win for the Aeros with a pair of strikeouts in two scoreless innings in relief of Espino. Aguero (1-3) took the loss in his rough 0.2 innings pitched and Shane Lindsay recorded his first save as a member of the Indians organization in the ninth. Espino provided six efficient innings in the no-decision for his third quality start, striking out six batters against two walks and six hits.

Espino was the hero as he finished 1-for-4 with the clutch RBI in the bottom of the eighth and Mills was the only Akron batter to finish with two hits. Choo finished 0-for-4 in his projected final game on rehab assignment while recovering from a right thumb sprain.

The Aeros finally hit the road after the game this evening and begin a four-game weekend series with the Reading Phillies Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. The fun starts at First Energy Stadium as Akron hopes to win an eighth straight game with a currently unannounced starting pitcher against Reading's Drew Naylor (8-7, 4.05 ERA). Join Jim Clark for Thursday's radio broadcast beginning at 6:50 p.m. on Fox Sports 1350 AM and at www.akronaeros.com. For more information, please call the Aeros at (330) 253-5151.

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Eastern League Stories from July 21, 2010


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