EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Akron Aeros Game Notes

Published on April 11, 2008 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


Game #8 - Home Game #2 - Friday, April 11, 2008 - 7:05 P.M.

Akron Aeros (2-5) vs. Bowie Baysox (3-5)

Cleveland Indians Baltimore Orioles

Today's Starters: Akron - RHP Frank Herrmann (1-0, 11.12 ERA)

Bowie - RHP Jason Berken (0-1, 3.60 ERA)

Upcoming Probables:

Saturday: AKR LHP Ryan Edell (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. BOW RHP Chris Tillman (0-0, 9.00 ERA)

Sunday: AKR RHP Kevin Dixon (0-0, 1.80 ERA) vs. BOW LHP Chris Waters (1-0, 1.13 ERA)

Monday: AKR LHP Chuck Lofgren (0-1, 5.79 ERA) vs. BIN TBA

Tuesday: AKR LHP David Huff (0-1, 7.27 ERA) vs. BIN TBA

The Book on Frank Herrmann...

- High Strikeouts - 2, set 4/6 at Harrisburg - Most Hits Allowed - 8, set 4/6 at Harrisburg

- Longest Outing - 5.2 IP, set 4/6 at Harrisburg - Most Walks Allowed - 3, set 4/6 at Harrisburg

- Shortest Outing - 5.2 IP, set 4/6 at Harrisburg - HR Allowed (Season) - 0

- Currently the only Aeros starter with a victory

- Holds an economics degree from Harvard and signed with the Indians as an undrafted free agent in 2005

Throws a four-seam fastball between 88-92 mph, as well as a two-seamer, slider and change

Aeros are 1-0 when Herrmann starts

Last time out: Earned the WIN in a 13-11 victory at Harrisburg 4/6 (5.2 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 2 K)

Aerodynamics...

The Fat Lady Sung...Akron mounted a spirited four-run rally with two away in the bottom of the ninth last night, but couldn't complete the comeback in the home opener and fell to Bowie, 7-5. Trailing 7-1 and down to the final out, 1B Matt Whitney kept the Akron's hopes alive with a two-run double, and the collective spirits grew brighter when DH Michael Aubrey and 3B Wes Hodges followed with consecutive RBI hits. Those efforts brought LF Ryan Goleski to the plate as the potential tying run, but he sent a liner off the end of his bat directly to Nolan Reimold in right to end the threat and the game.

Missed Opportunities...The Aeros stranded a season-high 10 runners last night, including a particularly damaging stretch from the second through sixth frames in which the club left eight men on base, with five of those eight in scoring position. Akron left men on the corners in the second, couldn't take advantage of a leadoff double in the third, left another man at second in the fourth, and then got turned away empty handed after loading the bases with two away in the sixth.

So Close...Aeros starter David Huff had a fairly non-descript final line last night with four runs and six hits allowed in 4.2 innings, but a closer look reveals that he was painfully close to throwing up a string of zeros. Huff allowed a solo home run in the first, when he left a 3-2 fastball up in the zone to Nolan Reimold. In the third Huff gave up a leadoff single to Kennard Jones on another full-count offering, and then surrendered an RBI double to Carlos Rojas on a 2-2 pitch. Rojas added an RBI groundout in the fifth, this time on a 1-2 pitch. All told, four of the six hits given up by Huff came with two strikes on the hitter, and two of the fours runs charged to him scored with two outs in the inning. On the bright side, Huff did set an Aeros season-high with five strikeouts in the game.

Walk This Way...C Chris Gimenez didn't get much to offer at in his four plate appearances last night, but to his credit he didn't chase anything and set a new Aeros season-high with three walks. Gimenez drew two-out walks in both the second and fourth innings, and then worked another free pass to open the bottom of the ninth. On the hill, the Aeros pitching staff had its best outing of the year in terms of control, as Huff and relievers Shawn Nottingham and T.J. Burton did not walk a single Bowie batter on the night.

Did You Know...At 2-5 the Aeros sit tied with the Altoona Curve for fifth place in the Eastern League's Southern Division. This marks the first time Akron has been in fifth place since September 6th, 2004, the last day of that season. The Aeros were in fourth place for one day last year, a total of 14 days in 2006, and were never below third in the championship year of 2005.

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Eastern League Stories from April 11, 2008


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