Bullpen Leads Aeros to 4-3 Win in 10 Innings
Published on July 8, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release
AKRON, OH - The Aeros bullpen delivered another dominant performance Thursday night at Canal Park, helping Akron capture a series victory with a 4-3 win in 10 innings against the Trenton Thunder. Three different Aeros relievers combined to allow just one hit and one walk in 6.2 innings pitched in front the 2,506 fans in attendance, as shortstop Carlos Rivero plated Lonnie Chisenhall for the walk-off run in the bottom of the 10th. Akron (43-43) is now 1.5 games behind the wild card spot in the Eastern League's Western Division after winning three out of four games against the Thunder (52-34).
Trenton shortstop Luis Nunez started the first inning against Aeros starter Kelvin De la Cruz with a leadoff home run into the canal in left field. De La Cruz stranded a runner on third base to end the frame and the hosts responded quickly in the bottom of the second.
First baseman Beau Mills began the rally with a single to right field, Rivero drew a walk, a wild pitch advanced both runners and Mills scored on an RBI groundout by Damaso Espino. Tim Fedroff then gave Akron a 2-1 advantage with a seeing-eye single to right and Jordan Henry ended the outburst a run-scoring double down the right field.
The lefty De La Cruz allowed another solo homer in the third to Thunder first baseman Marcos Vechionacci and struggled with his control in the fourth. He walked the bases loaded with just one out and left the game in favor of reliever Bryan Price, who avoided further damage by forcing an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
Price retired all seven batters he faced and Connor Graham entered the game for the Aeros in the top of the seventh inning. Nunez greeted him with a stand-up triple past a diving Henry in center, and a two-out wild pitch tied the score at 3-3.
The Thunder stranded a runner on third in the eighth and Akron finally ended the contest in the 10th. Jason Kipnis started with a fly out and then reliever Kevin Whelan walked three straight to load the bases. Rivero chopped a slow grounder to Justin Snyder at second base and his throw home was just late as Chisenhall scored the game-winning run.
Reliever Zach Putnam (4-1) earned the win for Akron and struck out his first five opponents to highlight two perfect innings while Whelan (1-2) took the loss. De La Cruz allowed six hits and four walks in just 3.1 innings pitched but did not factor into the decision because of the efforts of the three-headed relieving corps. Price, Graham and Putnam combined for 10 strikeouts and allowed only two base runners the rest of the way.
Fedroff was the offensive leader on the night for the hosts as he finished 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Three double plays, including two via a strikeout and caught stealing, hurt the rallies for the Aeros and the team was just 2-for-12 with men in scoring position.
Akron hits the road Friday morning for the beginning of a four-game wraparound series against a nearby rival, the Erie SeaWolves. Eastern League All-Star Paolo Espino (7-3, 4.16 ERA) returns to the starting rotation for Akron in the opener against Erie lefty Ramon Garcia (0-4, 4.91 ERA). Join Jim Clark for Friday's radio broadcast from Jerry Uht Stadium in Erie beginning at 6:50 p.m. on Fox Sports 1350 AM and at www.akronaeros.com.
Eastern League Stories from July 8, 2010
- Bullpen Leads Aeros to 4-3 Win in 10 Innings - Akron RubberDucks
- Baysox Swept Aside by SeaWolves - Chesapeake Baysox
- Senators Survive Squirrels in Finale, 9-7 - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Bullpen Lifts B-Mets to 4-3 Win, 7th Straight Series - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Thunder Lose Finale in Ten Innings - Trenton Thunder
- Altoona Drops Series Finale to B-Mets, 4-3 - Altoona Curve
- Sens Win Thriller over Richmond - Harrisburg Senators
- David Cooper Hits Two Homers, Drives in Four as Fisher Cats Top Sea Dogs 8-2 - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Cooper Homers Twice to Lift 'Cats over 'Dogs - Portland Sea Dogs
- Rock Cats Fall To Reading 13-2 In Home Series Finale - New Britain Rock Cats
- Richmond Flying Squirrels Game Notes - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- C Eliezer Zambrano Joins Squirrels - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Aeros Notes - Akron RubberDucks
- Sea Dogs Partner with Goodwill for Donation Drive - Portland Sea Dogs
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
