
Everything Works for Aeros in 7-0 Win
Published on May 14, 2009 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release
ALTOONA, PA - Dominant starting pitching? Check. Clutch hitting and contributions from every hitter in the lineup? Check. Flawless defense? Check. And did we mention dominant starting pitching?
Akron clicked on all cylinders Thursday night, starting an eight-game road trip on the right foot with a 7-0 dismantling of Altoona before 2,630 fans at Blair County Ballpark. Jeanmar Gomez didn't allow a runner into scoring position over eight sublime innings, every Akron hitter reached base at least once, and the Aeros notched their third shutout of the year and second in five games, improving to an Eastern League-best 24-7 in the process. Altoona's winning streak ended at three games as the Curve dropped to 11-21.
The Aeros opened the scoring in the second as Niuman Romero delivered an RBI groundout, and Matt McBride's RBI single in the third pushed it to 2-0. The lead swelled to 4-0 for Akron in the fourth as Carlos Rivero scored on a throwing error and Jared Goedert came around on a two-out single from Jerad Head, and Damaso Espino got into the act in the seventh with a two-out RBI of his own. Akron then capped the scoring with a pair of runs in the eighth as Nick Weglarz drew a bases-loaded walk and Head scorched a single to left to account for the final margin. The Aeros had at least one base runner in each of the first eight innings.
The story all night however was Gomez, the 21-year-old Venezuelan who was making just his third Double-A start. He faced the minimum 15 hitters through the first five frames, helped by 6-4-3 double plays in both the second and fourth innings. Leadoff singles in the sixth and the seventh didn't faze the right-hander as neither runner left first base, and Gomez capped the night in style by striking out Jonel Pacheco looking and Jamie Romak swinging to end the eighth.
Gomez (3-0) was untouchable all night, allowing just four singles over a season-high eight innings while needing only 95 pitches. He walked none and struck out eight, his most since he picked up nine strikeouts for Kinston April 10th last season. The eight innings also marked the longest outing for an Akron pitcher since Kevin Dixon went eight against Altoona at Canal Park on May 20th of last year. Curve starter Kyle Bloom (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) in four innings. Neil Wagner worked around a single and a walk in the ninth while recording the final three outs. Head was one of a quartet of Aeros with multiple hits, finishing 2-4 with two RBI. Rivero and Espino also had two hits, while Beau Mills went 3-4. Six of Akron's seven runs scored with two outs.
Game two in this five-game series is set for 6:35 p.m. Friday as left-hander Chuck Lofgren (2-0, 1.33 ERA) takes the hill for Akron against Altoona's Brad Lincoln (0-3, 3.23 ERA). The broadcast begins at 6:20 p.m. on SportsRadio 1350 WARF-AM and online at www.akronaeros.com. For more information, please call the Aeros at (330) 253-5151.
Eastern League Stories from May 14, 2009
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