Flying Squirrels Game Notes at Akron
Published on May 19, 2012 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release
Richmond Flying Squirrels (20-21) vs. Akron Aeros (24-14)
Saturday, May 19th -- 6:05 PM
Canal Park -- Akron, OH
Game # 42 - Road Game # 21
Radio: Sports Radio 910 AM (5:35 PM) Internet: sportsradio910.com
RHP Justin Fitzgerald (3-1, 3.18) vs. LHP Giovanni Soto (3-2, 4.46)
SERIES AT A GLANCE: The Flying Squirrels will look to rebound from one of their worst losses of the season when they take on the Akron Aeros in game two of a three-game series at Canal Park tonight. Last night, Kyle Bellows went 4-for-5 with a grand slam, a double and 4 RBIs and Chun-Hsiu Chen went 4-for-5 and drove in five runs as the Aeros routed Richmond 16-3. The 13-run margin of defeat tied for the largest of the season for the Flying Squirrels, who also lost a game by 13 to the Reading Phillies (19-6) on April 17. Aeros starter T. J. House (2-1) allowed just two hits and one earned run along with four walks and five strikeouts in six innings pitched. Mike Kickham (2-4) took the loss for Richmond after allowing six hits, seven runs, six of which were earned, and three walks along with two strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched. The loss dropped Richmond to one game below .500 (20-21) for the season and enabled Western Division leader Akron to extend its lead over the fourth-place Flying Squirrels to 5.5 games. The Flying Squirrels went 5-6 against Akron in 2011 including a 3-5 mark at Canal Park. Richmond is 7-11 all-time against the Aeros and the club is 4-8 all-time at Canal Park. The two teams will meet 14 times in 2012, 6 times in Akron and 8 times in Richmond. Following this three-game series, the Flying Squirrels and Aeros will meet again at Canal Park for a three-game series, July 1-3.
TODAY'S PITCHERS: RHP Justin Fitzgerald vs. LHP Giovanni Soto Fitzgerald: Makes his ninth start of the season for the Flying Squirrels tonight. In his last start, Fitzgerald allowed six hits and four earned runs along with four strikeouts and no walks in 5.1 innings pitched against Bowie Sunday. He earned his third win of the season in Richmond's 5-4 triumph. Tonight's game will be his third career start against Akron. Fitzgerald is 0-1 with a 2.13 ERA in his previous two starts against the Aeros. Last season, Fitzgerald went 9-9 and posted a 3.51 ERA in a team-high 27 starts with Richmond. He also led the 2011 Flying Squirrels pitching staff in innings pitched (146.1), finished second on the club in wins (9) and walks allowed (55) and third in strikeouts (111). As a result, Fitzgerald was named an Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star. He also posted a 1-0 mark with a 2.70 ERA in two playoff starts and earned the win in the clinching game of Richmond's sweep of Harrisburg in the Western Division Championship Series. In 2010, he posted a 10-6 record with a 3.45 ERA in 26 appearances, including 25 starts, with Advanced-A San Jose and earned a spot on the California League Mid-Season All-Star team. Fitzgerald owns a 25-18 record with a 3.49 ERA in 117 career minor league appearances, including 60 starts. The Santa Rosa, Calif. native was selected by the Giants in the 11th round of the 2008 June Draft out of UC-Davis.
Soto: Makes his eighth start of the season for the Aeros tonight. In his last start, Soto allowed a season-high eight hits and five runs, four of which were earned, along with a season-high four walks and three strikeouts in 4.1 innings pitched at Erie Monday. He took the loss in Akron's 6-3 setback. Soto is in his first season with the Aeros. The southpaw split the 2011 season between Cleveland's affiliated in the Arizona Rookie League and Advanced-A Kinston. He went 0-0 with a 1.80 ERA in 3 appearances, including 1 start, with the AZL Indians. After earning a promotion to Kinston, Soto posted a 4-4 record with a 3.23 ERA in 15 appearances, including 11 starts. Tonight's start will be his first career appearance against the Flying Squirrels. Soto split the 2010 season with two different clubs in the Low-A Midwest League, the West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit) and the Lake County Captains (Cleveland). He compiled a combined record of 9-8 with a 2.93 ERA and a league-leading two shutouts in 22 starts (6-6 with a 2.61 ERA with West Michigan and 3-2 with a 3.77 ERA with Lake County) and was named a Mid-Season All-Star. The 21-year-old Puerto Rico native has a career record of 20-14 with a 2.89 ERA in 60 appearances, including 47 starts. Soto was originally selected by the Phillies in the 46th round of the 2008 June Draft, but he did not sign. He was selected by Detroit in the 21st round of the 2009 June Draft and signed with the Tigers. He was acquired by the Indians in a trade, which sent infielder Jhonny Peralta to Detroit on July 29, 2010.
SLOW OUT OF THE GATE: The Flying Squirrels have struggled to win this season when falling behind early, Specifically, Richmond is now 2-14 when opposing teams score first after last night's loss to Akron, in which the Aeros took a 1-0 lead after the first inning. Richmond has 18 wins when scoring first, second-most in the Eastern League, behind Akron (19-2 when scoring first).
LOPSIDED LOSS: Richmond's 16-3 setback last night tied the season and franchise record for largest margin of defeat. The 13-run setback matched a loss to the Reading Phillies, in which the Flying Squirrels fell 19-6 on April 17 as the worst loss in club history in terms of margin of defeat.
THE GREAT GLOOR: Flying Squirrels reliever Chris Gloor was one of the few bright spots in last night's loss at Akron. The 25- year-old southpaw did not allow a run in a season-high 2.2 innings pitched. Gloor has now worked five consecutive scoreless outings for the Flying Squirrels. In this stretch, he has allowed four hits and two walks along with four strikeouts in 8.2 innings pitched.
Eastern League Stories from May 19, 2012
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