Hodges Powers Aeros to Wild 11-10 Win
April 15, 2008 - Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release
AKRON, OH - Wes Hodges homered twice and drove in seven runs as Akron held on late for an 11-10 victory over Binghamton before 2,608 fans at Canal Park Saturday night. The Aeros improved to 5-6 with the win while the B-Mets slipped to 7-5.
Akron quickly erased a 1-0 deficit with three runs in the first, as Matt Whitney's RBI double tied the game and Michael Aubrey followed with an RBI groundout before Hodges drove in his first run on a sac fly. The Mets got a run back in the third but again Akron answered, this time on consecutive RBI singles by Hodges and Stephen Head to make it 5-2.
Binghamton roared back in the fourth though, scoring three runs to tie the game and chase Aeros starter Chuck Lofgren. Hodges responded in the bottom of the fifth however, crushing a solo home run to straightaway center field that put the Aeros back on top by a run at 6-5. The Mets retied the game in the sixth on Daniel Murphy's RBI double, but the tide turned for good in the bottom of the inning.
Josh Rodriguez started the rally with a one-out flare to center that dropped for a hit, and Whitney followed with a frozen rope double down the left field line. With first base open, the Mets opted to play the percentages and walked the left-handed hitting Aubrey, loading the bases in the process, so reliever Joe Heitpas could face Hodges in a righty-righty match up. It didn't take long for Hodges to prove that wasn't a great idea. Hodges got ahead in the count 2-0, and then socked a missile of a grand slam down the left field line to put Akron on top to stay.
The teams traded runs in the seventh and Binghamton made it interesting with three runs in the top of the eighth, but Aeros closer Randy Newsom stranded the tying run at second to finish the eighth and then struck out the side after a leadoff infield single in the ninth to preserve the win.
Jeff Stevens (2-0) earned the win out of the Akron bullpen, while Heitpas (1-1) suffered the loss. Newsom's save was his second in as many chances. Hodges went 3-4 with three runs scored and seven RBI, but was far from a one-man army. Rodriguez finished 3-5, Whitney, Aubrey and Ryan Goleski all had two hits, and Chris Gimenez drew three walks for the second time in the homestand. The top five hitters in the Akron lineup (Nathan Panther, Rodriguez, Whitney, Aubrey and Hodges) went a combined 11-22 with four doubles, two homers, 10 of the 11 RBI, and all 11 runs scored. Panther and Hodges both extended their hitting streaks to seven games as well.
The clubs finish this three-game series in about 10 hours (but who's counting), with a 10:35 a.m. start on Education Day Wednesday. Lefty David Huff (0-1, 7.27 ERA) will go for Akron against Binghamton's Bobby Parnell (0-1, 6.48 ERA). The game broadcast begins at 10:20 a.m. on SportsRadio 1350 AM and online at www.akronaeros.com. For more information, please call the Aeros at (330) 253-5151.
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