EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Salazar Sizzles as Aeros Take Series Finale, 4-1

Published on May 2, 2013 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


Altoona, PA - Akron Aeros righthander Danny Salazar threw six shutout innings and struck out a career-high 12 batters Thursday afternoon as the Aeros defeated the Altoona Curve, 4-1, at People's Natural Gas Field.

It was the third straight win for the Aeros (13-14), who took three out of four from the Curve (11-16) in the series. The Aeros won five of seven games on the road trip.

Salazar, Akron's pitching ace and a member of the Indians 40-man roster, was in complete command of the game from the outset. He retired the first 12 batters he faced, including six straight strikeouts in the second and third innings. The perfect game was wrecked in the fifth when Altoona's Adalberto Santos reached on a slug-bunt single that rolled 30 feet up the third base line. Santos was caught stealing later in the inning.

Salazar (2-3) worked around a pair of walks in the sixth, and left after throwing 82 pitches, 53 of which were strikes. His 12 strikeouts were his personal career-high, and the most in a game by an Aeros pitcher this season.

The 23-year-old Dominican righthander lowered his ERA to 2.83. He extended his scoreless innings streak to 17. Thursday's effort was also his longest outing of the season. In his last three starts, Salazar has fanned 30 hitters, while walking only four.

Salazar lost to the Curve at home on April 9th, giving up four runs in 2 2/3 innings. On Thursday, the Curve saw a different version of the hard-throwing righthander.

Akron managed to back Salazar with two early runs before he ever took the mound. Facing righthander Jameson Taillon, a former number one draft pick and rising star in the Pirates chain, the Aeros struck for two runs in the first.

Tyler Holt tripled with one out and scored on a single by Chun Chen. Chen moved to third on a single by Carlos Moncrief, and came home on a RBI base hit by Quincy Latimore.

Akron extended the lead to 3-0 in the fifth when Moncrief scored from first on a dropped pop-up in right field off the bat of Roberto Perez.

Taillon (2-3) left after six innings and absorbed the loss in his first career start against Akron. He allowed seven hits, walked one and struck out six.

Salazar got relief help from Austin Adams in the seventh, but he shutout bid went by the boards. Adams gave up a double to Santos, but had two outs when a grounder by Jarek Cunningham went through the legs of third baseman Kyle Bellows for an error, allowing Santos to score.

Bryan Price and Jose Flores also worked an inning apiece. Flores posted his second save of the season. All four Aeros pitchers combined to strike out a season-high 17 batters.

Holt created an insurance run in the ninth for Akron. After he doubled, he stole third on reliever Nate Baker. Noticing too late that Holt was breaking for third, Baker stepped off the rubber and threw wildly past third. Holt scored to make it 4-1.

Chen was 2-5 on the day, and is now hitting .353. He entered Wednesday's game second in the league in hitting and could wake up Friday as the EL's top hitter.

The Aeros will return to Canal Park to open a six-game homestand beginning Friday night at 7:05 against the Bowie Baysox. LHP Jake Pettit (1-0, 4.18) will start for the Baysox, while LHP Matt Packer (0-3, 4.07) will get the starting nod for the Aeros. The game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1350 AM, and online at www.sportsradio1350.com. For more information, please call the Aeros at 330-253-5151.

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