Tomlin Leads the Way, Aeros Triumph 3-1
Published on May 19, 2009 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release
TRENTON, NJ - Josh Tomlin turned in his third straight quality start and relievers Zach Putnam and Vinnie Pestano combined for three perfect innings of relief as Akron claimed a crisply played 3-1win over Trenton before 3,740 fans at Waterfront Park Tuesday. The Aeros improved to 28-8, going 20 games over .500 in just their 36th contest of the season and keeping the best record in all of professional baseball. The Thunder fell to 16-19.
Akron wasted no time in putting a run on the board, as Carlos Rivero drew a one-out walk in the top of the first and alertly went to third on Beau Mills' bloop single to center. Carlos Santana then followed with an RBI base hit to left, putting the Aeros up 1-0.
Tomlin escaped trouble in the bottom of the third when he struck out Colin Curtis to end the inning with runners at second and third, and Akron then got some breathing room as a solo home run from Jared Goedert in the top of the fourth made it 2-0. The Thunder cut the margin in half in the fifth thanks to a fortuitous bounce, as Justin Snyder walked with two down and went to second when Eduardo Nunez's grounder hit the leg of umpire Cory Hinga for an infield single. Seth Fortenberry then laced a hanging curveball to right for an RBI single, but Tomlin recovered to get Curtis on a fly to left to end the inning with the tying run at third.
It remained a one-run game until the ninth when Santana led off with a double to right-center, and a walk to Goedert and a single from Nick Weglarz loaded the bases with none out against Trenton reliever Kevin Whelan. Matt McBride then delivered a sacrifice fly to give Akron some breathing room at 3-1, and Pestano never let the tying run come to the plate in the bottom of the inning.
Tomlin (5-1) earned the win with six exceptional innings, allowing one run and scattering seven hits (six of them singles) for his third straight victory. He walked one and tied his season-high with eight strikeouts, with seven of those Ks coming in the first three innings as he struck out the side in both the second and third frames. Putnam was perfect in the seventh and eight, getting five groundouts and a punch-out before Pestano notched his league-best 12th save with a 1-2-3 ninth. Thunder starter Wilkin de la Rosa (1-1) was very good in his own right, suffering the loss despite a final line of two runs and four hits in 6.2 innings. Goedert's home run was his second of the season, while Santana finished 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Game two in this three-game series is set for 7:05 p.m. Wednesday, as Akron's Hector Rondon (5-1, 1.95 ERA) makes his return to the starting rotation against an as yet unknown Trenton pitcher. The game broadcast begins at 6:50 p.m. on SportsRadio 1350 WARF-AM and online at www.akronaeros.com. For more information, please call the Aeros at (330) 253-5151.
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