Game Recaps 4/24

Some quick notes before the recaps:

- Aaron Laffey pitched only 3 innings and threw 50 pitches for Buffalo on Thursday night, which all but means he is getting the spot start in Cleveland on Monday against the Yankees.

- Outfielder Trevor Crowe is off to extended spring training for his ailing back (disc issue). He is going to be out for awhile. Unfortunate.

- The Indians re-signed lefty Jason Stanford. He'll be the starter in Friday nights game for Buffalo.

- Right-hander Sean Smith was traded to the Colorado Rockies as the player to be named later in the Jamey Carroll trade.

Senators Score Early, Often in 13-6 Win

AKRON, OH – Harrisburg struck for eight runs in the first three innings and the Aeros offense couldn’t keep up in a 13-6 defeat before 1,660 fans at Canal Park Thursday night. The first-place Senators improved to 13-7 while Akron dropped to 7-12.

Harrisburg opened the game with four runs in the top of the first, but the Aeros were able to answer the opening salvo. Michael Aubrey slammed a two-out double off the wall in right-center in the bottom of the first, and Matt Whitney then roped an RBI single down the left field line to score Aubrey and make it 4-1. Akron then tied the game in the bottom of the second, as Chris de la Cruz drew a leadoff walk and scored on Jose Constanza’s RBI triple. Josh Rodriguez brought the Aeros to within a run with an RBI single, and Wes Hodges then evened the game at 4-4 with a two-out RBI single of his own.

The Senators wasted little time in reclaiming the lead however, striking for four more runs in the top of the third on a two-run double by Luke Montz and a two-run single from William Bergolla. Akron got a run back on Constanza’s two-out RBI single in the fifth, but Andrew LeFave put the game out of reach with a three-run homer of reliever Sung-Wei Tseng in the top of the sixth to make it 11-5. Chris Gimenez scored on a wild pitch in the seventh before Harrisburg plated two more runs in the top of the eighth to account for the final margin.

Mike Hinckley (2-0) got the win in relief for Harrisburg, allowing a run on four hits in three innings. Aeros starter Kevin Dixon (0-3) was roughed up for eight runs (seven earned) and seven hits in just 2.1 innings to suffer the loss, although lefty Shawn Nottingham impressed with three shutout innings as the first man out of the bullpen. Rodriguez and Constanza led the way offensively with three hits each, while Aubrey and Gimenez both had a pair of hits.

Game two in this four-game series is set for 7:05 p.m. Friday, with Akron’s Chuck Lofgren (0-1, 6.92 ERA) taking on former Aero Bobby Brownlie (2-0, 2.25 ERA). As with every Friday home game, fans will be treated to a spectacular fireworks show following the game. The game broadcast begins at 6:50 p.m. on SportsRadio 1350 AM and online at http://www.akronaeros.com/.

Lynchburg Beats Kinston 7-5

The Lynchburg Hillcats got a big home run late in the game, handing Kinston a 7-5 loss Thursday night at Grainger Stadium. Kinston trailed 4-0 before exploding with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Kinston started the scoring when an error by Lynchburg allowed Cirilo Cumberbatch and Brian Juhl to score. Back to back RBI hits by Beau Mills and Jared Goedert tied the score at four. Lynchburg broke the tie in the top of the seventh inning, when catcher Chris Jones hit a two run home run off of Kinston reliever Heath Taylor. Kinston scored a run on another RBI hit by Goedert in the seventh, but could not get any closer. Goedert went 3-for-5 with two RBI for Kinston.

Taylor (1-2) picked up the loss for Kinston. Carlton Smith gave up four earned runs in five plus innings for Kinston. Smith did not give up a hit through his first four innings of work. Jim Deters finished the game for Kinston, giving up two hits and no earned runs. Jacob Cuffman (1-0) got the win for Lynchburg. Kyle Pearson picked up the save.

Kinston returns to Grainger Stadium Friday night for game two of the four game series. Jeanmar Gomez will take the mound for the K-Tribe at 7pm.

CAPTAINS TAKE GAME ONE IN KANNAPOLIS 4-2

(Kannapolis, NC) – Ryan Miller picked up his fourth win of the season, Chris Nash bombed his first home run, and Matt Brown had two RBI’s as the Captains defeated the Kannapolis Intimidators 4-2 on Thursday. The Captains remain in first place with the win.

The Intimidators took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning off Captains starter Ryan Miller when Jose Martinez singled in Sergio Morales. That was the first earned run against Miller this year in 16 innings of work. The Captains took a 2-1 the lead in the second when Chris Nash crushed a two run home run to dead center field, his first homer of the year. Kannapolis tied it in the third on another RBI single by Martinez.

The Captains took a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning. Karexon Sanchez singled and went to third on Jeff Hehr’s single. Matt Brown knocked them both in when he doubled to the right field corner.
Captain’s starter Ryan Miller was solid again going six innings giving up only the two runs on five hits while striking put five. Mike Pontius relieved Miller and tossed two shutout innings striking out three. Pontius has struck out at least three batters in all but one appearance in 2008.

The Captains play game two of the four game series on Friday with game time at 7:05 PM. RHP Santo Frias (0-0, 5.68) gets the start for the Captains against the Intimidators RHP Jason Rice (0-2, 3.29). The game can be heard on AM 1330 WELW, WELW.COM or CAPTAINSBASEBALL.COM.

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