Game Recaps 5/15

Huff Dominant in Twinbill Split at Altoona

ALTOONA, PA –The Aeros split Thursday’s matinee doubleheader with the Altoona Curve, winning game one, 3-0, and falling in the second game, 3-2. Akron is now 17-20 on the season and Altoona is 15-23. Thursday was the first time the Aeros have seen the field since Saturday at Canal Park. Akron was rained out Sunday against Trenton, then had a scheduled day off Monday. Two consecutive rainouts followed in Altoona before today’s double-dip.

David Huff pitched lights-out ball in game one. He limited the Curve to just three hits in the game. Huff needed just 68 pitches in the seven-inning complete game, including six pitches in the second inning, seven in the fifth, and five in the seventh. Only one runner reached second base, which came in the fifth on a double by Milver Reyes. Other than that, Huff was brilliant, slicing through the Curve lineup.

The Aeros scored the only run they would need in the first. Chris Gimenez roped a two-out double to right, which Wes Hodges followed with an RBI double on a 1-2 pitch down the right-field line. Hodges is tied for the league lead with 32 RBI in 37 games. Akron added two more in the fifth. Brandon Pinckney doubled to start the inning, and Brandon Chaves moved him to third on a bunt single that Altoona pitcher Jimmy Barthmaier could not handle. With Constanza at the dish, Chaves stole second and came around to score on a Constanza two-run single to give the Aeros a 3-0 lead that Huff would hold.

Huff (3-1) gets the win in the complete game shutout, allowing just three hits, walking one and striking out two. He lowered his ERA to 2.14, which is second in the Eastern League going into tonight’s play. Barthmaier (2-2) took the loss after surrendering three earned runs on six hits, walking two, and striking out six.

In game two, Altoona put up three runs in the third and Akron could not tally a crooked number on the scoreboard for J.D. Martin, who made his second start of the season for the Aeros. With one out, Brian Finegan started the third-inning rally with a single. Martin got James Boone on strikes for the second out, but Finegan would steal second and score on a single by Melvin Dorta. Jonel Pacheco parked Martin’s next pitch over the wall in left for a two-run homer and a 3-0 Curve lead.

The Aeros scratched out an unearned run in the fifth. With two outs, Ryan Goleski legged out a late throw after shortstop Luis Cruz bobbled a grounder to reach on an error. Armando Camacaro singled to put runners on the corners and Constanza drove in his third run of the day with an RBI single to center. Akron added another run with one out in the seventh on a Camacaro solo home run into the first row of bleachers in left-center. After Constanza grounded out to first, Altoona closer Chris Hernandez got Brandon Pinckney to fly out to the warning track in center to end the game.

Altoona starter Yoslan Herrara (3-3) picked up the win, tossing six innings, allowing an unearned run on six hits, while walking one and striking out two. Martin (3-2) was tagged with the loss, giving up three runs on four hits and striking out one. Erik Stiller, T.J. Burton, and Shawn Nottingham each pitched scoreless innings in relief.

The Aeros begin a three-game series at Reading on Friday. Akron will send lefty Chuck Lofgren (1-3, 5.51 ERA) to the hill against Reading left-hander Shane Youman (0-1, 9.68 ERA). First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. with the game broadcast getting underway at 6:50 p.m. on SportsRadio 1350 AM and online at www.akronaeros.com.

Wilmington Shuts Out K-Tribe 1-0

The K-Tribe’s pitching was nearly perfect, but it wasn’t enough as Wilmington slipped out of Kinston with a 1-0 win on Thursday night. Kinston’s Carlton Smith (1-2) was the tough luck loser, giving up just four hits and one earned run. Smith did not walk a batter and retired the last 16 Blue Rocks he faced.

Wilmington got to Smith early, as Josh Johnson blooped a single off of the right hander with one out in the first inning. Kurt Mertins snuck a groundball through the infield one batter later. Joe Dickerson followed with a line-out to second base that Kinston’s Cristo Arnal snagged and threw to first, almost doubling up Mertins. Wilmington’s Jeff Howell followed with a two-out, RBI single to score Johnson. Wilmington would manage just one more hit on the night, an infield single by Jarrod Dyson in the second inning. Kinston reliever Mike Pontius retired the six batters he faced, as Kinston pitching retired the final 22 Blue Rocks they faced. Kinston managed just three hits as Wilmington’s Matt Kniginyzky, Gilbert de la Vara and Tyler Chambliss combined for the shutout. Kniginyzky (1-4) got the win, Chambliss picked up his sixth save of the season. Wilmington pitchers walked one batter while striking out seven. The game took just two hours and two minutes to complete, the shortest nine inning game for Kinston in more than two years.

The K-Tribe hits the road for a four game in three day set with Winston-Salem on Friday. Jeanmar Gomez will take the mound for Kinston, game time 7pm from Winston-Salem.

CAPTAINS AND POWER POSTPONED

(Charleston, WV) – The Lake County Captains game on Thursday against the West Virginia Power has been postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be made up in Lake County next week as this is the last time the Captains travel to West Virginia. The Captains went 6-1 on the road trip and return to Classic Park in first place in the Northern Division of the SAL.

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