Game Recaps 5/24

Winning Streak Ends as Aeros Fall 5-1

AKRON, OH – Erie’s Danny Christensen tossed seven innings of one-run baseball for his first win since July 29th of last year and halted Akron’s five-game winning streak in the process, as the SeaWolves claimed a 5-1 victory before 2,877 fans at Canal Park Saturday night. Erie improved to 18-30 while the Aeros slipped to 23-22.

Akron starter Ryan Edell got a couple of nifty defensive plays behind him in the first two innings, but it was a play the Aeros couldn’t make in the top of the third that led to the first run of the game. A pair of singles put runners at first and second with no one out for the Wolves, but Edell promptly induced a come-backer from Kody Kirkland. Edell fielded it cleanly and fired to shortstop Brandon Chaves at the second base bag, but Chaves dropped the ball and lost the chance at turning a double play. That extra out proved costly a batter later, as Max Leon delivered a sacrifice fly to right to put Erie ahead 1-0.

The Aeros had good chances to tie the game or take the lead in the next two frames, but both times the SeaWolves held Akron at bay. In the bottom of the third, Christensen issued three straight walks to load the bases with two away, but recovered to get Wes Hodges on a fly out to center to end the inning. Then in the bottom of the fourth Chaves delivered a two-out single to center that looked like it would knot the game, but Deik Scram delivered a perfect strike to the plate to throw out Stephen Head and keep Erie on top.

The SeaWolves added a pair of big insurance runs in the top of the seventh, as Danny Worth ripped a two-run double off the left field wall for a 3-0 lead. Akron got on the board courtesy of Jose Constanza’s RBI infield single in the bottom of the frame, but Erie’s Dusty Ryan answered with a solo home run in the top of the eighth to make it 4-1. Leon then capped the scoring with an RBI single in the top of the ninth to account for the final margin.

Christensen (1-4) held Akron to just a run on six hits over a season-high seven innings of work for the victory, while Edell (1-4) ended up with nothing to show for his third quality start of the year. The left-hander was charged with three runs and six hits in 6.1 innings, and has not won since April 23rd in Altoona. Head paced the offense with his second straight three-hit night, and Gimenez reached base three times on a double and two walks.

Game three in this four-game series is set for 2:05 p.m. Sunday afternoon, with Akron’s Kevin Dixon (2-3, 4.34 ERA) taking on SeaWolves lefty Luke French (2-4, 4.15 ERA). Sunday is of course a Family Pack Day, with four tickets, four hot dogs, four bags of chips and four sodas for just $48. The game broadcast begins at 1:50 p.m. on SportsRadio 1350 AM and online at www.akronaeros.com.

Warthogs Take Two From Kinston

The Winston-Salem Warthogs won 3-2 and 8-5, taking two games from Kinston Saturday night at Historic Grainger Stadium.

Kinston started the night picking up a suspended game in the bottom of the fifth inning with a 1-0 lead. The bats stayed silent until Winston-Salem scored a run in the seventh inning on an RBI from C.J. Rutherford. The Warthogs took the lead with a RBI single from Paulo Orlando in the bottom of the eighth inning. Kinston tied it in the top of the ninth inning when Cirilo Cumberbatch drove home Jerad Head with an RBI single. Because the game started and was suspended in Winston-Salem last week, the Warthogs were technically the home team and started the bottom of the ninth inning with a single by Brandon Allen. After an error by the K-Tribe, a sacrifice bunt got Allen to third base. Back to back outs by Kinston reliever Dan Cevette had Winston-Salem’s winning run still standing on third, but a two-out hit by C.J. Lang drove in Allen for the win. Cevette (1-1) picks up the loss, giving up two hits and an unearned run.

Kinston bolted out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning of game number two thanks to a solo home run by Jared Goedert and an RBI single by Cirilo Cumberbatch. Kinston fell behind 3-2 then tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, before Winston-Salem broke it open with a five run sixth inning. The top of the sixth featured five hits and two walks as the Warthogs batted around. Steven Wright (1-3) took the loss for Kinston, giving up five earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.

The K-Tribe ends the series with Winston-Salem Sunday afternoon at Historic Grainger Stadium. Hector Rondon will take the mound for Kinston for the 2pm start.

CAPTAINS SHUT OUT 1-0

(Lexington, KY) – The Lexington Legends scored an unearned run in the third inning when Cat Everett scored from third base on the Captains third error of the inning and it was enough as they shut out the Captains 1-0 at Applebee’s Park. Over their last six starts, 32 innings, Captains starters have allowed only earned run. No starter had recorded a win over that span and the Captains are 2-4 in those games.

Captains starter Joey Mahalic gave up just the one unearned run on three hits and struck out three. John Gaub relieved Mahalic in the sixth inning and pitched two scoreless innings striking out six. Dallas Cawiezell came on and pitched a scoreless eighth inning. Brett Robinson picked up the win in relief to go to 3-1. Mike Koons pitched the last two innings and picked up his first save of the year.

Game two of the series is Sunday at 2:05 PM with LHP Kelvin De La Cruz (3-2, 1.77) getting the start for the Captains against the Legends LHP Sergio Severino (3-2, 2.27). The game can also be heard on AM 1330 WELW, WELW.COM or CAPTAINSBASEBALL.COM.

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