Game Recaps 5/9

Thunder Roll Aeros in 12-1 Rout

AKRON, OH – Trenton bats roughed up Akron pitching and Thunder starter Chase Wright diced through the home team’s lineup as the Aeros fell 12-1 in front of 5,196 fans at Canal Park Friday. The Aeros drop to 15-19 on the season and the Thunder moved to 24-12.

Trenton nabbed the first tally of the game in the first inning and never looked back. Aeros starter Ryan Edell hit leadoff batter Ramiro Pena with a pitch and he would later score on a single by Colin Curtis. Edell settled down after that, retiring eight in a row and throwing just six pitches in the third inning. Edell’s streak ended in the fourth as Edwar Gonzalez singled to lead off and P.J. Pilittere was hit by a pitch. After a fielder’s choice left runners at first and second with one out, the next four Trenton batters picked up RBIs on two singles, a double, and a sacrifice fly. The Thunder would add one more off Edell in the sixth.

Akron tallied an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth. Josh Rodriguez grounded an infield single to lead off and moved to second on a throwing error by third baseman and former Baylor Bear Kevin Russo. Rodriguez advanced to third on a liner by Chris Gimenez that skipped off Pena’s glove at shortstop for an error, and Wes Hodges drove him in on a sacrifice fly to deep center for Akron’s only run of the game. Hodges is now tied for the Eastern League lead with 31 RBI.

Trenton added another run in the seventh off reliever Erik Stiller, who was called up to Akron Thursday. Gonzalez singled to center on a chopper that glanced off Stiller’s glove and scored on a single by Chris Malec. Aeros reliever Shawn Nottingham was charged with four runs in a third of an inning in the eighth on three hits and two walks. The Thunder out-hit the Aeros 15-6 in the game.

Wright (5-1) picked up the win, allowing just the unearned run on six hits. He walked three and struck out three. Edell (1-3) suffered the loss, allowing seven runs on nine hits in five-plus innings. He struck out one, walked none, and hit two batters, both of whom scored. Rodriguez reached base three times for Akron, going 1-for-2 with two walks.

The series continues Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at Canal Park, as Akron sends Kevin Dixon (0-3, 5.97 ERA) to the hill against Trenton’s George Kontos (1-3, 3.79 ERA). The game broadcast begins at 6:50 p.m. on SportsRadio 1350 AM and online at www.akronaeros.com.

Potomac Powers Past Kinston

Two early home runs helped power Potomac past Kinston 5-1 Friday night at Historic Grainger Stadium. Potomac’s Seth Bynum hit a two-run home run in the top of the third inning to give the Nationals a 2-0 lead. Potomac’s Marvin Lowrance would hit a solo shot in the fourth inning, making the score 3-0. Hector Rondon (0-3) started the game for Kinston and took the loss. Rondon surrendered just three hits through six innings, but two of the hits where home runs. Rondon walked one and struck out three. Kinston’s Matt Meyer, in his first action since April 13th, looked great from the bullpen pitching a perfect inning and two-thirds. Potomac’s Ross Detwiler (2-2) picked up the win, giving up just four hits through six innings. Reliever Yunior Novoa, gave up just one hit from the bullpen.

Kinston got their only run of the game when Johnny Drennen drove home Cirilo Cumberbatch with a two-out single in the bottom of the sixth inning. Drennen, after a week and a half on the disabled list, now has a 21 game consecutive on base streak. The streak is the second longest in the Carolina League this season. Dating back to last season, Drennen has reached base safely in 31 consecutive games.

The K-Tribe takes on Potomac in game three of the four game series Saturday night at 7pm. Carlton Smith will take the mound for the K-Tribe

CHRIS NASH 5-5 AS CAPTAINS WIN 8-1

(Greensboro, NC) – Chris Nash went 5-5 including a home run and drove in three runs as the Captains continued their fine play on the road on Friday beating Greensboro 7-1. Nash is the first Captains player this year to have a five hit game. The Captains are now 12-5 away from Eastlake and remain in first place in the Northern Division of the SAL.

Nash got the Captains going in the second inning off of Greensboro starter Colby Miller by hitting a two run home run to put the Captains up 2-0. That was his second home run in his last two games. The Hoppers got to Captains starter Kelvin De La Cruz in the second inning on a ground out by Ryan Curry that scored a run to make it 2-1. The Captains made it 3-1 when Roman Pena’s ground out scored Adam White in the third inning. The Captains added three more runs in the sixth inning on a Miller wild pitch and RBI’s by Doug Pickens and Matt Willard to stretch the lead to 6-1. Captains added another run off reliever Steven Cishek in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly by White to make it 7-1.

Kelvin De La Cruz struggled with his control walking five but only allowed one run in five innings and picked up the win to even his mark at 2-2. John Gaub relieved De La Cruz in the sixth inning and pitched two scoreless innings striking out four. He has struck out ten batters in his last two outings, 4.1 innings. Gary Campfield pitched the final two innings striking out three but was not eligible for a save.

The Captains and Grasshoppers play game four of the series on Saturday. LHP Ryan Morris will get the start (4-0, 2.84) against the Grasshoppers RHP Kyle Kaminska who is making his first start for Greensboro. The Captains and Greensboro will wrap up the series on Sunday with a 5:00 PM game. The games can be heard on AM 1330 WELW, WELW.COM or CAPTAINSBASEBALL.COM.

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