Game Recaps 6/15

Akron left-hander Chuck Lofgren has been put on the temporary inactive list, and may be out for awhile. Lofgren is not injured, but his psyche may be, so the Indians have shut him down temporarily and will continue to work with him behind the scenes to overcome some of the mental blocks which have plagued him this year. With Lofgren being shutdown, look for RHP Steven Wright to be promoted from Kinston and inserted into the Akron rotation. Also, one of the Lake County lefty-trio of De La Cruz, Morris, or Miller will likely be promoted to Kinston in the next couple days. Miller is the most likely to be moved up, and in fact it would be a complete surprise if anyone but him was promoted.

Aeros Fall 11-2; 10-Game Win Streak Ends

AKRON, OH – The Aeros took an early 2-0 lead but mustered nothing after that as their winning streak was snapped at 10 in an 11-2 loss to Portland Sunday afternoon before 4,283 fans at Canal Park. The Aeros fell to 39-27, one game out of first place after Bowie knocked off Harrisburg, while the Sea Dogs improved to 38-30.

Akron tallied the first two runs of the game in the first inning. Trevor Crowe and Josh Rodriguez walked to lead off and Chris Gimenez singled to load the bases. Wes Hodges then drove in RBIs 52 and 53 of the year with a single to left, but Gimenez was thrown out trying to advance to third on the throw home, leaving just a runner at first with one out. After Portland starter Kris Johnson struck out Stephen Head, Matt Whitney reached on a muffed fly ball by Bubba Bell to put runners on the corners, but Johnson got Ryan Goleski on a liner back to the mound to end the inning.

Portland put its stamp on the game with six runs in the second inning on the help of two Akron errors. The Sea Dogs loaded the bases with one out off Akron starter Ryan Edell, and the next five hitters all reached base. Iggy Suarez and Bubba Bell delivered consecutive RBI singles, Edell failed to handle a tapper up the first base line for a run-scoring error, Jeff Corsaletti added a run-scoring base hit and then Gimenez dropped a throw at the plate to allow another run to score. A bases-loaded walk made it 6-2 and knocked Edell out of the game, and Shawn Nottingham came on to retire Mickey Hall to leave the bases loaded.

Portland added on with three more runs in the fourth. Corsaletti walked, but Nottingham retired the next two batters. John Otness, though, struck with a triple into the right field corner and Hall followed with a two-run homer off the batter’s eye in right-center on the very next pitch to give the Sea Dogs a 9-2 lead. Portland added single runs in the fifth and seventh on a Tony Granadillo solo home run and a Sandy Madera RBI single for the final margin.

Johnson (4-3) earned the win, holding the Aeros to two runs on five hits, while walking three and striking out seven in six innings of work. Edell (3-5) took the loss, as he got through just 1.2 innings and allowed six runs (three earned) on six hits, while walking one and striking out three. Brandon Pinckney was the only Aero with two hits, and Hodges was 1-4 with two RBI. Scott Roehl was effective in 2.1 innings of relief, surrendering just one hit and striking out three.

After an off-day Monday, the Aeros begin a seven-game, two-city road trip at Bowie Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. It also begins a grueling stretch of 30 games in 28 days leading up to the Eastern League All-Star break July 15-16. Tuesday, Akron sends Kevin Dixon (3-4, 4.57 ERA) to the hill against Bowie’s Chorye Spoone (2-1, 4.03 ERA). The game broadcast begins at 6:50 p.m. on SportsRadio 1350 AM and online at www.akronaeros.com.

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