Daily Recap: 7/22

K-Tribe blanked by Nationals
De La Cruz to make Kinston debut Wednesday at noon

RHP Hector Rondon will not want to see the Potomac Nationals again this season. Rondon was roughed up for 6 runs on 7 hits in 5 innings of work to fall to 8-5 on the season as the Kinston Indians were shut-out 8-0 in Woodbridge, Virginia on Tuesday night. Rondon has now taken 3 of his 5 losses at the hands of the Nationals. The big blow came in the 4th inning as Nationals 3B Trevor Lawhorn launched a 3-run HR to left-center. Rondon, in the midst of a breakout season, has now allowed 6ER in 2 of his last 3 starts.

RHP Mike Pontius' struggles continued as he allowed 2 more runs in the 7th inning on a 2-out double by C Jhonatan Solano (yes, that's spelt right!!). RHP Mike Finocchi worked a scoreless 8th inning and has allowed just 1ER over his last 6 appearances (8IP) since his early struggles coming back from an off-season broken leg.

On the offensive side the K-Tribe mustered only 3 hits. Beau Mills (2-for-4) and John Drennen (1-for-3) providing the only offensive highlights. 2B Nuiman Romero was 0-for-3 snapping a 21 game hit streak over which he had hit .430 raising his overall season average from .256 to .310.

The K-Tribe will send LHP Kelvin De La Cruz to the mound with a noon (ET) start on Wednesday. De La Cruz will be making his debut in High-A ball.


Whitney & Toregas bring an end to Aeros skid
Aeros cruise to 7-1 win

1B Matt Whitney hit a 2-run HR and C Wyatt Toregas hit his 10th HR of the season as the Akron Aeros cruised to a 7-1 win over the Altoona Curve.

The Aeros took an early 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning as Whitney (2-for-5, 2B, HR, 3RBI) reached on a 1-out double and took 3rd on Curve LF Anthony Websters error. DH Nate Panther brought Whitney home with a sac fly. The next batter, Wyatt Toregas launched his 10th AA HR of the season off Curve starter Derek Hankins. Whitney later put a seal on the win with his 8th HR in the 7th inning.

Trevor Crowe finished 1-for-4 and stole his 13th base, RF Bronson Sardinha ended the night 1-for-3 to stretch his hit streak to 9 games.

RHP Steven Wright (2-1) picked up the win, allowing just the 1 run off 6 hits over 5 innings of work (1BB, 6K). The win was just Wrights 4th of the season at all levels, inspite of holding a solid 3.77ERA over 21 starts.

LHP Reid Santos (1K) and RHP Luis Perdomo (2K) each pitched 2 perfect innings in relief to close out the win for the Aeros and snap their 3 game losing streak.


Captains Rally in 8th, fall in 10 to GreenJackets

The Lake County Captains rallied for 4 runs in the 8th inning against GreenJackets starter Madison Bumgarner and the GreenJackets bullpen to send the game into extra innings in Augusta.

LHP Bumgarner, the Giants 1st round pick (10th overall) in the 2007 draft cruised through the first 7 innings until unraveling in the 8th, through a combined effort from the Captains offense and the GreenJackets shaky defense. After a walk to C Adam Davis, SS Mark Thompson and 3B Ron Rivas singled scoring Davis to chase Bumgarner. After a wild pitch scored Thompson, 2B Cristo Arnal singled off Jackets reliver David Mixon before Lucas Montero reached on 1B Angel Villanova's fielding error allowing Ron Rivas to score. RF Matthew Brown capped the scoring with a sac fly to right.

RHP Chris Archer started for the Captains allowing 2 runs (1 earned) off 2 hits over 4 innings of work (2BB, 4K). RHP Jon Gaub relieved allowing 2 unearned runs in 2 innings of relief with no walks and 5Ks (42IP, 62Ks on the year). After RHP Paulo Espino worked 2 scoreless innings and Dallas Cawiezell a scoreless 9th the game was headed to extra innings setting the stage for 1B Angel Villanova to make up for his earlier miscue.

With 1-out in the bottom of the 10th, Villanova launched a walk-off HR to left field off Cawiezell to send the captains to defeat and drop their second half record to 12-20.

1B Chris Nash made his return to the Captains at DH and finished 0-for-5.


In Other Games....

- Buffalo wins 4-2. LHP John Halama (7-2) went the distance, allowing 2 unearned runs off 9hits with 4K. Michael Aubrey hit a 2-run HR (#3) in the Bisons 4 run 6th inning.

- Mahoning Valley were rained out and will play a DH on Wednesday.

- GCL Indians won 9-2. 2008 9th round pick RHP Clayton Cook struck out 5 over 3 scoreless innings. LHP Jose Urena (2-0) allowed a run over 2.1IP to pick up the win. 2B Kevin Fontanez (3-for-5), LF Angel Rodriguez (3-for-5) and RF Kevin Rucker (3-for-4, HR) paced the Indians 18 hit attack. DH Matt McBride was lifted for a PH in the 3rd after 1AB - no news yet as to whether McBride was hurt as he continues his rehab from off-season shoulder surgery.

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