Daily Recap: 7/31

Crowe, Huff power Bisons past Bulls

Trevor Crowe may have taken a couple of games to get into his stride at the AAA level, but the 2005 1st round pick is well and truely at full pace now. Crowe launched 2 home runs, one from each side of the plate, driving in 4 runs as the Bisons cruised to a 12-2 win over the Durham Bulls.

Crowe, in only his 7th game for the Bisons, got the Herd on the board in the 3rd inning with a solo HR against Bulls starter LHP Heath Phillips. After the Bulls responded with a run of their own in the bottom half on a solo HR by 2B Elliot Johnson, Crowe would effectively put the game out of reach in the 5th inning. C Yamid Haad put the Bisons in front 2-1 with an RBI groundout, before Crowe strode to the plate and launched a 1-2 pitch from Bulls reliever RHP Nick DeBarr over the wall in right center to stake the Bisons to a 5-1 lead. Crowe became the first Bison to HR from both sides of the plate since Enrique Wilson way back in August 1997.

The Bisons would add on 4 more in the 7th on an RBI single by 1B Tony Graffanino and a 3-run HR by RF Todd Linden. Linden would strike again in the 9th inning launching his 2nd 3-run HR of the game to cap the Bisons scoring.

The offensive outburst made a winner of LHP David Huff (4-3). Huff, limited to 5 innings a start until the end of the season, allowed only 1 run off 2 hits with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts lowering his AAA ERA to 2.79. Huff has now allowed only 2 earned runs in his last four starts, for an impressive 0.90ERA over that span (20IP, 2ER).

RHP Bryan Bullington worked the final 4 innings, allowing only a 9th inning HR to DH Chris Richard to record the unconventional save.

Crowe (3-for-6, 3R, 2HR, 4RBI) has now strung together 3 straight multi-hit games going a combined 8-for-17 (.471) over that span. Todd Linden finished the night 3-for-5 with 2HR and 6RBI as the Bisons won their 3rd straight game. The Herd will finish up their 4 game series with the Bulls on Friday night with LHP Zach Jackson scheduled to make his 3rd start for the Bisons.


Herrmann pitches Aeros past Seawolves

RHP Frank Herrmann worked 6 strong innings and the Akron Aeros put together just enough offense to beat the Erie Seawolves 4-1 on Thursday night.

Herrmann (9-4), allowed only a first inning HR by Erie LF Wilkin Ramirez with 2-out in the 1st, on his way to his 5th straight strong start. Herrmann finished the night with 6 innings pitched, allowing just the 1 run on 4 hits with a walk and 7 strikeouts. Including his 2 spot-starts at AAA earlier in the month, Herrmann has now allowed just 5 earned runs over his last 5 starts for a sparkling 1.61ERA amassing 30Ks over 28 innings of work.

The Aeros would take the lead for good in the bottom of the 2nd inning; Stephen Head led off with a single and advanced into scoring position when Matt Whitney was HBP. Ryan Goleski would drive Head home on a base-hit to RF and Whitney would come around to score as well as Seawolves RF Deik Scram booted the ball allowing Goleski to move all the way around to 3rd base. Brandon Pinckney would drive Goleski home with a groundout to 2B.

The Aeros would cap their scoring in the 5th inning; after 2B Josh Rodriguez led off the inning with a double, he would score on a 2-out RBI single by C Wyatt Toregas to put the Aeros in front 4-1.

LHP Tony Sipp, continuing his rehab from TJ surgery worked a scoreless 7th inning, before LHP Reid Santos dazzled over the final 2 frames striking out the first 5 hitters he faced in the process of working 2 perfect innings to record his 1st save of the year.

Stephen Head finished the night 3-for-4 to pace the Aeros to their first win in 3 games and extend their Southern Division lead back to 3.5 games.


K-Tribe rally late past Avalanche

The Kinston Indians scored 5 runs in the 8th inning on the way to a 7-2 win over the Salem Avalanche on Thursday night.

With the game tied 2-2 after 7, new Indian C Carlos Santana ignited the winning rally leading off the top of the 8th inning with a triple against Avalanche reliever Jordan Powell. After an intentional walk to Beau Mills, Jared Goedert reached on an infield RBI single to put the Indians in front 3-2. A passed ball by C Koby Clemens (son of Roger) put runners on 2nd and 3rd with nobody out. SS Carlos Rivero struck out against reliever Sean Walker who then intentionally walked Niuman Romero to set up the double play. John Drennen would foil that strategy though by lacing his 20th double of the year to drive in 2 more runs before Matt McBride hit a hard grounder to 3rd which was booted by Avalanche 3B Jhon Florentino to cap the scoring and put the K-Tribe up 7-2.

The late rally made a winner out of LHP Matt Meyer (4-1) who worked 1.1 perfect innings with 3Ks in relief of K-Tribe starter Jeanmar Gomez. Gomez allowed 2 runs off 9 hits in 6.2 innings marking the 3rd straight solid start for the Venezuelan right hander.


Miller's winless streak continues, but Captains rally past Grasshoppers late

LHP Ryan Miller's winless streak has now stretched past 2 months, but I doubt he's complaining as the Lake County Captains rallied for a 4-3 win over the Greenboro Grasshoppers at Classic Park on Thursday night.

Miller was solid for 5 innings allowing 3 runs, 1 earned off 3 hits with 3 walks and 4K's, but left the game with the Captains trailing 3-1 ensuring he would remain winless since May 28th.

That deficit would be short-lived, as Todd Martin - playing RF - launched his 2nd HR in 3 games with the Captains; a 2-run shot with 2-out in the 6th inning to tie the game at 3.

Martin would again be the hero in the bottom of the 8th inning stroking a 2-out RBI double to score Adam Davis who had walked with 1-out.

Martin's heroics made a winner out of RHP Josh Judy (10-1). Judy worked 3 scoreless innings with 5Ks in relief of Miller to record his 10th win of the season in 32 appearances - all of them in relief!! RHP Kyle Landis allowed a hit and a walk in a scoreless 9th inning to record his 4th save.


In other games....

- Scrappers rally late to 9-8 win over Jamestown. LHP Eric Berger solid again (5IP, 2ER, 4K). Isaias Velasquez (2-for-3, 2RBI), Lonnie Chisenhall (2-for-5, game winning RBI single in 8th) the stars for the Scrappers

- GCL Indians suspended in the 3rd inning tied at 1-1. Danny Salazar (3IP, 2H, 1R, 3K) solid. Game will be completed Friday.

- DSL Indians beat DSL Yankees 4-2 to make it a perfect 6-0 night for Indians farm teams. 17 year old RHP Jose Campos (4-2, 2.51ERA) picks up the win allowing 1 run in 5IP.

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