Daily Recap: 8/12

Five Mahoning Valley Scrappers were named to the All Star team on Tuesday:

LHP Eric Berger, 1B Brick Simpson, 2B Isaias Velasquez, SS Lonnie Chisenhall, and C Robbie Alcombrack. The All Star game is August 19th at 7:15 PM at in Troy, NY.

Martinez Overmatches Aeros in 4-1 Win

AKRON, OH – Joey Martinez dominated the Aeros lineup over seven shutout innings to lift Connecticut to a 4-1 win over Akron before 3,848 fans at Canal Park Tuesday night. The Aeros fell to 72-52, while the Defenders improved to 62-60.

The Defenders used a pair of early home runs to jump out to a 3-0 lead. With two down in the third, Ryan Rohlinger pounded a solo home run to the picnic area in left-center to make it 1-0. In the fourth, Pablo Sandoval led off with a single and one out later Adam Witter slugged a two-run shot off the batter’s eye in right-center. Connecticut added another run in the fifth inning, putting runners on first and second with one out before Olmo Rosario delivered an RBI single, giving the Defenders a 4-0 advantage.

The Aeros finally got on the board in the eighth inning off reliever Adam Cowart, but also let an important opportunity slip away. Wyatt Toregas singled to left to lead off and moved to second on a groundout. Brandon Pinckney followed with an RBI flare down the right-field line to make it 4-1. Jose Constanza then bunted for a single along the cut of the grass down the third-base line and Josh Rodriguez singled up the middle to load the bases. The rally stopped there though, as Bronson Sardinha struck out and Wes Hodges grounded out sharply to short to end the inning.

Martinez (8-9) earned the win with his seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and no walks with six strikeouts. The Aeros had two hits in the first inning, but Martinez retired the next nine men he faced before allowing a single in the fourth. The right-hander then rebounded by setting down the next 10 men he faced. Justin Hedrick picked up his ninth save, allowing just one hit in 1.2 innings. Steven Wright (3-2) took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits in 4.1 innings. He also walked two and matched a season-high with seven strikeouts. Stephen Head was the only Aero with two hits, and Akron’s bullpen pitched 4.2 scoreless innings to close the game.

The Aeros continue this series Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. with Akron sending left-hander Ryan Edell (6-6, 3.93 ERA) to the hill against Connecticut’s Garrett Broshuis (12-8, 3.88 ERA). It will be NASCAR Night at Canal Park, as Kurt Busch and his #2 Miller Lite Dodge will be at the ballpark. Busch will sign autographs from 6:00 to 6:40 and 7:00 to 7:30 on the concourse and the 2004 Winston Cup Champion’s car will also be on display. The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and the Aeros will give away 5,000 NASCAR driver posters as fans enter the gates. The game broadcast begins at 6:50 p.m. on SportsRadio 1350 AM and online at www.akronaeros.com.

Kinston Wins Sixth Game in a Row

The K-Tribe won their sixth game in a row, shutting out the Lynchburg Hillcats 7-0 Tuesday night at Grainger Stadium. Kelvin De La Cruz (3-1) put in a great start for the K-Tribe, giving up just three singles and striking out four in five innings for his third win of the season. Kyle Landis, Mike Finocchi and Matt Meyer gave up a combined one hit to finish up the shutout for Kinston.

Kinston got on the board n the bottom of the second inning when Matt McBride and Johnny Drennen hit back to back RBI doubles. Drennen would score the third run on the inning when Lynchburg third baseman Danny Bomback threw wide of first base for a costly error. The K-Tribe blew the game open in the bottom of the fourth when Jared Head hit a three run home run, his 10th round tripper of the season. Niuman Romero added an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh to finish the scoring for Kinston.

The K-Tribe now has a four game lead on Winston-Salem for the final playoff spot in the Carolina League Southern Division. The K-Tribe goes for their seventh straight win and second consecutive sweep on Wednesday night in the final game of a three game set against the Hillcats. Carlton Smith will take the mound for the 7pm start at Historic Grainger Stadium.

TIGERS EARLY RUNS ENOUGH TO HOLD ON AN WIN 8-4

ONEONTA, NY- The Scrappers arrived in Oneonta around 6:30 AM on Tuesday morning and was able to get a few hours of sleep before leaving for Damaschke Field to take on the Tigers.

Oneonta jumped out of the box quickly scoring two in the first and second. The Scrappers scored their first run in the top of the third when Robby Alcombrack singled, advanced to third and scored on Walter Diaz’s sacrifice fly to center field. Making the score 4-1 Tigers.

Oneonta then added two in the third and two in the fourth making it 8-1 tigers after four innings.
The Scrappers added a run in the sixth when Jeremie Tice reached second on a throwing error and then scored on Tim Fedroff’s RBI single and after six it was 8-2 Tigers. The Scrappers added two more run in the ninth on a RBI single by Alcombrack and a wild pitch that also scored Alcombrack, but it was not enough as the Tigers took game one of the three game series 8-4.

In Other Games...

- Buffalo did not have a game scheduled.

- Lake County's game was postponed because of wet grounds, and makes it like the millionth rainout of the season for them.

- The GCL Indians won 6-5. RHP Danny Salazar continues to make his statement as one of the next young Latin pitching prospects to watch as he went 6 innings and allowed 1 run on 5 hits, 1 walk and had 4 strikeouts. 3B Abner Abreu is an elite talent in the making and could be the #1 prospect in the system by the end of next season. Abreu hit his 10th HR and went 1-for-6 at the plate with 2 RBI. OF Bo Greenwell went 2-for-5 with a 3B.

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