Aeros/BaySox Thursday Game Notes

The Aeros lost a heartbreaker to the Bowie Baysox last night by a final score of 2-0. Frank Herrmann started for Akron, and was the hard luck loser giving up one run on three hits in 7 innings. One of those hits was a fairly routine flyball to center by Bowie leadoff hitter Paco Figueroa that Aeros’ CF John Drennan lost in the lights for a triple. Two batters later, a sac fly to Drennan plated the Baysox first run, and that was all they would need against an Aeros team that just couldn’t get anything going with the bats. Bowie’s 2nd run scored off reliever Neil Wagner after a Carlos Santana error. Baysox starter Troy Patton worked ahead in the count most of the night and kept Akron’s hitters off balance enroute to the combined shutout.

Some quick thoughts about the game:

• Herrmann did an outstanding job changing speeds and mixing in all of his pitches. He threw all three of his pitches for strikes consistently, walking just one batter in his 7 innings. I think I even caught him mixing in a curveball here and there along with his slider and change. He got several Baysox hitters to look downright silly flailing at the changeup, and really didn’t have a ball hit hard off him all night. Of the three hits he gave up, one was a “triple” that got lost in the lights, one was a swinging bunt down the 3rd baseline, and the third was a ball that was fisted down the rightfield line into no-mans land after Herrmann got in on the hands of a Baysox hitter. He sat at 90-91 MPH consistently with his fastball, and was as high as 94 in the 7th inning. Most importantly, the seperation between his fastball and changeup was consistently around 10 MPH. An outstanding job, and a really tough loss for the young righthander.
  
  
• Nick Weglarz is struggling a bit at the plate in this young season, and last night couldn’t have done anything for his confidence. His 1st AB was a hard line shot to the hole between 1st and 2nd on a 1-2 pitch. The 2nd baseman made a great play to knock it down, but couldn’t come up with the ball to throw Weglarz out. The official scoring was an error, but at home I think he gets a hit. Later in the game, Wegz worked the count full, fouled off some tough pitches, and went the other way with a hard grounder to the right of the SS. Another great defensive play by a Bowie middle infielder, and Weglarz was nipped by a half-step at 1st. In his final AB of the game, Wegz came up with 2 on and 2 out in the top of the 9th. Again the big LF worked the count to 2-2 before tapping a ball down the 3rd baseline, and again getting nipped at 1st by less than half a step. The Baseball Gods owe him a couple of cheap hits later in the season.
  
  
• Carlos Santana made a throwing error on a perfect bunt in the 8th inning leading to Bowie’s final run. He actually made a great play to spring out from behind the plate and get to the ball, but his spin throw sailed over 1B for the error. It was an difficult, athletic play that Santana will likely be able to make with some more experience behind the plate.
  
  
• Good to see Josh Rodriguez on base 3 times with 2 singles and a walk. Both hits were solid line drives, and Rodriguez is hitting .313 on the young season.
  
  
• Niuman Romero made a great play diving to his right to rob what would have been a double down the line.
  
  
• Beau Mills smoked a double into the gap to leadoff the 4th, and looked adequate on his plays at 1B. His bat is his ticket to the majors, but if he wants to get the call sooner rather than later, his defense has to improve to the point that he is more than a DH.

Check back on Monday for a full recap of Sunday’s series finale. Chuck Lofgren will be starting for the Aeros.

Posted in: Beau Mills,Carlos Santana,Chuck Lofgren,Frank Herrmann,John Drennen,Neil Wagner,Nick Weglarz,Niuman Romero