Game Recaps: Saturday 6/20

Columbus was rained out, and Lake County's game was suspended in the 11th inning tied 2-2.

Aeros Take Two from Sea Dogs

PORTLAND, ME – Akron notched its fourth doubleheader sweep of the season Saturday night, defeating Portland 1-0 in nine innings in game one and pulling away late for an 8-1 triumph in the nightcap before 6,454 fans at Hadlock Field. The Aeros improved to 45-22 with the wins, moving 23 games over .500 for the first time all year. The Sea Dogs fell to 32-35.

Both teams started slowly in the opener and missed out on chances in the middle frames as the scoreless tie stretched into extra innings. Akron finally broke through in the top of the ninth, as Portland reliever Bryce Cox hit Matt McBride with a pitch to ignite the rally. Carlos Rivero then placed a pretty sacrifice up the first base line to advance McBride, but Cox recovered to strike out John Drennen for the second out. Jared Goedert made sure the opportunity wouldn’t fall by the wayside however, willing a first-pitch single up the middle and just out of the reach of a diving Ryan Khoury at second base to put Akron up 1-0.

The Aeros then had to survive a scare in the bottom of the frame, as a walk, a single, and a groundout put the tying run at third and the potential winning run at second with just one out against closer Vinnie Pestano. Akron elected to intentionally walk Argenis Diaz to load the bases and Pestano made the strategy pay off when he got Reid Engel to pop up, with catcher Carlos Santana making the catch less than a foot in front of the netting behind home plate for a huge second out. Iggy Suarez then became Portland’s last hope, but Pestano struck him out on a full-count fastball to preserve the win.

Erik Stiller (5-3) earned the win with a scoreless inning of relief, while Cox (0-2) took the loss. Pestano’s save was his league-leading 19th, and the Aeros won despite managing only four singles.

Portland struck first in game two, as Jorge Jimenez socked a solo home run to right through the fog that rolled in between games. The Sea Dogs would muster only two hits the rest of the way however, and Akron took the lead for good on a two-run, two-out single from Beau Mills in the top of the third. Mills struck again in the fifth, landing an RBI triple on the right field chalk line and giving Akron some breathing room at 3-1. The Aeros then iced the game in the seventh, as Carlos Santana lined a two-run double into the right field corner, Mills followed with a sacrifice fly, and Goedert added an RBI double and went on to score on an error as Akron scored five times in its last at-bat.

Josh Tomlin (7-4) claimed the victory in the nightcap, holding Portland to just a run on three hits in five innings to take over the team lead in wins. Ryne Lawson (1-6) took the loss, while Zach Putnam recorded the final six outs in order for his second save. Mills finished 2-3 with four RBI in game two, while Santana’s two RBI gave him 45 for the year and broke a tie with Nick Weglarz for the team lead. Goedert had a magnificent day at the plate, collecting two hits in both games, driving in two runs, and extending his hitting streak to a season-high four games.

The Aeros will look for the three-game sweep at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon, with left-hander Scott Lewis (0-0, 2.45 ERA) making his second rehab start for Akron and facing Portland’s Adam Mills (2-4, 6.51 ERA).

Kinston Beats Lynchburg 5-0

The K-Tribe got back on the winning track, shutting out Lynchburg 5-0 Saturday night in Virginia.

It was a tale of two fantastic starting pitchers, as Kinston starter Eric Berger and Lynchburg starter Matt McSwain dueled early. Both Berger and McSwain gave up no runs on two hits through their first six innings, which took a little over an hour to play.

The K-Tribe would break through in the top of the seventh inning when Lynchburg committed two costly infield errors. Ronald Rivas reached base on an error by Hillcat third baseman Pedro Alvarez then scored later in the inning on a throwing error by second baseman Jose De Los Santos on a potential inning ending double play.

McSwain (6-3) was the tough luck loser, giving up an unearned run on four hits in seven innings of work. Meanwhile Kinston starter Berger ran into his only trouble of the game in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with walks, but escaping as Lynchburg’s Jared Keel grounded out to end the inning. Berger (5-5) picked up the win, giving up just two hits, walking three and striking out four. The Carolina League All-Star ended the night with a 2.11 ERA, now the third lowest in the league.

Kinston put the game away in the top of the ninth inning, getting five straight hits off of Lynchburg reliever Moises Robles. Lonnie Chisenhall (2-for-4), Ole Sheldon, Ryan Blair and Lucas Montero had the RBI hits for Kinston in the ninth inning. Blair and Chisenhall had two hits a piece for Kinston.

K-Tribe relievers Jonathan Holt and Dallas Cawiezell each pitched an inning to complete the shutout, Kinston’s fourth of the season.

Kinston’s final game of the first half of the season takes place Sunday afternoon at 2:05 pm in Lynchburg. The K-Tribe will send Russell Young to the hill. The K-Tribe will be off Monday through Wednesday for the All-Star break, before returning to Historic Grainger Stadium to start the second half on Thursday.

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