Game Recaps: Tuesday 8/4

Comeback Falls Short as Aeros Lose 4-3

It was a dramatic opening of a three-game series between the two top teams in the Eastern League, but the Northern Division-leading Connecticut Defenders got the better of the Aeros by the final score of 4-3 Tuesday night at Canal Park with 3,867 fans in attendance. The loss snapped a season-high seven-game winning streak for Akron, as Connecticut escaped a bases-loaded threat in the bottom of the ninth. The Aeros dropped to 68-42 with the loss but maintained their seven-game lead in the Southern Division, while Connecticut improved to 64-45.

The Defenders got on the board in the first inning against rehabbing Cleveland starter Jake Westbrook, as Mike McBryde reached base on a strikeout/wild pitch combination, and slugger Brett Pill drove him home with a two-run shot down the left field line. Westbrook would go on to throw 32 pitches in the first inning alone, and departed after allowing two runs and four hits in two innings.

The 2-0 margin would not hold for long, as Akron struck back in the bottom of the third. Consecutive one-out walks to Jose Constanza and Jesus Merchan began the rally against Defenders starter (and former Idaho Falls Padre) Geivy Garcia, and Carlos Santana then extended his hitting streak to a season-high 12 games with a two-out RBI single to make it 2-1. Connecticut would bring the lead back to two runs in the fourth on a leadoff home run from Brandon Crawford, although Aeros reliever Connor Graham was able to strand the bases loaded later in the inning. The Defenders then got on the board again in the fifth, as Eddy Martinez-Esteve and Adam Witter drew walks before Bobby Felmy recorded his third hit of the night with an RBI single to make it 4-1.

The Aeros then made things interesting against the Defenders bullpen in the late going, as Constanza drew a two-out walk in the seventh, advanced to third on successive wild pitches by Connecticut reliever Dan Griffin, and scored when Jesus Merchan flared an RBI singled down the right field line to make it a 4-2 game. Akron struck yet again in the bottom of the ninth, as Carlos Rivero kicked things off with a double and moved to third on a fly out by Jared Goedert. Constanza then made it 4-3 with an RBI groundout to short for the second out, but third baseman Brad Boyer kept the Aeros alive when he threw away Merchan’s ground ball. The Defenders then brought on left-hander Matt Yourkin looking for the final out, but he walked Weglarz and Santana to load the bases to heighten the drama before striking out Mills to end the game.

Garcia (1-3) was efficient in his second start for Connecticut, limiting Akron to one run on five hits and three walks in five innings. Westbrook (0-1) took the loss in permitting four hits on two runs, while Graham also allowed two more runs on four hits and four walks in three innings. Yourkin earned his second save. Constanza finished 1-3 with two walks and two runs scored while Merchan went 3-4 with a walk and an RBI. Santana went 1-3 with two free passes as the Aeros stranded 11 base runners on the night.

This three-game series between the two Eastern League division leaders continues Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. for another Family Pack night. All fans can purchase four tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas and four bags of chips for just $48, and it is also Akron-Summit County Public Library Night at Canal Park. Akron’s Josh Tomlin (10-8, 4.18 ERA) will match up against Connecticut left-hander Jesse English (7-6, 3.53 ERA).

KTribe Scores 12 in the 6th to Beat Lynchburg

The K-Tribe hit two grand slams in the sixth inning, totaling 12 runs on eleven hits in an epic sixth frame as Kinston routed Lynchburg 15-3 Tuesday night.

Kinston was trailing 1-0 going into the sixth inning, a total of 14 straight innings without scoring a run. That would change when the first eleven batters of the inning would reach base safely. Tim Fedroff led off the bottom of the sixth with a double. Lonnie Chisenhall singled and Ole Sheldon walked to load the bases. Cord Phelps would drive in the first run of the inning with an RBI single. After a Ronald Rivas single scored another run, Adam Davis cleared the bases with a grand slam. The first slam and sixth home run of the season for Davis made the score 6-1. Roman Pena would keep the inning going with a single, followed by a Richard Martinez single. After Lucas Montero walked to load the bases, Fedroff drove in a run with a single. Chisenhall would clear the bases with a towering grand slam, his fourth granny of the season. It was his 17th home run of the season, making the score 11-1. After Sheldon and Phelps recorded the first outs of the inning, Rivas hit a two-run single. Adam Davis drove Rivas home with an RBI double and the inning ended when Davis was thrown out trying to stretch the double into a triple.

Every K-Triber reached base safely in the sixth inning, everyone but Montero and Sheldon had a hit. Davis went 2-for-2 with 5 RBI in the inning. Lonnie Chisenhall went 2-2, with two runs scored and four RBI in the inning. Fedroff and Rivas also had two hits in the inning. Kinston ended up sending 15 men to the plate in the 11 hit, 12 run inning. Kinston had scored just 12 total runs in their last five games, before the 12 run sixth inning. It was the most runs Kinston scored in an inning since scoring 13 runs in the second inning of a June 19th game against Lynchburg last year at Historic Grainger Stadium.

For the game Kinston banged out 19 hits. Fedroff (4-for-5, three runs, one RBI) and Chisenhall (4-for-5, three runs, five RBI) each tied a season high with four hits in the game. Davis was 3-for-5 with 5 RBI. Pena also had three hits.

Bryan Price made his K-Tribe debut for Kinston, as the starting pitcher was sent across the Carolina League from Salem as one of three pitchers in the trade for big leaguer Victor Martinez. Price (0-1) got the win, giving up just six hits and one unearned run in six innings. Mike Colla (5-2) one of three Lynchburg pitchers in the sixth inning, gets the loss for the Hillcats.

The two teams will end this series at 11 AM Wednesday at Historic Grainger Stadium. Paolo Espino will make the start for Kinston. The K-Tribe will keep the homestand rolling with four games against the Salem Red Sox Thursday through Sunday.

Captains Hang on to Win 4-3

The Lake County Captains got their five games series with the Lakewood BlueClaws off to a good start downing the Claws 4-3 on Tuesday. The Captains are now 14-20 in one run games.

The BlueClaws scored a run in the first inning when Anthony Gose led off the inning with a triple. Troy Hanzawa grounded outs scoring Gose and Lakewood led 1-0. The Captains took the lead in the top of the fourth inning when Donnie Webb Doubled home Karexon Sanchez and then scored two batters later on a fielders choice ground out from Adam Abraham and it was 2-1. The lead did not last long as the Claws tied it at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning when Travis Mattair tripled and scored on a ground out by Vladimir De Los Santos.

The Captains came right back to take the lead in the top of the fifth inning when Bo Greenwell tripled and then scored on a single by Jeremie Tice and the Captains led 3-2. The Captains added to the lead in the top of the Chris Nash singled home Donnie Webb with two out and it was 4-2. The BlueClaws rallied with a run in the ninth inning and had the winning run at second base when the game ended.

Captains' starter Danny Salazar (4-4) got the win going five innings and allowing two runs on six hits, walking two and striking out four. Travis Turek followed Salazar and threw three scoreless innings in relief allowing one hit and striking out four. Steve Smith pitched the ninth inning and picked up his 20th save of the year. BlueClaws starter RHP Matthew Way (0-1) made his Lakewood debut and took the loss working seven innings and allowing three runs on six hits, walking one and striking out nine.

The Captains and Lakewood play game two of the five game series on Wednesday at 11:00 AM. The Captains will send RHP Trey Haley (3-6, 5.80) to the mound to face the BlueClaws RHP Heitor Correa (7-5, 3.57).

Scrappers Win Fifth Straight 7-4

On Tuesday night the Scrappers started a six game road trip with a 7-4 victory over the Tri-City ValleyCats. With the win, the Scrappers have matched their season high five straight wins and are 11-11 away from Eastwood Field.

Trailing 1-0 after the second inning for the second straight night, the Scrappers tied the game up at one after the fourth. Mahoning Valley took the lead for good in the top of the sixth when Chun Chen singled and stole second with two outs. Ben Carslon then hit his third home run of the season deep to right field and Casey Frawley followed with his second home run of the season and the Scrapper lead was 4-1. The ValleyCats added a single run in the bottom of the sixth, only to see the Scrappers add two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth. Tri-City added one in the eighth and one in the ninth making the final outcome a little closer.

Scrappers starter Marty Popham pitched the first six innings on his twenty-second birthday and recorded his fourth victory of the season, in five decisions. Antwonie Hubbard pitched two innings and surrendered one earned run. Tyler Sturdevant finished the game up in the ninth surrendering one run.

The Scrappers continue their six game road trip on Wednesday night in Troy, NY against the Tri-City ValleyCats. Wednesday’s game starts at 7:05 PM and can be heard on 1390 WNIO or mvscrppers.com.

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