Third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall delivered a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to give the Aeros a 4-3 victory over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the team’s eighth win in a row. The dramatic ending in front of 2,575 fans at Canal Park Tuesday was the fourth ninth-inning win for Akron this season and the team still has not lost in the month of June. The Aeros (28-30) moved into a tie for fourth in the Western Division with Harrisburg while the Eastern Division-leading Fisher Cats fell to 36-23.
Right-hander Alex White made his fourth Double-A start for Akron and had problems with his control in the early going. New Hampshire catcher Brian Jeroloman reached base to start a miserable thing inning on a fielding error by second baseman Cord Phelps. Two more errors, two stolen bases, a sacrifice fly and White’s third walk of the night followed in that frame as New Hampshire took a 3-0 lead despite just one base hit.
The Aeros stranded five base runners in the first five innings but finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth against Cats starter Zach Stewart. With outs in the frame, first baseman Beau Mills doubled to left field and promptly scored on a botched grounder by shortstop Manny Mayorson. John Drennen then drew a walk and Jerad Head collected a run-scoring single to bring the deficit to 3-2.
The New Hampshire bullpen was clutch after that as the visitors maintained the narrow one-run advantage heading into the bottom of the ninth inning. Closer Danny Farquhar, who entered the game leading the Eastern League with 14 saves on the season, came in for the save in relief of lefty setup man Tim Collins.
Phelps started the rally with a solid lining single to center field and Chisenhall came to the plate with the chance to be the hero. He subsequently belted a 1-1 offering from Farquhar deep into the right field bleachers to continue the winning streak for the red-hot Aeros.
Akron reliever Chen-Chang Lee (3-3) earned the win by stranding a pair of base runners in the top of the ninth and Farquhar (0-2) took the loss in just his second blown save opportunity. White cruised after that error-filled third inning, permitting just one hit in six innings on the night while allowing three runs (zero earned) and five walks with two strikeouts. It was his fourth quality start in as many outings for the Aeros on the season.
The top third of the Akron lineup powered the offense as Phelps finished 3-for-5 and both Tim Fedroff and Chinsenhall collected two hits. The homer for Chisenhall was his third in just 10 games since returning from the disabled list on May 28th. The Aeros batted just 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position on the night and stranded 11 men on base overall.
The Aeros will look for their ninth win in a row tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. It is a matchup of two southpaws as Akron’s Scott Barnes (1-5, 7.17 ERA) takes on Luis Perez (5-5, 4.82 ERA) of the Fisher Cats in game two of this mid-week three-game series.
Red Wings defeat Clippers, 7-5
The Rochester Red Wings won a back-and-forth battle over the Columbus Clippers, 7-5 on Tuesday night at Huntington Park in front of 8,489 to begin an eight game home stand. The loss was only the second in the last 10 home games for Columbus.
The Red Wings were outhit in the game, 15-10, but were able to convert their hits into runs all night. After a perfect first inning, Aaron Laffey gave up an RBI double to Brock Peterson and then Toby Gardenhire flared a single into right field, driving in Peterson completing the two run second.
The Clippers left four runners on base in the first three innings without scoring, and with two more runners on in the fourth inning, Josh Rodriguez ended that streak driving in Wes Hodges on an RBI double. Michael Brantley followed suit with a two-out, two run single capping a three run inning for Columbus.
The Red Wings tied the game up in the fifth with an RBI sacrifice fly from Brian Dinkelman, scoring Matt Macri. Laffey's night was finished after the fifth, giving up three runs on four hits while walking three and striking out two. Rochester took the lead in the sixth when Macri drove home Jose Morales on an RBI double to center off of Justin Germano.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Brian Buscher hit his second triple of the year and Rodriguez drove him in, his second RBI on the night, with a single off the right field wall, tying the game at four.
The roller coaster game continued in the top of the seventh as Dinkelman drove in his second run of the game with a line drive single into right field, as Jason Repko scored the go-ahead run, giving the Red Wings a 5-4 lead. Gardenhire drove in the sixth run of the night for Rochester on a 6-3 groundout in the eighth inning off of Jeremy Sowers and Peterson capped the scoring in the ninth with his ninth home run of the season.
Carlos Santana hit his twelfth home run of the season in the seventh and Michael Brantley had two RBI's and five hits on the night, matching a career best. Brantley also had five hits on May 31, 2007 with the Brewers organization.
The Clippers and Red Wings are back in action tomorrow night for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch. Carlos Carrasco (4-2, 4.68 ERA) will take the hill for Columbus and will battle Rochester's Ryan Mullins (3-4, 4.83 ERA).
Wilmington Comes Back to Beat Kinston
Kinston’s Jason Kipnis went 3-for-4 and starting pitcher Marty Popham was dealing, but it wasn’t enough as Wilmington came back to beat Kinston 2-1 Tuesday night in Delaware. Popham went seven innings, giving up no runs on six hits. Popham struck out five and did not walk a batter.
Popham’s outing was matched by Wilmington starter Chris Dwyer, who baffled K-Tribe hitters by giving up just four hits in seven innings. Dwyer did not walk a batter while striking out seven. Wilmington's only early threat was pushed aside by a great defensive play, when K-Tribe center fielder Jordan Henry threw Wilmington's Rey Navarro out at home to end the fifth frame, preserving a scoreless tie.
Both bullpens would buckle, however, in the late innings. In the top of the eighth inning Trent Baker, making his Carolina League debut, reached with a single off of Blue Rocks reliever Barry Bowden. With two outs in the inning, Karexon Sanchez singled. Kipnis then came through with his third double of the night to drive in Baker, breaking the scoreless tie. The Kipnis hit was a ground rule double that bounced over the side wall in left field. Sanchez was kept from scoring the second run of the inning, a bit of bad luck that would come back and haunt Kinston.
In the bottom of the eighth, Delaware native Rob Bryson came out of the bullpen and was greeted by a loud ovation from the Blue Rock fans. Bryson grew up just a couple of miles away from the ballpark and went to “hundreds” of Wilmington games as a kid. Bryson walked Patrick Norris to start the inning and after a sacrifice bunt, gave up an RBI double to Nick Francis. With the score tied at one, Bryson gave up back-to-back walks to Eric Hosmer and Jamie Romak. Bryson was then removed from the game for Matt Langwell. Salvador Perez then delivered a deep drive to right field off of Langwell, good enough for a sacrifice fly to score Hosmer and give Wilmington the 2-1 lead. Bryson (2-1) picked up his first loss of the season, Bowden (2-3) got the win in relief for Wilmington (28-31).
The Indians (29-30) sixth straight loss ties a season high. The K-Tribe plays the final game of the series and road trip Wednesday evening in Wilmington. Game time 7:05 pm, Joe Gardner on the mound for Kinston.
Frawley Lifts Captains to 8-2 win over Clinton
Casey Frawley and Kyle Smith set career marks Tuesday night in Clinton, as the Captains defeated the LumberKings 8-2. Frawley drove in a career high five RBI as Kyle Smith collected a career high four hits.
Lake County got on the board in the first inning after Delvi Cid extended his hit streak to seven games with a leadoff single. Bo Greenwell got hit by a pitch to put Cid on second. Frawley drove in his first run with a single to left and the Captains led, 1-0.
Clinton tied the game up in the bottom of the first inning, scoring an unearned run on a Mario Martinez fielder’s choice that scored Nick Franklin.
The LumberKings took the first and only lead in the fourth inning. Martinez led the inning off with a triple to right center. With the infield playing in, Welington Dotel ripped a line drive by the shortstop Frawley and Clinton took a 2-1 edge.
The Captains jumped on the LumberKings in the sixth, with two outs. Kyle Smith collected his second hit to get the two-out rally started. Adam Abraham was hit by a pitch and Greg Folgia walked on five pitches to load the bases. The hustle play of the game came when Cid grounded to short, Franklin muffed the ball and was charged an error as Cid just beat the throw to first, allowing Smith to score and tie the game. Greenwell walked on four straight pitches giving the Captains the lead back at 3-2. Frawley stepped up and crushed a ball to center for a bases clearing double, capping off a five run sixth and giving Lake County a 6-2 lead.
Jeremie Tice hit his sixth homerun of the season in the seventh inning, a solo homerun giving him 40 RBI on the year.
The Captains manufactured a run without getting a hit in the eighth. Folgia picked up his second walk of the game leading off. Cid got hit by a pitch and Greenwell grounded to second advancing the runners into scoring position. Frawley stepped up and hit a ball to center; the sacrifice fly was good enough to score Folgia putting Lake County up, 8-2.
Matt Packer (4-3) was fantastic for the Captains in his fourth start, picking up the win. Packer went 5.1 allowing just two runs, one of them earned on seven hits, walking one and striking out two. Packer left the game with the bases loaded in the sixth and one out. Tyler Sturdevant entered in relief struck out the next two hitters getting Lake County out of the jam. Sturdevant finished with 2.2 innings of hitless baseball, striking out four. Jose Flores pitched a perfect ninth striking out all three he faced. John Housey (4-1) suffered his first loss of the year, pitching just .2 innings allowing five runs, all unearned, walking two.
The Captains (39-19) and the LumberKings (32-26) resume the series Wednesday night at 8:00PM EST from Alliant Energy Field in Clinton, IA. On the mound for Lake County is RHP Vidal Nuno (1-1), Clinton counters with RHP Taylor Stanton (5-2).
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2 comments:
I haven't seen any diagnosis of Chisenhall's shoulder problems since he returned to DH. He obviously still has some residual issue since he's not playing 3B. Did they ever determine that he has a problem with his labrum, or is it still a mystery?
No diagnosis on Chiz has been made available, but it looks like they are being cautious on his return to full time play. It looks like the rest and time off have helped as the power has returned.
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