Game Recap 7/19: White Shines

Aeros Homer Thrice in 4-1 Win Over Altoona

The Akron Aeros slugged three solo home runs Monday night in a crucial 4-1 victory over the first-place Altoona Curve at Canal Park. Rehabbing Cleveland Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, red-hot right fielder Matt McBride and left fielder Jerad Head all homered as Akron won for the fifth straight game. Aeros right-handed starter Alex White also earned the victory with yet another quality start in front of a crowd of 3,797 fans on “Ship out LeBron James” night. The win improved Akron (50-45) to a season-high five games over .500 for the year while the Curve fell to 57-37.

The scoring began in the first against dominant Altoona lefty Rudy Owens. The starter allowed a one-out single to second baseman Jason Kipnis before a fielder’s choice and a base hit from another rehabbing Cleveland star in designated hitter Shin-Soo Choo. McBride then delivered the RBI on a single to left, giving the Aeros a quick 1-0 lead.

Akron’s home run brigade began in the bottom of the fourth against Owens as McBride led off the inning. He promptly smashed the second pitch into the canal in left field, increasing the advantage to two runs with his team-leading 15th homer.

The Curve finally responded against White to cut their deficit to 2-1 in the top of the fifth inning. Right fielder Miles Durham singled to left with two outs and Anthony Norman’s single placed runners on first and third base. White followed by sailing a pitch over catcher Damaso Espino, moving up both runners and tightening up the game.

Cabrera then began the bottom half of that inning with a solo blast against Owens, his first homer in seven games during his minor league rehab assignment. Leading off the sixth against new reliever Michael Dubee, Head cemented the lead with his second home run in as many nights to provide for the final margin of the game.

White (5-4) earned the win by striking out seven over seven innings of one-run baseball, scattering six hits against no walks. He became the first Aero to record five consecutive quality starts this season and now has a 1.50 ERA in 11 Double-A starts. Owens (8-4) took the loss in his five innings while Connor Graham earned his seventh hold and newly annointed closer Omar Aguilar recorded his fifth save of the year with a perfect ninth.

Kipnis, the reigning Akron Aeros Player of the Week, led the offensive charge in finishing 3-for-3 with a double and a sacrifice bunt. Cabrera went 2-for-4 with his homer while Choo was 1-for-3 before pinch-hitter Carlos Rivero entered the game in the seventh inning.

Meanwhile, the Aeros collected over 200 items of LeBron James apparel on the night for donation to a charitable cause. Fans redeemed 157 free tickets in the special promotion with all of the donated clothing heading on an upcoming mission trip by the Canal District Union of the United Methodist Church to the Caribbean or South America.

Clippers walk all over Bulls, 8-3

It was a nice night for a summer stroll in Durham, and every Clippers hitter took advantage and went for a walk - as Bulls pitching issued 12 of them on the night. Columbus added some timely hits and a big inning en route to a 8-3 victory.

Nick Weglarz got the scoring started with a solo home run in the second, but the lead was short-lived as Durham scored one in the second themselves and then two more in the third on a Justin Ruggiano home run.

Columbus chased Bulls starter Jeremy Hellickson (11-3) in the fourth, however, after he walked the bases loaded and allowed two runs to score before departing with just one out in the inning. Reliever Dale Thayer didn't fare much better, though, allowing a Jordan Brow bases-clearing double and issuing two more walks before the five-run frame finally ended.

From there, Clippers starter Yohan Pino settled down, retiring the final eight batters he faced to pick up a quality start and improve to 8-5 on the season.

The Clippers added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth on a Weglarz RBI-double and a Lou Marson run-scoring single. The Columbus bullpen continued their dominance with Carlton Smith and newbie Zach Putman combining for three scoreless innings.

Dash Hands Kinston a 7-3 Loss

The Dash bolted out to a big lead and stayed on top, handing Kinston a 7-3 loss Monday night at Historic Grainger Stadium.

Winston-Salem jumped on top in the first inning against K-Tribe starter T.J. House. Jon Gilmore walked with two outs and came home on a double to right center field by Seth Loman for a 1-0 lead. The Dash came back for two more in the third on Gilmore's RBI double and Ozzie Lewis' RBI single to make it 3-0. Brandon Short's fourth inning sacrifice fly pushed the lead to 4-0. The Dash continued to pile it on in the fifth, as Luis Sierra hit a sacrifice fly to make it 5-0.

House was then pulled from the game in favor of reliever Brian Grening, who gave up a two-run double to Short that gave the Dash a 7-0 lead. House (2-8) surrendered a seven runs (six earned) on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. The runs and hits were both the most allowed by House this season. He walked three and struck out two.

The K-Tribe got on the board in the bottom of the fifth against Winston-Salem starter Stephen Sauer. Jeremie Tice led off the inning with a single to left. With two out, Donnie Webb walked and then Nate Recknagel cracked a three-run homer to center field that cleared the 25-foot-high batter's eye beyond the center field wall to cut the lead to 7-3. Recknagel joined Kyle Bellows as the lone Indians to clear the batter's eye this season. Kinston threatened in the eighth inning as Lucas Montero and Karexon Sanchez each walked to start the inning. Bo Greenwell singled to load the bases and the Dash brought Tyson Corley on in relief of Sauer. Chun Chen grounded into a force out at home plate, and then Doug Pickens hit into a double play to end the inning without a run scoring.

Sauer (6-6) pitched seven innings for the win. He allowed three runs on six hits, walked six and struck out four. The Indians (8-14, 44-48) have lost four straight and 10 of their last 12 contests, but is still just 2 1/2 games out of the final playoff spot in the Southern Division.

Captains Finish Roadtrip with 5-1 Loss to Kernels

Fabio Martinez tossed seven scoreless innings striking out nine Captains as the Kernels defeated Lake County 5-1 on Monday afternoon. The Captains finished the nine game road trip with a 4-5 record.

In the fourth inning, Jeremy Cruz started things off with a one out double to right center. Casey Haerther singled up the middle to drive in Cruz. Michael Wing connected on Nuno pitch for a 2-run homerun, his second of the series to make 3-0.

Carlos Ramirez leadoff the fifth inning for Cedar Rapids with a solo homerun, his fifth of the season to lift the Kernels to a 4-0 lead.

Cedar Rapids recorded their third homerun of the game in the eighth inning after Justin Bass hit a solo homerun and the Kernels were on top 5-0.

Lake County avoided the shutout in the ninth inning. Chris Kersten hit a solo homerun his sixth of the season to make it 5-1. Kersten has hit a homerun in three consecutive games.

Fabio Martinez (6-2) picked up the win allowing just four hits in his seven innings of work while walking three and striking out nine. Vidal Nuno (4-4) suffered the loss giving up four runs on eight hits in six innings, walking one and striking out three.

Fritsch's five hitless innings help Crosscutters beat Scrappers

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers lost 3-0 to the Williamsport Crosscutters tonight at Eastwood Field.

Craig Fritsch pitched five hitless innings for the Crosscutters allowing just for runners to reach on walks. Fritsch picked up his first win of the 2010 season.

Eric Pettis came in from the bullpen to get the save for the Crosscutters pitching a scoreless inning of relief.

Despite getting the loss, Kirk Wetmore pitched well for the Scrappers lasting 5.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits and walking three.

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