Game Recap 7/24: White Continues to Shine

Aeros Soar Past R-Phils 12-1 Saturday Night

Yohan Flande struggled on the mound on Saturday evening -- Akron starter Alex White, however, shined.

White (6-4, 1.48) tossed seven impressive innings, Beau Mills, John Drennen, and Jerad Head each homered, and the Akron Aeros pummeled the R-Phils 12-1 in game three of their four-game set from FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading on Saturday night.

A first-round pick in the 2009 draft by Cleveland, White, 21, won for the third time in four starts this July, and improved to 3-0 with a 1.04 ERA this month. The UNC product allowed just one run on eight hits and fanned seven on the evening. Ranked as the ninth-best prospect in the Cleveland organization by Baseball America, White has now allowed just two runs over his last three starts (20 innings pitched).

For Reading, Flande allowed nine runs (eight earned) on 12 hits over five innings and was saddled with the loss. The 24-year-old walked two batters and fanned two - falling to 2-2 with a 4.31 ERA in July. The Dominican native is now 1-1 with a 7.15 ERA in two post All-Star starts.

Offensively for Reading, 2B Harold Garcia extended his hit-streak to nine games with a single in the first inning - it was his only hit of the game. CF Michael Spidale, who entered the game tied for fourth in the Eastern League with an impressive .312 batting average, ripped two more hits - upping his average to .314.

Reading and Akron will conclude their four-game set on Sunday in the finale. Reading (49-50) will look to get back to .500 with a win, and will look to take the series from the Aeros, three games to one.

The Reading Phillies starter for Sunday's game has not yet been announced. Akron will send LHP Kelvin De La Cruz (3-5, 5.16) to the hill in the finale. De La Cruz, 21, is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA against the R-Phils in one start this season. The Dominican lefty will look to win his third-straight start on Sunday.

Clippers put on show, top PawSox, 12-7

The Clippers got a pair of three-run home runs Saturday night and coasted to an 12-7 victory over the Pawtucket Red Sox on a hot night in downtown Columbus, putting them a season-best 22 games over the .500 mark.

Columbus got on the board in the first inning, when Wes Hodges singled home Luis Valbuena. In the second, Valbuena unloaded the first of the three-run blasts, to the short porch in right field. Valbuena would finish the night with a career-best five hits.

After Pawtucket got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth, Josh Rodriguez made it a 7-1 game with a three-run homer to left-center.

With plenty of run support, David Huff went seven innings for the Clippers, striking out five and allowing just three runs on 11 hits. After the single run in the top of the fourth, Huff allowed a pair to score on a Mike Lowell double in the fifth.

Columbus added four runs in the sixth to make it 11-3, getting a bases-loaded walk and then a bases-clearing double from Ezequiel Carrera. Down by eight, Gustavo Molina's three-run home run in the eighth off of Zach Putnam did little harm. The Clippers then added a run in their half of the frame, on a Lou Marson double, before the PawSox capped the scoring with one of their own in the ninth.

In all, Columbus pounded out 18 hits, including eight for extra bases. Their offensive fireworks were almost as good as the first-ever fireworks display, which followed the game at Huntington Park.

Kinston Splits Doubleheader

Kinston split a doubleheader with Wilmington on Saturday night, winning 2-1 in game one and falling 7-0 in game two.

The K-Tribe jumped in front in the fourth inning against Wilmington pitcher Jairo Cuevas, who entered the game at the re-start of the suspended game, which re-started in the top of the third. Lucas Montero led off the frame with a single and Jeremie Tice ripped an RBI double down the left field line to give Kinston a 1-0 lead.

Wilmington answered in the top of the fifth against K-Tribe pitcher T.J. House. WIth two outs, Patrick Norris was hit by a pitch and stole second. Christian Colon blooped an RBI single to center to score Norris and tie the game at one.

Kinston took the lead back in the bottom of the sixth. Donnie Webb reached on an infield single, stole second and moved to third on Montero's groundout. Abner Abreu legged out an infield hit to score Webb and put the Indians on top 2-1.

House (3-8) picked up his first win since early June, giving up just one hit in six innings of relief. House walked one and struck out five. Joey Mahalic started the game for Kinston Friday night, throwing two scoreless innings. Cory Burns picked up his Carolina League leading 16th save of the season in the ninth inning.

In game two, Kinston got a spot start from reliever David Roberts. In his first start as a professional, Roberts retired the first seven batters he faced. In the third, Roberts walked Fernando Garcia and with two outs in the innings walked Patrick Norris. Roberts was then removed from the game as Chris Jones came in for relief. Christian Colon banged a double off of Jones scoring both Garcia and Norris. Wilmington would add another run off of Jones with a Ernesto Mejia solo home run in the fourth. Wilmington blew open a 3-0 game with three more runs on four hits off of K-Tribe reliever Brian Grening in the top of the sixth inning.

Roberts (1-3) picked up the loss. Wilmington starter Bryan Paukovits picked up the win in the start for Wilmington, who won 7-0. The final game of the series and homestand will be played on Sunday at 2 pm at Grainger Stadium. Right hander Joe Gardner will throw for the K-Tribe.

Brach Tosses Complete Game Shutout as Captains Win

Brett Brach threw a complete game shut out and Adam Abraham hit a two run hone run as the Lake County Captains shut out the Peoria Chiefs 3-0 Saturday. This was the first complete game by a Captains starting pitcher this year and their seventh shutout as a staff.

After Chiefs starter Frank Batista retired the first eleven batters in order, Casey Frawley was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the fourth inning. Adam Abraham followed with his seventh home run of the season and the Captains led 2-0. The Captains added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning when Kyle Smith scored from third on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.

Brach (2-5) got the win hurling nine scoreless innings and allowing seven hits, walking one and striking out five.

Chiefs starter Frank Batista (1-2) took the loss working 4.2 allowing two runs on one hit while striking out ten.

Scrappers swept by Crosscutters in rain shortened game

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers were swept by the Williamsport Crosscutters losing 7-1 tonight at Bowman Field in a rain shortened game lasting 4.5 innings.

Kirk Wetmore got the start for the Scrappers lasting just 0.2 innings, giving up four runs on three hits and picking up his fifth loss of the season.

Craig Fritsch got the win for the Crosscutters pitching five innings and giving up one run on three hits.

The Scrappers lone run was scored by Brian Heere when he came across on a wild pitch.

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