Game Recaps 5/15: Packer leads Aeros to series win

Matt Packer (Photo: Lianna Holub)

Aeros Win Series Behind Packer’s First Victory

The Akron Aeros won the finale of a four game series against the Bowie Baysox 5-3 Sunday at Prince George’s Stadium.

The Aeros took three of four from Bowie and have now won three straight games, which is a season-high.

Left-handed pitcher Matt Packer picked up his first win of 2011 tossing seven innings, giving up one earned run on five hits and striking out eight while walking just one. Right-hander Cory Burns recorded his 12th save of 2011 pitching a scoreless bottom of the ninth inning, walking two and striking out two.

Right-handed pitcher Mitch Atkins got the loss for Bowie pitching seven innings, giving up five runs (three earned) on seven hits, walking three and striking out four.

The Aeros (18-19) got on the board in the top of third inning. Matt Lawson led off with a double and advanced to third on a Cristo Arnal sacrifice bunt. Lawson scored when Jordan Henry reached on a Billy Rowell throwing error. Henry then stole second and scored on a Tim Fedroff RBI single that gave the Aeros a 2-0 lead. Juan Diaz followed with a double that moved Fedroff to third. Following a walk, John Drennen brought Fedroff home on a sacrifice fly to center field.

Akron took a 4-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning on a Henry RBI single that scored Kyle Bellows.

The Aeros scored again in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, Matt McBride doubled and scored on a Drennen RBI single that made it 5-0.

The Baysox (18-19) got a run in the bottom of the frame on a Brandon Waring solo home run.

Bowie rallied for two in the bottom of the eighth inning, but drew no closer as the Aeros won the series.

The Aeros have an off day Monday and will begin a three-game series with the Altoona Curve Tuesday at Canal Park. Lefty Kelvin De La Cruz will get the start for the Aeros. De La Cruz is 2-3 with a 2.32 ERA in 2011. He will face fellow southpaw Jeff Locke, who is 2-3 with a 3.35 ERA this season.

Indians Wash Away Clippers 7-3

Indians left fielder John Bowker accounted for each of the Tribe's three early runs, while third baseman Brian Friday collected a team-high three hits and shortstop Pedro Ciriaco connected on a late three-run blast to power Indianapolis over the Columbus Clippers 7-3 on Sunday afternoon at Victory Field.

After a one hour and 35 minute rain delay at the outset of the game, both teams wasted little time to get on the scoreboard as Columbus jumped ahead with two runs in the top of the first before the Tribe answered with single tally in the bottom of the frame.

Columbus CF Ezequiel Carrera started the scoring when he singled on the second pitch of the game, moved to second when 3B Lonnie Chisenhall was hit by a pitch and came home on DH Chad Huffman's RBI single to give the Clippers a 1-0 lead. Chisenhall would later score in the frame on a sacrifice fly to center by 2B Jason Kipnis to push the Columbus advantage to 2-0.

Indianapolis responded with a run in their half of the first despite collecting just one hit. Ciriaco reached on a fielding miscue, and went from first to third on CF Alex Presley's single before coming home on an RBI groundout by Bowker to cut the deficit in half at 2-1.

The Tribe then evened the score in the fifth sparked by Friday, who doubled to left and was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from SS Chase d'Arnaud. Then following a pop out for the second out, Presley walked to set the stage for a clutch RBI single up the middle from Bowker to even the score at 2-2.

The tie was broken in the seventh frame thanks to some more two-out magic from the Tribe. After the first two batters in the inning went down, Bowker doubled off the right center field wall before getting to third on 1B Matt Hague's infield single and coming plateward on a throwing error to give Indianapolis the 3-2 advantage.

The Indians broke the game open in the eighth by tacking on four additional insurance runs, including Ciriaco's three run home run. DH Andy Marte started the rally with a hit by a pitch and moved to second on Friday's third base knock before scoring on SS Chase d'Arnaud's RBI single up the chute to make it 4-2. Ciriaco then launched his second home run of the year two pitches later to left to put the issue no longer in doubt.

Columbus scored in the final frame but failed to complete a comeback for the second straight night despite a pair of two-out base knocks. Kipnis singled to center and then took second on defensive indifference before he was brought home on 1B Wes Hodges' base hit up the middle.

Columbus starter Zach McAllister (6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 SO) received a no-decision after allowing just two runs, one of which was earned, on four hits in addition to six punchouts in six innings pitched. Clippers' reliever Zach Putnam (1.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 2-1 on the 2011 campaign after surrendering four earned runs on five hits in 1.2 frames.

The Indians complete their four-game series against Columbus on Monday at 11:05 AM. LHP Brian Burres is scheduled to get the nod for the Tribe, while the Clippers are expected to counter with RHP Corey Kluber.

Keys Clip Kinston 9-1

Frederick banged out 14 hits on their way to a 9-1 win over the K-Tribe, Sunday afternoon in Kinston.

K-Tribe pitcher Toru Murata started his second game of the season and ran into trouble early. Steve Bumbry started the game with a walk. Buck Britton singled and L.J. hoes advanced both runners with a ground-out. Tyler Townsend drove home Bumbry with a sacrifice fly. With two-outs in the inning Miguel Abreu hit a single to shallow right field. Britton slid in just ahead of the Abner Abreu throw to give Frederick a 2-0 lead. The Keys would strike again when Bumbry took the first pitch of the third inning over the left field wall for a home run. His first home run of the season gave Frederick a 3-0 advantage. Murata was replaced after giving up a hit in the fourth inning. Murata (0-2) went six innings giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits in the loss. Murata walked one and struck out one.. Frederick then loaded the bases on K-Tribe reliever Chris Jones with a hit and a walk. Bumbry then walked with the bases loaded to get a 4-0 lead. Jones would settle down, going three innings, giving up three hits and one earned run. Jones walked two and struck out one. Frederick would add four more runs against Kinston reliever Jose Flores who gave up six hits in 1 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out one. Francisco Jimenez and Preston Guilmet then settled things down from the pen, combining to throw 1 2/3 innings of hitless ball.

Frederick’s Bobby Bundy kept Kinston off the scoreboard, getting the win by giving up four hits in six innings. He was helped by a solid Frederick defense that threw two K-Tribe runners out at the plate and ended the third inning with a bases loaded double play. Jason Smit went 2-for-4 as Kinston has six hits on the afternoon.

The K-Tribe homestand continues as the Indians host the Advanced A Affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, the Lynchburg Hillcats, this Monday through Thursday. The Carolina League leader in ERA, Brett Brach (3-2, 1.63) will get the start for Kinston.

Captains game postponed

The Lake County Captains games against the West Michigan Whitecaps scheduled for Sunday have been postponed due to inclement weather.

The suspended game from Saturday will be resumed prior to the scheduled game on Saturday, May 28 at 6:00 PM. The regularly scheduled game on that date will be a seven-inning contest following the conclusion of the suspended game.

The game scheduled for Sunday will be made up as part of the doubleheader on Monday, May 30, with the first game scheduled for 1:00 PM. Both games will be seven innings.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. Also, his latest book the 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is available for purchase for $20.95 to customers in the US (shipping and handling extra).

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