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| Paolo Espino (Photo: Lianna Holub) |
The Akron Aeros downed the Reading Phillies 8-4 Thursday morning at FirstEnergy Stadium to salvage the finale of a three-game series.
Right-handed pitcher Paolo Espino recorded the win for the Aeros tossing six innings of relief, allowing one earned run on three hits and striking out six while walking none. Left-hander Kelvin De La Cruz made the start for Akron lasting three innings, giving up three earned runs on three hits, walking five and striking out four.
Right-hander J.C. Ramirez suffered the loss for the R-Phils pitching four innings, giving up seven runs (six earned) on six hits, walking five and striking out one.
The Aeros (26-29) got on the board in the top of the first inning. Jordan Henry led off with a walk and quickly stole second. With two outs, Henry advanced to third on a J.C. Ramirez wild pitch. Beau Mills followed with a single scoring Henry and giving Akron a 1-0 lead.
The R-Phils (28-24) answered in the bottom of the second inning. Niuman Romero drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Tim Kennelly followed with a two-RBI double to give Reading a 3-1 lead.
Akron retook the lead in the top of the third inning. Donnie Webb led off with a double and Henry moved him to third on a sacrifice bunt. Tim Fedroff reached on a fielding error allowing Webb to score to make it 3-2. Matt McBride followed with a two-run home run giving the Aeros a 4-3 lead.
The Aeros added to their lead in the top of the fourth inning. Karexon Sanchez was hit by a pitch with one out. With two outs, Sanchez stole second and Webb walked. Henry and Fedroff followed with back-to-back RBI singles to make it 6-3. McBride capped the inning with an RBI double to give the Aeros a 7-3 lead.
Reading got a run back in the bottom of the frame to cut the deficit to 7-4.
Akron added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning and went on to the win.
The Aeros will return home to begin a three-game series with the Binghamton Mets Friday. Right-handed pitcher Joe Gardner will get the start for Akron. Gardner is 3-3 with a 3.46 ERA in 2011. He will face fellow righty Brandon Moore, who is 4-3 with a 4.27 ERA this season. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
Kinston Wins Their Fifth Straight Series With a 7-6 Win
Kinston grabbed their fifth straight series win with a 7-6 victory over Wilmington Thursday night at Historic Grainger Stadium. The K-Tribe took three of four games from Wilmington for the series win. Kinston (27-25) is now just 3 ½ games behind Myrtle Beach for first place in the Carolina League Southern Division.
Wilmington's Michael Mariot made his first start of the season and Kinston took advantage in the bottom of the first inning. Delvi Cid led off with a single. Cid stole second base and advanced to third on an errant throw by Blue Rock's catcher Juan Graterol. Bo Greenwell then drove Cid home with a ground-out. With two outs in the inning, Jeremie Tice singled. That was followed by a home run from Adam Abraham, giving Kinston a 3-0 lead. The shot to left field was the team leading seventh of the season for Abraham. Abraham drove in his third run of the game with a double scoring Tice in the third inning. The bottom of the third started when Tice led off with a single.
Up 4-3 going into the bottom of the fourth inning, Kinston scored again when Cid led off with a double and came home on a Justin Toole single. K-Tribe starting pitcher Brett Brach kept Kinston in the lead, going 5 1/3 innings giving up three earned runs on six hits. Brach walked two and struck out two.
In the top of the seventh inning, Wilmington’s Rey Navarro hit a two-run home run off of Kinston reliever Tyler Sturdevant. Navarro’s second two-run shot in as many days tied the score at five. Kinston would respond in the bottom of the eighth inning when Tyler Cannon led off with a single. Delvi Cid then bunted the ball to Wilmington pitcher Ran Dennick who threw high at second base for an error. Toole then took advantage by bunting Cannon and Cid over with a sacrifice. Greenwell followed with a grounder to the shortstop that drove home Cannon. Up 6-5, Tice would add a very important run with a two-out, RBI single to bring home Cid.
The insurance run was just that as Kinston closer Preston Guilmet gave up a solo home run to Juan Graterol to begin the ninth inning. Guilmet would recover and get the next three batters for his Carolina League leading 13th save of the season. Kyle Landis (1-0) got the win for Kinston in relief. He pitched a perfect eighth inning. Dennick (1-2) took the loss in relief.
Kinston banged out 15 hits on the night. Tice went 3-for-5, Abraham 3-for-5 with 3 RBI. Cid, Abreu and Cannon each had two hits for Kinston.
Kinston now hits the road for a seven game roadtrip. The trip begins in Winston-Salem Friday night, game time 7pm. T.J. House will take the mound for Kinston.
Cougars Avoid Sweep, Beat Captains 4-2
Travis Jones hit a two run homerun in the top of the ninth inning on Thursday night lifting Kane County by Lake County, 4-2. The Cougars avoid a sweep with a win in series finale.
Giovanny Urshela hit his sixth homerun of the season to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning, the solo shot game the Captains a 1-0 lead.
Kane County tied the game up at 1-1 in the top of the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly by Yowill Espinal that scored Geulin Beltre.
The Cougars took their first lead of the night in the fifth. Cheslor Cuthbert drove in a run with his second single of the game scoring Ryan Stovall to make it 2-1.
Lake County’s Anthony Gallas reached on a two base error by pitcher Jason Adam. Jesus Aguilar drove in his team high 34th RBI to tie the game at 2-2.
Dwight Childs crushed a solo homerun to leftfield, his first of the season to cut the lead in half at 3-2, but it was not enough for the Captains.
Mitch Hodge (1-0) picked up the win working two innings in relief, allowing just three hits and striking out two. Chas Byrne picked up his third save of the season working ninth giving up a run, on one hit. Nick Sarianides (3-3) suffered the loss allowing two runs, on just one hit, hitting a batter and striking out one.
Lake County will welcome in Clinton to Classic Park for a rematch of last year’s championship series on Friday night at 7:00PM. The Captains will start RHP Kyle Blair (3-3) against RHP Jandy Sena (2-2) for the Lunberkings.
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