Game Recaps 6/7: R-Rod breaks out for Captains

Ronny Rodriguez (Photo: Lianna Holub)

Captains Tame Rattlers 9-0

Ronny Rodriguez drove in a career high three RBI in Lake County’s 9-0 win over Wisconsin on Tuesday night. Rodriguez went 3-for-4, with a triple and a homerun, finishing a double shy of the cycle.

The Captains took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Rodriguez hit his third homerun of the season, a solo shot to leftfield.

In the fifth, Lake County loaded the bases. Rodriguez singled to left, scoring Nick Bartolone and Brian Heere. Carlos Moncrief added an RBI single to score Anthony Gallas. Rodriguez would later score on a wild pitch to make it, 9-0 Captains.

Rodriguez started the eighth inning off with a triple to centerfield. The Rattlers intentionally walked Alex Monsalve to put runners on first and third. A passed ball charged to Tyler Roberts allowed Rodriguez to score and Monsalve to second. The Charly Bashara’s pickoff attempt at second was thrown into centerfield, Monsalve moved to third an error on centerfielder Reggie Keen allowed Monsalve to score making it 7-0.

The Captains added a few more in the ninth. Alex Lavisky reached with a single to center. Bartolone walked. Brian Heere drove in both runners with a triple to right center pushing lead out to 9-0.

Mike Goodnight (5-3) was fantastic once again, throwing six scoreless innings allowing just three hits, walking one and striking out four. Jimmy Nelson (1-6) took the loss allowing five runs, four earned on five hits in seven innings of work, walking three and striking out five.

Lake County and Wisconsin continue their three game series on Wednesday afternoon at Time Warner Cable Field at 1:05pm. The Captains will start RHP Steven Wright (1-1) against RHP Jameson Dunn (1-0) for the Rattlers.

Aeros fall to To Rock Cats, 5-3

The Akron Aeros lost game one of a three-game series to the New Britain Rock Cats 5-3 Tuesday at New Britain Stadium.

Left-handed pitcher Matt Packer was saddled with the loss for the Aeros pitching five innings, giving up five earned runs on nine hits and striking out two while walking none.

Right-hander Deolis Guerra pitched four scoreless innings of relief to earn the win for the Rock Cats scattering two hits and striking out seven while walking just one. Righty Bruce Pugh pitched a scoreless top of the ninth inning to record the save.

The Rock Cats (31-25) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on an Evan Bigley RBI single.

The Aeros (27-32) evened the game 1-1 in the top of the second inning on a Chun Chen RBI single.

New Britain answered in the bottom of the frame. Jair Fernandez and Chris Herrmann began the inning with back-to-back singles. With one out, Mark Dolenc tripled them home to give the Rock Cats a 3-1 lead. With two outs, Mike Hollimon doubled home Dolenc to make it 4-1.

The Aeros got a run back in the top of the third inning. With two outs, Jordan Henry stole his 19th base of 2011 as he swiped second. Matt McBride walked and Beau Mills followed with an RBI single scoring Henry and cutting the deficit to 4-2.

Chen hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning to cut the Rock Cats lead to 4-3.

New Britain got another run in the bottom of the fifth inning and went on to the win.

The Aeros and Rock Cats will continue their series Wednesday. The Aeros will give the ball to left-handed pitcher Kelvin De La Cruz, who is 3-3 with a 3.83 ERA in 2011. He will face right-handed pitcher Steve Hirschfeld, who is 3-3 with a 2.40 ERA this season. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m.

Blue Rocks Beat Kinston 8-2

It was a reversal of fortunes Tuesday night in Wilmington as the Blue Rocks led the entire way, beating Kinston 8-2 at Frawley Stadium. The Blue Rocks plated three first inning runs on starter Brett Brach and added five in a big seventh against Jose Flores to put the contest out of reach.

Wilmington came out of the gates swinging on K-Tribe starter Brett Brach, as Whit Merrifield led off the bottom of the first inning with a towering home run down the left field line. The shot was just fair and his second homer of the season. Carlo Testa followed with a single and Rey Navarro would get hit by a pitch. Nick Francis then followed with a two-run scoring double, giving Wilmington a 3-0 first inning advantage. Brach would settle down, retiring the next ten batters he faced. Brach ended up going six strong innings, giving up just two more hits. Brach (4-4) was stuck with the loss walking one and striking out five.

Kinston got to Wilmington starter and highly touted prospect Jake Odorizzi in the top of the second inning. Doug Pickens and Delvi Cid both singled with two outs in the frame. Tyler Holt then drove Pickens home with a base hit. Kinston would have base runners in each of the first five innings, racking up eight hits on Odorizzi, but scoring only the lone run. Odorizzi struck out five and did not walk a batter.

Wilmington would add insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. With K-Tribe reliever Jose Flores on the mound, Tim Ferguson singled and stole second base. After advancing to third base on a ground out, Ferguson scored on an error by K-Tribe shortstop Casey Frawley. Later in the inning, an RBI single by Merrifield put Wilmington up 5-1. Nick Francis hit a towering two-run home run over the batters eye in center field to put the game away. Kinston would add a run in the top of the eighth inning, when Adam Abraham double then was driven home by a Justin Toole double.

Kinston had 12 hits in the game. It was the first time this season Kinston racked up double digit hits in a game, but did not win. Abraham and Holt each went 3-for-5 for Kinston.

Game three of the four game series away set takes place Wednesday at 7:05 pm in Wilmington. T.J. House will get the start on the mound for Kinston.

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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