 |
| Abner Abreu (photo: Tony Lastoria) |
Abner Abreu’s two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning was the decider in a 11-10 Kinston win over Wilmington, Friday night at Historic Grainger Stadium. Each team had 15 hits in the game. The run riot was an unconventional way for the first place K-Tribe (16-10, 54-41) to grab their 25th one-run win of the season.
Reigning Carolina League Player of the Week Marty Popham was greeted rudely in the first inning when the first seven Blue Rock batter's reached safely. Six hits and one walk from the seven plated four runs. Run scoring hits were put into play from Nick Van Stratten, John Whittleman and Kurt Mertins. Wilmington would rack up two more runs in the third inning, putting up six earned on Popham. Popham went 2 2/3 innings, giving up nine hits. Kinston's only offense in the first third of the game was a solo home run from Jeremie Tice. The second inning smash was his sixth of the season.
Kinston hit the comeback trail in the bottom of the fourth inning, when Anthony Gallas led off with a double. Tice followed with a walk. After the first out of the inning, Abner Abreu and Tyler Cannon hit back-to-back, run scoring doubles. The hits cut the Blue Rock’s lead to three.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Blue Rock starting pitcher Tyler Sample ran out of gas and no one pulled over to help him. Kinston took the lead, scoring six runs or six hits, sending ten men to the plate. The bottom of the frame started with a Tice double. Adam Abraham was hit by a pitch. Abreu hit a triple to drive in both runs, cutting Wilmington's lead to one. Tyler Cannon tied the game with a run scoring single. Doug Pickens followed with a base hit. Justin Toole gave Kinston a 7-6 lead with a run scoring single. After a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Holt advanced runners to second and third base, Kinston would score two more runs thanks to RBIs from Casey Frawley and Gallas.
Trailing 9-6, Wilmington came right back with four runs of their own in the very next inning. The Blue Rocks scored four runs on four hits at the expense of K-Tribe reliever Chris Jones. Julio Rodriguez hit a two-out single to tie the score at nine. Davy Batista then smoked a double to give Wilmington the improbable 10-9 lead.
Kinston responded in the bottom of the seventh with an Abraham double. Abreu then capped off his career night with a two-run home run. The shot to left field was his 11th home run of the season. Abreu went 4-for-4, adding a triple and two singles. The five RBIs were a career high. Frawley, Tice, Cannon and Toole also had two hits for Kinston as everyone in the K-Tribe lineup reached base safely.
Kyle Landis (4-0) picked up the well deserved win, getting Kinston out of trouble in the seventh inning, then putting the Blue Rocks down in order in the eighth inning. He did not give up a hit in 1 1/3 innings of work. His ERA dropped to 1.03. Preston Guilmet picked up his 25th save in 26 attempts with a 1-2-3 ninth inning. He struck out one.
The K-Tribe will take on Wilmington Saturday night at Historic Grainger Stadium. Game time 6:30 pm, T.J. House on the mound for Kinston.
Aeros edge Seawolves, 6-5
The Akron Aeros won game two of a four-game series against the Erie SeaWolves 6-5 Friday at Jerry Uht Park
Right-handed pitcher Joe Gardner recorded the win for the Aeros lasting 5.2 innings, allowing four earned runs on five hits, walking two and striking out three. Right-hander Cory Burns pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth inning to log his league-best 27th save of 2011.
Righty Brooks Brown was saddled with the loss for Erie pitching six innings, giving up five earned runs on 11 hits and striking out four while walking none.
The SeaWolves (46-53) got on the board in the bottom of the second inning when Francisco Martinez scored on a Michael Bertram sacrifice fly to make it 1-0.
The Aeros (53-47) tied the game 1-1 in the top of the third inning on a Juan Diaz RBI single.
In the top of the fourth inning, Akron took the lead. With one out, Kyle Bellows and Raul Padron rapped back-to-back singles. John Drennen followed with an RBI double scoring Bellows and giving the Aeros a 2-1 lead. With two outs, Jordan Henry singled home Padron and Drennen to increase the lead to 4-1.
Bertram hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut the Akron lead to 4-2.
The Aeros got the run back in the top of the sixth inning when Padron scored on a fielder’s choice.
Erie added two runs in the bottom of the frame on a Rawley Bishop two-run home run to make it 5-4.
Akron tacked on a run in the top of the seventh inning and, despite allowing a run in the bottom of the frame, went on to the win.
The Aeros will look to make it three straight over the SeaWolves on Saturday. Akron will give the ball to right-handed pitcher Austin Adams, who is 5-8 with a 4.12 ERA in 2011. He will face left-handed pitcher Casey Crosby, who is 6-3 with a 3.83 ERA this season. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. The game can be heard on Fox Sports 1350 AM or online at sportsradio1350.com. Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m.
River Bandits Win Finale 3-1 Over Captains
Cody Stanley finished the night 4-for-4, but his solo homerun in the first inning gave Quad Cities a lead they would not relinquish en route to a 3-1 win at Classic Park on Friday night.
The River Bandits added a few insurance runs in the eighth inning that got started on a Stanley single. A throwing error by JD Reichenbach put runners on first and second. Michael Swinson drove in a pair with a single up the middle giving Quad Cities a 3-0 lead.
Nick Bartolone reached third on an error in the top of the ninth inning, scoring on a wild pitch to make it 3-1.
Rosenthal (4-7) picked up the win tossing 8.1 innings, allowing just one unearned run on one hit, one walks and eight strike outs. Dean Kiekhefer picked up the save getting the final two outs for hit second save of the season. Mike Rayl (5-5) took the loss allowing a run on six hits over six innings, walking one and striking out four strike outs.
Lake County welcomes in Cedar Rapids for a three game set at Classic Park on Saturday night at 7:00PM. The Captains will start RHP Mike Goodnight (5-8) against RHP Brian Diemer (7-7) for the Kernals. Catch all the action on AM1330 WELW or online on captainsbaseball.com.
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).
Everything on this site is free, but for those interested in making any monetary contributions to help support the stability and growth of this site please click on the "Donate" button below.
0 comments:
Post a Comment