Game Recaps 7/5: Burns closes out another Akron win

Cory Burns (Photo: Lianna Holub)

Aeros Win Second Straight Against Curve

The Akron Aeros won game two of a four-game series against the Altoona Curve 4-2 Tuesday at Blair County Ballpark.

Left-handed pitcher Kelvin De La Cruz recorded the win for the Aeros lasting five innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits, walking two and striking out one. Right-handed pitcher Cory Burns shut the door in the bottom of the ninth inning to earn his league-high 22nd save of 2011.

Right-hander Aaron Pribanic was saddled with the loss for Altoona tossing six innings, giving up three earned runs on six hits and striking out four while walking one.

The Curve (36-47) got on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Starling Marte led off with a double. With one out, Josh Rodriguez moved Marte to third with a single to left field. Andrew Lambo followed with an RBI double scoring Marte and giving Altoona a 1-0 lead.

The Aeros (43-42) answered in the top of the third inning. With one out, Cristo Arnal was hit by a pitch. He advanced to second on Jordan Henry’s single. Juan Diaz followed with a single of his own to score Arnal and tie the game 1-1.

Akron took the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Chun Chen led off with a single and Ben Copeland moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt. Michel Hernandez followed with a ground-rule double that scored Chen and gave the Aeros a 2-1 lead.

Quincy Latimore hit a solo home run for Altoona in the bottom of the frame to tie the game 2-2.

The Aeros retook the lead 3-2 in the top of the sixth inning when Nick Weglarz scored on a Hernandez RBI ground out.

Akron added a run in the top of the seventh inning on a Diaz RBI double and went on to the win.

The Aeros will look for their third straight victory over the Curve Wednesday. Akron will give the ball to right-handed pitcher Joe Gardner, who is 5-5 with a 3.89 ERA in 2011. He will face fellow right-hander Philip Irwin, who is 2-1 with a 3.94 ERA this season. First pitch is at 7 p.m.

Bats beat Clippers 4-2 at Slugger Field

The Clippers struggled to take advantage of a couple of scoring opportunities and drop their second straight to Louisville, 4-2.

Columbus went 1-9 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base.

After a Chad Huffman sacrifice fly in the first, the Bats responded with a solo homer from Dave Sappelt. The Bats center fielder knocked home another run with an RBI single in the fifth. Louisville got two more runs with a Yonder Alonso two-RBI single.

Jared Goedert provided the other Clippers run with an RBI double in the sixth.

Scott Barnes started the game for Columbus and went 5.2 innings, allowing four runs and striking out three.

With the loss, Barnes falls to 7-3 on the year.

Chad Reineke (7-5) went 5.1 innings, allowing two runs and striking out five to pick up the win. Jerry Gil came on in the ninth to pick up his fifth save of the year.

The two teams continue their three game set in Louisville Wednesday with a 7:05 PM first pitch.

Captains Lose 6-3 to Lugnuts

KC Hobson’s RBI double in the bottom of the fifth inning put Lansing in front 4-3 on Tuesday night. The Lugnuts went to a 6-3 win, taking the series from Lake County.

The Captains took an early 1-0 lead when Brian Heere singled in Giovanny Urshela in the second inning.

In the bottom half of the second inning Lansing came right back. Mark Nuzzo singled in Marcus Knecht to tie the game. Oliver Dominguez singled to right field scoring Hobson to take the lead. Nuzzo scored from third on a passed ball to put the Lugnuts up 3-1.

Jesus Aguilar was inches short of a homerun in the third inning, but his double scored Alex Monsalve to cut the lead to 3-2. Aguilar has now reached base in 29 straight games dating back to May 30th.

In the fifth Inning, Lake County loaded the bases. Urshela collected his second hit of the game with single to left scoring Carlos Moncrief to tie game at three.

Egan Smith (3-3) picked up the win for the Lugnuts tossing five innings allowing three runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out four. Bryce Stowell (0-1) suffered the loss giving up two runs, on three hits, walking two and striking out one in two innings of work. Mike Rayl start the game for the Captains picked up a no decision pitching 1.2 allowing three runs on three hits, walking one and striking out two.

Lake County continues their six game road trip on Wednesday night from Bowling Green Stadium in Bowling Green. LHP JD Reichenbach (4-1) gets the start for the Captains against LHP Braulio Lara (3-6) for the Hot Rods.

Scrappers blow late lead again and lose

For the second straight night the Mahoning Valley Scrappers blew an eighth inning lead, this time a 1-0 lead going into the bottom of the eighth. Right-hander Nate Striz came on in the eighth inning for the Scrappers and promptly blew the save and the game by allowing two runs on a two-run homer.

Right-handed starter Robert Nixon was fantastic for Mahoning Valley as he pitched seven shutout innings and allowed three hits and no walks while striking out four.

The Scrappers were at full strength at the plate with the return for the lineup of catcher Jake Lowery and outfielder Bryson Myles, but the team never found its groove at the plate as they managed just one run on seven hits. Shortstop Tony Wolters went 2-for-4 and third baseman Jordan Smith went 2-for-4 with a double, triple and RBI.

Note: Kinston had a scheduled off day on Tuesday.

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