Game Recaps 9/3: Akron eliminated from the playoffs

Juan Diaz (Photo: Lianna Holub)

Akron wins, but eliminated from playoffs

The Akron Aeros did their job on Saturday beating the Harrisburg Senators 6-2 at Metro Bank Park.

The Altoona Curve, however, didn’t do their part.

The Curve lost to the Western Division Wild Card leading Richmond Flying Squirrels 6-3 in 14 innings on Saturday.

With the Altoona loss, the Aeros (72-68) have been eliminated from postseason contention.

Left-handed pitcher Matt Packer recorded the win for Akron tossing 6.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out four. Left-hander Kelvin De La Cruz pitched 2.1 scoreless innings of relief to earn the save.

Right-handed pitcher Tanner Roark suffered the loss for Harrisburg pitching seven innings, giving up three earned runs on nine hits, walking four and striking out five.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third inning when Chris Rahl and Tyler Moore rapped back-to-back RBI doubles to give the Senators (79-61) a 2-0 lead.

The Aeros rallied in the top of the fifth inning. Donnie Webb and Jordan Henry opened the frame with back-to-back singles and Juan Diaz walked to load the bases. Chun Chen followed with a two-RBI single to knot the game at 2-2. Michel Hernandez singled home Diaz to give the Aeros a 3-2 lead.

It remained 3-2 until Diaz clubbed a three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to give the Aeros a 6-2 lead as they went on to the win.

The Aeros and Senators will play game three of this four-game series on Sunday. Akron will give the ball to right-handed pitcher Brett Brach, who is 1-2 with a 4.03 ERA in 2011. He will face left-handed pitcher Danny Rosenbaum, who is 3-1 with a 2.16 ERA this season. First pitch is at 2 p.m.

Clippers edge Mudhens 7-6

After a four-run first inning, the Clippers hung on to beat the Toledo Mud Hens, 7-6.

They sent 10 batters to the plate in the first and hit Mud Hens starter Thad Weber hard, belting three home runs in the inning.

After Luis Valbuena's solo homer, Jared Goedert hit a two-run bomb. Following Goedert, Beau Mills nailed the scoreboard with a solo shot of his own. They loaded the bases with two outs but didn't score further in the inning.

Two more Clippers crossed the plate in the next two innings. Goedert hit an RBI single in the second and Matt LaPorta hit a two-out RBI single in the third.

Grady Sizemore, in a rehab appearance, singled in the sixth to drive in the final Clippers run. That was Sizemore's only hit of the game.

Mitch Talbot (4-2) got the win for Columbus, going five innings, striking out nine and giving up three runs on nine hits. Weber (5-11) was pulled from the game after giving up five runs on nine hits in two innings.

The Mud Hens rallied in the eighth inning and put the tying run on third with two outs. Zach Putnam came in and forced Ben Guez to ground out. Valbuena made a barehanded pick on a groundball and his throw narrowly beat Guez to the bag.

Putnam pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his ninth save of the year.

After sweeping the Mud Hens at Huntington Park, the Clippers and Mud Hens will square off in Toledo for the final two games of the regular season.

K-Tribe holds on to win 9-8

The Kinston Indians held off a ninth inning rally to pick up a nervous 9-8 win in Saturday’s series opener with the Potomac Nationals.

Kinston led the entire way but never felt comfortable until the seventh. Leading by one and with two outs and two on, Kinston greeted relief pitcher Josh Smoker with a walk followed by a grand slam. Bo Greenwell walked on four straight pitches to load the bases for Adam Abraham. Abraham promptly deposited a baseball beyond the left field fence to push Kinston’s lead to five.

With a five run advantage, the K-Tribe brought closer Preston Guilmet in to work the ninth inning. It turned in to one of Guilmet’s shakier outings of the season. Guilmet allowed an infield single to Eury Perez. With one out, Jeff Kobernus also reached on an infield grounder that scored Perez. Two batters later, Steven Souza crushed a three run shot to left center field that brought Potomac to within one run. Manager Aaron Holbert held with Guilmet and the decision paid off. Sandy Leon Grounded out and with two men on, Guilmet induced a pop out to center field to end the contest.

Francisco Jimenez worked 6 innings, allowing a single to the only batter he faced in the seventh. Jimenez was charged with two earned runs, scattering nine hits, walking one and striking out four. Jimenez picked up his fourth win of the season. Kyle Landis allowed a home run and struck out four over two relief innings before departing for Guilmet.

Kinston’s magic number for the postseason now sits at two. Any combination of Kinston wins and Winston-Salem losses totaling two gets the K-Tribe in to the postseason.

A doubleheader start is set for 1:05 pm Sunday afternoon.

Captains use the Wash to snap skid

LeVon Washington’s two out single to leftfield in the seventh inning scored Brian Heere lifting Lake County to a 4-3 win over Bowling Green. The win washes away a five game losing streak at Classic Park.

Ronny Rodriguez led the second inning off with a double and Alex Monsalve double down the line in right to give the Captains a 1-0 lead. Chase Burnette doubled with two outs, scoring Alex for a 2-0 lead.

The Hot Rods Luke Bailey and Kevin Kiermaier walked and Robby Price singled to load the bases. Bailey scored from third a on double play ball hit by Derek Dietrich and Steve Tinoco singled to score Kiermaier to tie the game up at two.

Derek Dietrich led the sixth inning off with a solo homerun his 22nd of the season putting Bowling Green in front 3-2.

Carlos Moncrief crushed his 16th homerun of the season with one out in the seventh, a solo shot tying the game up at three.

Joey Mahalic (1-5) worked two innings, no runs; one hit and a walk for his first win of the season. Mahalic closed the season with ten consecutive scoreless innings. Clayton Ehlert picked up his 15th save of the season pitching the ninth. Eliazer Suero (8-6) allowed all four runs on six hits over six innings of work, walking two and striking out four. Felix Sterling picked up a no-decision working six innings allowing three runs on three hits, walking four and striking out four.

Lake County and Bowling Green continue the final home stand of the season on Sunday afternoon at Classic Park at 1:00PM. The Captains will start RHP Joe Colon (0-0) against LHP Enny Romero (5-5) for the Hot Rods.

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