Akron Aeros Score Late, Top Altoona Curve 9-4 - AA, Eastern League

MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com - AKRON, OH – The Aeros battered the Altoona bullpen for seven runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, snapping a three-game losing streak in dramatic fashion with a 9-4 triumph over the Curve before a season-high 9,072 fans at Canal Park Monday night. Akron improved to 13-17, while the last-place Curve dropped to 12-18.
 
Altoona opened the scoring on Jason Delaney’s ringing two-run homer to right-center in the top of the second, but Akron rebounded to cut the margin to one when Nathan Panther scored on a throwing error by Luis Cruz. The Curve got the run right back in the top of the fourth however, as former Cleveland farmhand Brian Finegan led off with a single and eventually scored on a fielder’s choice to make it 3-1. Altoona then took advantage of a rare error from Panther in the top of the seventh, as the Akron leftfielder dropped Jonel Pacheco’s line drive and Brad Corley followed with an RBI double to right-center to push the Curve lead to 4-1.
 
Matt Whitney cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the seventh, sending a solo home run just inside the left field foul pole for his third home run of the season and first since April 8th. The Aeros then broke through in a big way in the eighth, sending 11 men to the plate and putting up seven runs in an inning for the third time this year.
 
Jose Constanza opened the frame with a single to right, and then wasted little time in stealing second. Chris Gimenez delivered a run-scoring double down the left field line to make it 4-3, and after a walk, Stephen Head singled to left to plate Gimenez and tie the game at 4-4. The Aeros then pulled ahead for the first time all night as Wes Hodges scored on a passed ball to give Akron a slim 5-4 advantage. Ryan Goleski and Panther followed with two-out walks to load the bases, and Brandon Pinckney then came through with a clutch two-run single to left to make it 7-4. Constanza then put an exclamation point on the inning with a two-run triple to left-center to make it 9-4, and became the first Aero since Heath Hayes on May 25th, 1999 to have two hits in an inning.
 
J.D. Martin (3-1) earned the win with two solid innings of relief, while Altoona’s Kevin Roberts (1-1) was tagged for five runs on three hits and three walks in just 0.2 innings for the loss. Neither starter factored into the final decision, but both pitched well. Akron starter Kevin Dixon turned in his second straight quality start, rebounding from a rocky beginning to hold the Curve to three runs on seven hits over six innings. He walked four and struck out a season-high seven. Curve starter Yoslan Herrera was also impressive, allowing just one unearned run and five hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out two. The hot-hitting Constanza paced the offense with a three-hit night, going 3-4 with a walk, a triple, two RBI and a stolen base. Head and Pinckney had two hits each, while Panther reached base twice and scored two runs.
 
Game two in this three-game series is set for 7:05 p.m. Tuesday, with Aeros ace Chuck Lofgren (1-2, 6.85 ERA) taking on Altoona’s Josh Hill (2-2, 3.33 ERA). It’s a two-for-one Tuesday at Canal Park, with two-for-one deals on tickets and select concessions. The game broadcast begins at 6:50 p.m. on SportsRadio 1350 AM and online at www.akronaeros.com. For more information, please call the Aeros at (330) 253-5151.
 

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