SENATORS DOUBLE-UP AEROS, 14-7
A night after scoring 13 runs on 13 hits, the Harrisburg Senators one-upped their production with 14 runs on 14 hits in a 14-7 win over the Aeros before 4,930 fans at Canal Park Friday night. The first-place Senators, who have scored at least eight runs in all five games against Akron this year, improved to 14-7 while the Aeros dropped to 7-13.
Unlike Thursday night, the Aeros were able to strike first Friday as Nathan Panther’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second made it 1-0. Harrisburg tied it on Ian Desmond’s solo home run in the top of the third, but Akron manufactured a run in the bottom of the inning as Jose Constanza walked, stole second, went to third on a grounder and scored on a broken-bat single by Michael Aubrey.
Things turned quickly in the top of the fourth however, as Akron starter Chuck Lofgren issued consecutive two-out walks after retiring the first two batters on just two pitches. Harrisburg catcher Luke Montz then made Lofgren pay for extending the inning, socking a three-run homer to left-center to make it 4-2. The Aeros pulled back within a run on a solo home run by Ryan Goleski in the bottom of the fourth, but the Senators added three more runs in the top of the fifth. William Bergolla and Justin Maxwell had RBI hits to make it 6-3, and then with men on the corners and two away Akron reliever J.D. Martin was called for a balk to force in a run. Aeros manager Mike Sarbaugh raced out of the dugout and argued the call, and was eventually asked to leave for the second straight game.
Chris Gimenez cut the margin to 7-4 with a run-scoring flare down the right field line in the fifth, but Desmond responded with his second home run of the night in the sixth, a two-run shot that pushed the Harrisburg lead to 9-4. After Jose Constanza bunted home a run in the bottom of the inning, Montz hit his second three-run homer as part of a four-run seventh to make it 13-5. The Senators added another run in the eighth before Akron capped the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the ninth.
Bobby Brownlie (3-0) held his former club to four runs (three earned) on seven hits in five innings for the victory, while Lofgren (0-2) suffered the loss. Lofgren actually retired the first eight batters he faced and looked very strong, but his final line featured seven runs in just 4.2 innings. He allowed only three hits but was done in by four walks, and all four of those runners came home to score. The Aeros did enjoy another solid night at the plate as a team, with Goleski going 3-4 with two RBI and Constanza, Gimenez, Matt Whitney and Nathan Panther all picking up two hits each.
Game three in this four-game series is set for 2:05 p.m. Saturday, as Akron left-hander David Huff (0-1, 3.54 ERA) will battle Harrisburg’s Shairon Martis (1-0, 3.54 ERA). The game broadcast begins at 1:50 p.m. on SportsRadio 1350 AM and online at www.akronaeros.com. For more information, please call the Aeros at (330) 253-5151.