WHITNEY'S WALK-OFF BOOSTS AEROS

Matt Whitney sliced a walk-off double down the right field line in the bottom of the 10th to give the Aeros a 2-1 comeback win over Harrisburg in front of 3,449 fans at Canal Park Saturday. Akron snapped a two-game losing skid and improved to 8-13, while Harrisburg dropped to 14-8.

The Senators got on the board first with a run in the fourth. With one out, Justin Maxwell worked a walk from Aeros starter David Huff, and Luis Jimenez followed with a tapper that maybe traveled 30 feet down the third base line. Huff fielded the ball cleanly, but his throw skipped past Michael Aubrey at first base and down the right field line as Maxwell scored to make it 1-0.

The Aeros offense had one hit in each of the first six innings of the game, but could not scratch out a run. That changed in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the seventh however, as Brandon Chaves clubbed a 2-2 pitch off Senators reliever Josh Perrault and into the first row of bleachers in right field to knot the score at 1-1. The home run was Chaves’ first since 2006 when he was with Altoona in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.

Akron’s winning rally started innocently in the bottom of the 10th, as with two away Aubrey hit a grounder back up the middle. Harrisburg reliever (and former Aero) Jim Ed Warden got his glove on it but couldn’t corral it as it died in the grass behind the mound and Aubrey reached on an infield single. Whitney then provided the winner, going the opposite way on a two-seamer from Warden. Jorge Padilla played the carom well in the right field corner and William Bergolla made a pinpoint relay throw home, but Aubrey slid in just ahead of the tag from Luke Montz to cap the rally.

Randy Newsom (1-0) worked a scoreless inning for the win, while Warden (2-1) was charged with the loss. Huff looked strong in five innings of work, allowing just two hits and an unearned run. He struck out five and walked three. Newsom combined with T.J. Burton and Jeff Stevens on five shutout innings, as the relief trio allowed only two hits and three walks while notching five strikeouts. Harrisburg starter Sharion Martis, working from the stretch for most of the day, tossed six scoreless innings, allowing six hits and striking out two in the no-decision.

The Aeros continue their homestand Sunday at 2:05 p.m. against the first-place Senators. Frank Herrmann (2-1, 4.37 ERA) will go for Akron against Harrisburg’s Josh Hall (1-2, 9.17 ERA). It is Family Fun Day at Canal Park with four tickets, four hot dogs, four drinks and four bags of chips for just $48, and kids can also run the bases following the game. 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.

 
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