The Aeros took advantage of sloppy defensive play by Altoona and overcame their own wildness on the mound to complete a four-game sweep over the Curve 6-3 in front of 8,469 fans on Roadway Education Day Thursday morning. The win capped Akron’s first four-game sweep since they bested Altoona at Canal Park May 21-24, 2007. The victory also pushed the Aeros above .500 (22-21) for the first time this season, while the Curve, losers of five in a row, fell to 15-28.

Akron picked up its first three runs in the third inning, with some help from Altoona’s defense. With one out, Jose Constanza, Trevor Crowe, and Brandon Pinckney singled to load the bases. Chris Gimenez then smacked a hard grounder to third that ate up Melvin Dorta, allowing Constanza and Crowe to score and putting runners on second and third. Wes Hodges followed with an RBI groundout to plate Pinckney and give Akron a 3-0 lead.

The Curve responded by batting around in the fifth inning, capitalizing on three hit batsmen by Akron starter Chuck Lofgren. With the bases loaded and one out, Jonel Pacheco lined a two-run single to center to cut the Akron lead to 3-2 and put runners on the corners. Lofgren then threw a pitch to the backstop, allowing the tying run to score. Lofgren was able to get the second out of the inning on a foul pop-out, but walked the next hitter and plunked the ensuing man, forcing Akron manager Mike Sarbaugh to pull him from the game with the bases full. Erik Stiller came on in relief to get Luis Cruz on a fielder’s choice to hold the game at 3-3.

Akron’s offense responded in its half of the fifth, when Crowe walked with one out and Gimenez tripled to deep right-center to give the Aeros a 4-3 advantage. Akron added unearned runs in the seventh and eighth innings for a 6-3 margin. Altoona plated a run in the ninth off Bubbie Buzachero, recently transferred from Triple-A Buffalo. Buzachero retired the first two hitters he faced in the ninth, but allowed three straight singles to make it a 6-4 game. After a wild pitch put the two tying runners on second and third however, Buzachero ended the game by retiring Cruz on a grounder to third.

Stiller (1-0) snagged the win in relief, pitching 2.1 innings of hitless ball and stranding all three of his inherited runners. Altoona starter Josh Hill (3-5) took the loss, allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits, while striking out four in five innings. Buzachero picked up his first save of the season. Hodges and Constanza both finished with a pair of hits, and Pinckney’s bloop single advanced his hitting streak to a season-high 13 games.

The Aeros will continue their eight-game homestand at 7:05 p.m. Friday night, as they begin a four-game series with the Erie SeaWolves. Cleveland’s Jake Westbrook (0-0, 0.00 ERA), down on a Major League rehab assignment while recovering from a strained left intercostal muscle, will go up against Erie’s Jon Connolly (0-3, 7.07 ERA). Westbrook is scheduled to throw either six innings or 90 pitches in his second minor-league rehab appearance. Friday is also Fireworks Night at Canal Park with an extravagant fireworks show, synced to music, to follow the game courtesy of National City Bank. 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.