The Akron Aeros (44-46) sent the Richmond Flying Squirrels (42-47) limping into the All-Star break with a, 12-5, win at The Diamond on Monday afternoon. The Aeros took four of the five games in the series, and in the course of doing so accumulated 99 base runners.
The Aeros got rolling immediately against Richmond lefty Carlos Teller. Jose Ramirez opened the ballgame with a double into the left-field corner and was bunted to third base. He was knocked in when Jesus Aguilar singled into left-center field.
Akron got back on the board in the second inning as Quincy Latimore sparked an uprising with a one-out double to left field. A batter later, Justin Toole doubled to the right-field corner to bring in Latimore for a 2-0 lead. Jose Ramirez then singled to bring in Toole. Teller balked Ramirez to second base and he stole third. Teller then committed a second balk to score Ramirez and the Akron lead was 4-0.
With one out in the third inning, Teller issued a walk to Aguilar. Chris Wallace followed and launched a two-run home run to left field. His third home run of the year pushed the Aeros to a 6-0 advantage.
Teller (1-4) was not long for the ballgame following Wallace’s home run. He faced two more batters before being lifted after 2 2/3 innings. He was tagged for six earned runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out two, saddled with his fourth loss of the season.
Akron left-hander Matt Packer held the Squirrels in check through the first three innings. However, Richmond picked up a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Adam Duvall opened the frame with a single into left field. Mark Minicozzi then singled through the left-side of the infield. Angel Villalona pushed a double to the right-field corner, and Duvall scored the first Squirrels run of the day. Packer recovered to strike out back-to-back batters, but Mark Wagner brought in Minicozzi with a single into center field. Following the fourth inning, the Aeros held a 6-2 lead.
The Aeroes tacked on two run in the sixth inning – charged to lefty Ryan Bradley. Ramirez doubled with one out, his third hit of the day. Bradley then walked Matt Lawson and was removed from the ballgame. Left-hander Josh Osich was summoned from the bullpen. The Aeros orchestrated a successful double-steal and Tyler Holt knocked a two-run single through the middle of a drawn-in infield.
Packer (8-5) worked to the win over five innings. He allowed two earned runs on six hits, walked one and struck out six.
Ehire Adrianza drilled a solo-home run in the sixth inning for the Squirrels and Richmond capped their scoring with a run in the ninth.
Akron tacked on four more runs in the top of the eighth inning, with all the damage done courtesy of the long ball. Lawson delivered a solo-shot off lefty Tom Vessella, and later in the frame, Giovanny Urshela took righty-hander Edwin Quirarte deep to left-center. Urshela’s three-run shot was the final blow in the series win for the Aeros.
The Squirrels will enjoy the Eastern League All-Star Break on Tuesday and Wednesday. They will return to action on the road in Bowie, MD, on Thursday night. The will open a five-game, four-day series with the Bowie Baysox (Baltimore Orioles) at 7:05 p.m.
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Chris Graham
