The Akron Aeros host the Bowie Baysox for a three-game series from Tuesday, July 8 to Thursday, July 10. The Baysox open the series four and a half games behind the Aeros for the lead of the Eastern League Southern Division with seven games remaining before the All-Star Game.
Tuesday’s game is the Eastern League debut of left fielder Matt LaPorta, the prize of the C.C. Sabathia trade.
Tuesday, July 8 – 7:05 p.m. Baysox RHP Zach Clark (2008 EL debut) vs. Aeros LHP Scott Lewis (PERA 3.67)
Wednesday, July 9 – 7:05 p.m. Baysox RHP Chris Tillman (3.36) vs. Aeros RHP Steven Wright (5.11)
Thursday, July 10 – 7:05 p.m. Baysox RHP Jason Berken (3.90) vs. Aeros RHP Frank Herrmann (5.06)
Between June 6 and July 2, the Aeros shipped David Huff (PERA 1.94), their ace, Chris Gimenez (EqA .353), their catcher and best hitter, and Randy Newsom (PERA 3.84), their closer, off to Buffalo. Still, the Aeros gained and maintained the top spot in the Eastern League Southern Division due in large part to the resurgences of catcher Wyatt Toregas and left fielder Trevor Crowe.
Toregas during his stint in Buffalo this year.
Toregas opened the season at Triple-A Buffalo, but was sent to Akron on June 20 after posted a .221 EqA in 155 at bats. Toregas’ defense has always been his strong suit (8.15 range factor in 335 games at catcher), but since his demotion he’s put up .372 EqA in 50 at bats and snagged EL Player of the Week for the week ending July 6.
Crowe during spring training this year.
Left fielder Trevor Crowe has authored a revival of his own. After posting a .481 OPS in 51 at bats in May, the Indians’ third-ranked prospect in 2007 responded with a 1.100 OPS in 105 at bats in June. Injuries and a similarly uneven performance in 2007 have dimmed Crowe’s prospect status a bit, but his recent surge got him an EL Play of the Month award for June.
