ELCS Game 4: Akron @ Trenton

ELDS Game 4 – Akron Aeros @ Trenton Thunder
September 14, 2008
Waterfront Park – Trenton, NJ

Pitching Matchup: AKR Frank Herrmann vs. TRE Jeff Marquez

Starting Lineups:

Akron

1 – Rodriguez
2 – Sardinha
3 – LaPorta
4 – Hodges
5 – Head
6 – Toregas
7 – Whitney
8 – Panther
9 – Pinckney

Trenton

1 – Corona
2 – Pena
3 – Jackson
4 – Malec
5 – Curtis
6 – Pilittere
7 – Cervelli
8 – Gonzalez
9 – Russo

Pre-Game Notes: Same lineups as yesterday, which were the same lineups as the day before, etc.

If there’s a Game 5, Eric Hacker WILL start it.

Radio Links: Click here for the links to each team’s broadcast.

Live Box Score: The MILB.com direct link is here.

In-Game Updates (LIVE from the ballpark): Scoreless through one.

Marquez balked a runner over to second base in the third inning, but we remain scoreless heading into the bottom of the third.  Trenton still looking for their first hit off of Rutherford, NJ native Frank Herrmann.

AUSTIN.  JACKSON.  IS.  CLUTCH.  With two on and two out in the third, he hit a ball to short right field that former Thunder star Bronson Sardinha dove for but couldn’t come up with.  Reegie Corona scored on the play.  1-0, Thunder.  B3.

The Thunder are absolutely clinging to a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the 5th.

Marquez is coming out for the 6th, but Jason Jones is warming in the bullpen.

Matt Whitney just hit an 0-1 pitch from Marquez over the left field fence with two outs.  Tied at one, T6.  This place is quiet at the moment.

Herrmann’s out with one out in the sixth after Josh Rodriguez made an error allowing Chris Malec to reach.  Remember in my preview when I said Reid Santos would be in some big spots?  Here he is…

Curtis singled off of Santos, and he’s now out of the game.  Now in is Neil Wagner.

Jackson is clutch, but he’s no “Mister Clutch.”  P.J. Pilittere just singled home Malec to give the Thunder a 2-1 lead.  This is a tense, tense game right now…

Cervelli walks, and the bases are loaded for Edwar Gonzalez.

Wild pitch!  Curtis scores and it’s 3-1, Thunder.  Now Gonzalez is getting the free pass to load the bases again for Kevin Russo.  This game is one swing away from getting out of hand for Akron.

Another error by Rodriguez at short on a hard-hit Russo grounder.  It’s now 4-1 with the bases loaded and still only one out.  Still B6.  The Aeros are melting under the pressure, both in the field and on the mound.

Sac fly to right by Corona makes it 5-1.  Two outs.  B6.

The Thunder take a commanding 5-1 lead heading into the top of the 7th.  Marquez’s night is done, and Jason Jones is in the game.

If things stay as is, I’m going to have to start heading down to the field soon so I can get some pictures and video of the on-field ridiculousness…but this is far, far from over.

It is just not Josh Rodriguez’s night.  He reached on a Malec error with on out in the seventh, but got picked off of first by Francisco Cervelli.  Can’t do that in any situation, no less with your 2-3-4 hitters up.

Six outs to go…Thunder up 5-1, going into B7.

Tony Sipp in to pitch for Akron with one out in the bottom of the 7th.

5-1, T8.

Heading down now…definitely going to be a lot to see and read on here later tonight…

In-Game Photo Gallery:

Colin Curtis makes a catch in the first inning

God In Cleats Austin Jackson

Chris Malec

Jeff Marquez

Ramiro Pena

P.J. Pilittere

Humberto Sanchez

Final Score: 5-1, Thunder.

Post-Game Notes: Champions!

Thunder Thoughts: I’ll have some more stuff on the blog over the next few days and weeks…I plan on updating this all year long.

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

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