Key situation: The Aeros held a 2-1 lead after seven innings, but the bullpen couldn’t keep Erie’s hitters pat. The SeaWolves rallied for two runs in the eighth inning against Austin Adams and tacked on an insurance run against Bryce Stowell in the ninth to even the three-game series 1-1.

Quick hits: Indians right-hander Blake Wood (rehabbing from Tommy John elbow surgery) threw a quick first inning for the Aeros. He needed just five pitches (four for strikes) to induce three easy groundouts. … Aeros designated hitter Chun Chen went 2-for-4 to raise his hitting streak to 11 games.

Next game: The two teams meet again today at Canal Park at 2:05 p.m. Aeros right-hander Paolo Espino (1-0, 4.47 ERA) and SeaWolves right-hander Patrick Cooper (1-3, 5.87 ERA) are the scheduled pitchers.

— Stephanie Storm

In an effort to motivate Toole last season toward the end of the season at high Class-A Carolina, Mudcats manager Edwin Rodriguez dusted off an old ploy he’d originally concocted some 10 years previous for future major leaguer Jonny Gomes.

“We were with Tampa in the Appalachian League and I had [Gomes] play somewhere different in each inning in the same game,” said Rodriguez, now in his first season as manager of the Aeros. “When I mentioned it to Tooley, you should have seen how big his eyes got. I said, ‘You want to do it?’ He said, ‘Of course.’ ” 

They agreed on Aug. 25 and went about preparing the 5-foot-11, 184-pound Toole to get ready to give it his best shot.

“So, I gave him two weeks to get ready,” Rodriguez said. “He was throwing bullpens and catching bullpens and everything. Not only did he end up playing nine innings, he got the save, as we won 3-2. But when he got in it was 3-1. The first hitter hit a home run. When that happened, I was like, ‘oh no.’ ”

But Toole rebounded to get the next batter out and even struck out the final batter on a called third strike.

“It looked like a change-up, but it was a fastball,” Rodriguez said with a laugh. “But honestly, it couldn’t have worked out any better. Everyone was involved and the fans were pulling for him.”

With the Mudcats’ front office fully behind the gimmick, the scoreboard featured a Tooley Track graphic throughout the game to indicate the positions he’d played. The event was promoted enough to turn Toole into somewhat of a mini celebrity as news of the feat made it around the minor-league baseball circuit.

“Sometimes at the end of the year you’re trying to get those guys motivated and remain involved so you can see some energy,” Rodriguez said. “By the time we were ready to do it, everybody was looking for it.”

Rodriguez made it clear, however, that not just any player can manage the feat. Asked if any of the Aeros might be able to pull it off this year, Rodriguez thought for a couple seconds.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Who knows, it might be Tooley again.”

Despite being a Carolina League All-Star in 2011, Toole, a non-drafted free agent who signed with the Indians in 2009 out of Iowa, has started four consecutive seasons at the high Class-A level.

When Toole was called up from the Mudcats on May 6 to join the Aeros, he was batting just .205 in 23 games as a reserve. But getting everyday playing time in Akron with starting second baseman Jose Ramirez (hip flexor) on the disabled list, Toole promptly went on a seven-game hitting streak and is batting .393 in nine games.

But with Ramirez back in the lineup, Toole is back on the bench.

“I’m not a big prospect who’s going to play every day all the time,” Toole said. “I’m a utility guy who does a lot of the dirty work behind the scenes and doesn’t get a lot of attention. So that was definitely one of the highlights of my career, something I’ll never forget.”

Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Aeros blog at http://www.ohio.com/aeros. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SStormABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/sports.abj.

Akron scored single runs in the first and third innings, with DH Chun Chen having a hand in both runs. In the first inning, Chen raised his hitting streak to 11 games with an  RBI double that put the Aeros on the board.

In his next at bat in the third, Chen singled with one out and then later scored on 1B Jesus Aguilar’s single to boost the Aeros advantage to 2-0.

In the meantime, Indians rehabber and RHP Blake Wood (recovering from Tommy John surgery) started for the Aeros and needed just five pitches to induce three quick groundouts for his lone inning.

Left-handed pitcher Matt Packer, the Aeros orginally-scheduled starter, took over for Wood and allowed just one run over five solid innings as the SeaWolves cut the host’s lead in half, 2-1.

The game stayed that way through seven innings before Erie rallied for a pair of runs in the eighth inning against Aeros reliever Austin Adams and then added an insurance run against Bryce Stowell in the ninth.

The two teams meet for the rubber match Sunday at Canal Park at 2:05 p.m. The Aeros are scheduled to send RHP Paolo Espino (1-0, 4.47 ERA) to the mound against SeaWolves RHP Patrick Cooper (1-3, 5.87 ERA).

Key Situation: The Aeros scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take the lead and tacked on two more insurance runs in the seventh and eighth. Three Aeros pitchers held the SeaWolves to a single run in the seventh in the two-hour and 22-minute game.

Quick Hits: Indians right-hander Brett Myers (elbow) cruised through his three-inning rehab outing at the beginning of the game. He gave up just one hit (a double) and issued one walk. Myers faced 10 batters and threw 33 pitches (including 18 for strikes). The Aeros’ run in the seventh inning came on shortstop Ronny Rodriguez’s solo home run, his second of the season.

Next Game: The Aeros and SeaWolves will play the second game of their three-game series tonight at 6:05 at Canal Park. Another rehabbing Indians pitcher, right-hander Blake Wood, is scheduled to throw the first inning for the Aeros. Left-hander Matt Packer (1-5, 4.07 ERA) is expected to follow Wood. Left-hander Kyle Lobstein (5-2, 3.16 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the SeaWolves.

— Stephanie Storm

And every season that new group of players is mixed with a few holdovers from the previous season and a few “veteran” players who can provide leadership in the clubhouse while also continuing to work on an aspect of their game needed to perform at the next level.

The veteran welcoming all the Aeros’ newbies last season was at it again last month when slugger Chun Chen returned to Canal Park for his third season.

When he first arrived at the Double-A level three years ago, Chen was ranked as the Indians’ 22nd-best prospect by Baseball America. At the start of last season he dropped to 26th. Entering this year, he was left off the list.

Although the baseball experts might no longer consider the versatile 5-foot-11, 210-pounder a prospect by traditional standards, Chen is doing his best with his bat to get them to reconsider.

No longer saddled with catching full time as he is the Aeros’ emergency plan behind the plate, Chen has found his niche at the less-demanding role as the team’s first baseman/designated hitter.

“The ability to focus mainly on his hitting has really helped him,” Aeros manager Edwin Rodriguez said. “It takes a lot to catch a game and work on your offense at the same time.”

Chen, 24, extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the eighth inning Friday night. He was batting .303 since May 6 going into the game.

Chen’s team-high .326 batting average ranks fourth in the Eastern League and his .429 on-base percentage is third.

In 36 games for the Aeros this season, Chen has a team-best nine doubles and six home runs. He also leads the team with 23 walks and is third in stolen bases with seven in as many tries.

In addition to Chen’s strong start raising his confidence and bringing a possible promotion to Triple-A Columbus, his presence as the third hitter in the Aeros lineup has protected some of the younger hitters.

“His benefit to us in the lineup is huge,” Rodriguez said. “It’s more than his batting average.”

The Indians signed Chen, a native of Taiwan, as a nondrafted free agent in 2007. Originally a third baseman, the Indians converted him to catcher. The experiment lasted three seasons before he moved to first base last year.

Is it a mere coincidence that Chen’s offense spiked after stopped catching? Indians farm director Ross Atkins isn’t so sure.

“There’s no doubt catching can be rigorous and demanding,” Atkins said. “There’s no question it takes a toll because of the mental aspect of the game-calling and the physical demands of getting into a squat and the constant throwing. Maybe that’s [not catching]contributing a little bit to his recent success, but mostly it’s that he’s maturing as a hitter. He’s become more disciplined and more consistent.”

Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Aeros blog at http://www.ohio.com/aeros. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SStormABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/sports.abj.

On his third rehab assignment, Indians RHP Brett Myers (elbow) was crisp in his three-inning outing at the beginning of the game. He gave up just one hit (a double) and issued one walk. Myers faced 10 batters and threw 33 pitches (including 18 for strikes).

Akron’s orginally-scheduled starter, Will Roberts (2-2), relieved Myers and picked up the win with a strong five-inning effort. Roberts limited the usually explosive Erie batters to just two hits and two walks while striking out four. Aeros RHP Bryan Price earned his second save with a perfect ninth inning. 

The Aeros offense scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take the lead and tacked on two more insurance runs in the seventh and eighth. The seventh-inning run came courtesy of SS Ronny Rodriguez’s solo home run, his second of the season.

CF Tyler Holt led Akron’s offense as the only player in the lineup to garner double-digit hits in going 2-for-4 with two runs scored. 

The SeaWolves managed just a single run in the seventh inning against Roberts, the only run he gave up.

Up next for the Aeros is another Indians rehabber, as RH Blake Wood is slated to throw the first inning in Saturday’s 6:05 p.m. start. Wood is expected to be followed by LHP Matt Packer (1-5, 4.07 ERA), while Erie is scheduled to send LHP Kyle Lobstein (5-2, 3.16 ERA) to the mound.

Akron struck first with a three-run fourth inning, but starting pitcher Jordan Cooper gave up a grand slam in a six-run fifth and reliever Bryce Stowell didn’t help much, allowing three in the following inning as the Aeros dropped to 19-21.

Cooper struck out five and walked three in his five innings of work, falling to 1-1.

Jacob deGrom earned his first win of the year for the Mets, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits in his seven innings of work. He struck out six and walked one.

First basemen Jesus Aguilar led the Aeros with two singles and a run.

Right fielder Cesar Puello drove in three runs on two singles and a double for the Mets (22-18).

Cory Vaughn did the damage with the grand slam on his fifth home run of the year.

The Aeros take a day off before beginning a seven-game homestand, starting with Erie at 7:05 p.m. Friday.

Relief pitcher Trey Haley allowed four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, and the host Mets defeated the Aeros in an Eastern League game in Binghamton, N.Y.

The Aeros (19-20) led 2-0 after the first inning after Chun Chen’s two-run single with one out. Kyle Bellows hit a solo homer in the top of the fifth inning to take a 3-0 lead before the Mets (21-18) scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning to tie the score.

Aeros starting pitcher Paolo Espino gave up three runs on five hits and struck out six through six innings in the no-decision. Rob Bryson worked a perfect seventh inning in relief before Haley allowed four runs on three hits in one-third of an inning.

The Aeros will play the Mets at 6:35 p.m. today in the final game of the three-game series. The Aeros return home to play Erie at 7:05 p.m. Friday.

He led the Aeros to a 4-2 victory over Erie in front of a season-high 6,994 mostly shrieking fans during the team’s first “Education Day” at Canal Park.

All Packer had to show after his first six starts with the Aeros was a 0-4 record, 4.60 ERA, with more hits (42) than innings pitched (29⅓) and nearly as many walks (14) as strikeouts (16).

But after working on his mechanics with Aeros pitching coach Greg Hibbard and Indians roving minor league pitching coordinator Ruben Niebla, Packer looked much improved Wednesday morning.

“We made a couple little changes that I think helped me out today,” said Packer, who missed time last season while sidelined with a left rotator cuff strain. “We made a couple little changes that I think helped me out today. I’d had some bad breaks, some bad outings, but everything finally kind of came together today.”

The trio concentrated on how Packer pushed off his back leg during his delivery.

“I think it kind of gave me that little extra speed today that helped me pitch better,” said Packer, 25, who normally sits in the 88-90 mph range and occasionally touches the low 90s. “It felt like my velocity was up a little with the swings I got, some swings and misses. It felt like it was a little faster today and hopefully that’s from the extra work I’ve been doing that’s paying off.”

It certainly paid off Wednesday with a season-high seven innings in which he limited Erie, the Eastern League’s top-hitting team (.282), to two unearned runs in the second inning.

“It was a very good outing by Packer,” Aeros manager Edwin Rodriguez said. “Although, I think he’s been pitching better than his record showed. Stuff wise he’s pretty much the same pitcher, he’s just being more aggressive. He’s getting ahead in the count by throwing more strikes and pitching to contact.”

The Aeros offense staked Packer to an early lead with a two-run first inning against Erie starting pitcher Patrick Cooper. Aeros center fielder Tyler Holt led off with a triple, followed by a run-scoring double by second baseman Justin Toole. Two batters later, hot-hitting right fielder Carlos Moncrief drove in Toole with a double.

Toole joined the team in the middle of the six-game homestand from high Class-A Carolina when Jose Ramirez went on the disabled list with a hip flexor. Toole is 5-for-12 with three RBI in his first three games with the Aeros.

Toole and Holt set the table for the Aeros throughout the game, combining to go 4-for-8 with four runs scored.

The SeaWolves tied the score in the second inning when a fielding error by Aeros shortstop Ronny Rodriguez extended the inning with two outs, allowing Erie catcher Zach Maggard to drive in two runs with a single.

But the Aeros got to Cooper for another run in the third inning after Holt led off with a single, advanced on another Toole double and then scored on first baseman Jesus Aguilar’s ground out.

The Aeros tacked on an insurance run against Erie reliever Michael Morrison, when he walked Toole and Aeros designated hitter Chun Chen to lead off the seventh inning and allowed Toole to score on a wild pitch.

Just as important as Packer’s solid start was a good effort by the Aeros bullpen, which had allowed Erie rallies in the first two games of the series. Right-handed relievers Bryan Price and Jose Flores held the dangerous SeaWolves batters to one hit in the final two innings.

Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Aeros blog at http://www.ohio.com/aeros. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SStormABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/sports.abj.

All Packer had to show after his first six starts with the Aeros was a 0-4 record, 4.60 ERA more hits (42) than innings pitched (29 1/3 and nearly as many walks (14) as strikeouts (16).

But after working on his mechanics recently with Aeros pitching coach Greg Hibbard and Indians roving minor league pitching coordinator Ruben Niebla, Packer looked much improved Wednesday.  

“I had a good bullpen session a few days ago with Hibby and Ruben,” said Packer, who missed time with the Aeros last season while sidelined with a left rotator cuff strain. “We made a couple little changes that I think helped me out today. I’d had some bad breaks, some bad outings, but everything finally kind of came together today.”

Mechanics – especially with pitchers – can be a touchy thing. Sometimes working on one little thing can throw off something else. So the trio concentrated on something as simple, albeit crucial, as how Packer pushed off  his back leg during his delivery.

“I think it kind of gave me that little extra speed today that helped me pitch better,” said Packer, 25, who normally sits in the 88-90 mph range and occasionally touches the low 90’s. “It felt like my velocity was up a little with the swings I got, some swings and misses. It felt like it was a little faster today and hopefully that’s from the extra work I’ve been doing that’s paying off.”

It certainly paid off with a season-high seven strong innings in which he scatterd five hits and limited the the Eastern League’s top-hitting team (.282) to two unearned runs in the second inning. 

“It was a very good outing by Packer,” Aeros manager Edwin Rodriguez said. “Although, I think he’s been pitching better than his record showed. Not only today’s outing, but in Altoona he had a very good game in a no-decision. I think this is his third good start overall…Stuff wise he’s pretty much the same pitcher, he’s just being more aggressive. He’s getting ahead in the count by throwing more strikes and pitching to contact.”

The Aeros offense staked Packer to an early lead with a two-run first inning against Erie starting pitcher Patrick Cooper. The right-hander opened the game by giving up a triple to Aeros leadoff man and centerfielder Tyler Holt, followed by dishing up a RBI double to new second baseman Justin Toole. Two batters later, hot-hitting right fielder Carlos Moncrief drove in Toole with a double.     

Toole, who joined the team in the middle of the six-game homestand from high Class-A Carolina when Jose Ramirez went on the disabled list with a hip flexor, is 5-for-12 with three RBI in his first three games with the Aeros.

“I know Tooley from last year at Carolina and he handles himself very well,” Rodriguez said. “he’s a guy you an rely on. He will make the routine play on defense and he will make contact and put the ball in play on offense.”

Toole and Holt set the table for the Aeros throughout the game, combining to go 4-for-8 with four runs scored at the top of the order.

The SeaWolves tied the game in the second inning when a fielding error by Aeros shortstop Ronny Rodriguez continued the inning with two outs, allowing Erie catcher Zach Maggard to drive in a pair of runs with a two-run single.

But the Aeros got to Cooper (who dropped to 1-3 with a 5.23 ERA with the loss) for another run in the third inning after Holt led off with a single, advanced on another Toole double and then scored on first baseman Jesus Aguilar’s groundout.

The Aeros tacked on an insurance run against Erie reliever Michael Morrison, when he walked Toole and Aeros designated hitter Chun Chen to lead off the seventh inning and allowed Toole to score on a wild pitch.

Just as important as Packer’s solid start was a good a shutout effort by the Aeros bullpen, which had allowed Erie rallies in the first two games of the series. But on this get-a-way day Wednesday, right-handed relievers Bryan Price and Jose Flores hed the dangerous SeaWolves batters to one hit over the last innings to secure the win.

Key situation: The Aeros held a 3-1 lead through five innings before the SeaWolves rallied for three runs in the sixth inning against reliever Kyle Landis (1-2, 9.00 ERA) as the SeaWolves rallied to win for the second consecutive game.

Quick hits: SeaWolves left-hander Kyle Lobstein pitched a complete game and improved to 4-2 with a 2.91 ERA by limiting the Aeros to three runs on seven hits. He also walked three and struck out seven. … Aeros starter Danny Salazar (2-3, 2.67 ERA) limited the SeaWolves to one run on five hits in five innings. He struck out eight in the no decision.

Next game: Today at 10:35 a.m. at Canal Park. Aeros left-hander Matt Packer (0-4, 4.60 ERA) and SeaWolves right-hander Patrick Cooper (1-2, 5.19 ERA) are the scheduled pitchers.

— Stephanie Storm

“I was out in Arizona in February trying to convince [the trainers] to let me get out there,” said Adams, who missed all of last season after having surgery on his right shoulder in May.

“They just kept saying, ‘Nope, not yet.’ I had to find things to do to keep myself busy. So I took my bow and arrow out there with me and just went out and walked around in the mountains.”

Although Adams began the throwing part of his rehab four months after surgery, it took another six months for him to build up arm strength to the point where he could pitch competitively.

So when the rest of the Aeros packed their gear to travel back to Akron and begin the season, Adams had to stay in Arizona for a couple more weeks.

“Initially, the hardest part was just getting my arm going, getting everything loosened up,” said Adams, who joined the Aeros on April 19. “But once I did, I told myself they fixed it. And if they fixed it, I’ve got to just go with it. If you hold back, then that’s where you’re going to hurt yourself.”

Now, Adams said he feels as good as he ever has been, but admitts to often feeling antsy to get back to pitching without any limitations.

“I feel great, my arm’s bouncing back fine after surgery,” Adams, 26, said. “I’m happy with how everything’s going. I feel like I could throw back-to-back days right now, but … ”

Adams didn’t get to finish the thought. Instead, he was interrupted by Indians minor-league pitching coordinator (and former Aeros pitching coach) Ruben Niebla, who is visiting Canal Park this homestand and happened to be passing near Adams as he spoke to reporters after a recent game.

Niebla suggested it was best if Adams didn’t go there, knowing it’s always better for players coming back from surgery to focus on the here and now rather than look too far into the future.

So for now, Adams (11 months post surgery) is trying to be patient — and content — with pitching an inning at a time every couple of days.

It’s even harder to do when he feels good and his velocity is right where it was pre-surgery, in the mid-to-high 90s. Adams, the Indians’ fifth-round draft pick in 2009 out of Faulkner University, hit 99 mph on the radar gun in the ninth inning Sunday with the Aeros leading the Bowie Baysox 2-1.

The former Aeros starter who was an Eastern League All-Star in 2011 breezed through the inning, averaging 96 mph to earn his first save of 2013.

“He’s looked really strong, the outings he’s been out there,” Aeros pitching coach Greg Hibbard said.

“He’s not showing any signs of worrying about letting the ball go. The arm strength is definitely there.

“His biggest concern right now is just repeating his delivery. Getting out in that competitive atmosphere again, sometimes he kind of gets himself lost in his delivery. That’s why you’ll see some command issues. But as he gets back out there more, it’s improving.”

Before surgery, Adams was ranked as high as the Indians’ eighth-best prospect by Baseball America.

He slid to No. 24 on the list entering this season.

But if his first outings back in an Aeros uniform are any indication, Adams is going to have to stash that hunting gear for a while. He’s going to be too busy pitching.

Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Aeros blog at http://www.ohio.com/aeros. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SStormABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/sports.abj.

Against the SeaWolves, the right-handed ace who is two years removed from Tommy John surgery, increased his scoreless innings streak to 20 and went on to stike out eight batters in just five innings before hitting his 85-pitch limit.

But Salazar was overshadowed by Erie starter and LHPKyle Lobstein, who tossed a complete-game victory in Erie’s 4-3 win to improve to 4-2 with a 2.91 ERA. Lobstein scattered seven hits for three runs over his nine innings, walking three and striking out seven.

After allowing a leadoff walk to Eugenio Suarez, Salazar (2-3, 2.67 ERA) retired the next seven batters batters he faced - including the last five by strikeout – before SeaWolves RF Luis Castillo singled with two outs in the third inning.

Aeros DH Chun Chen got the night’s scoring going and moved to within two RBI of the team lead by driving in his 24th of season with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning to give Akron a 1-0 lead.

Salazar's consecutive scoreless innings was halted at 20 by the Eastern League’s top hitting team, as Erie  first baseman James Robbins drove in a run with a single to tie the game at 1-1.

A clutch two-run single by 2B Justin Toole put the Aeros up 3-1 in the fifth inning, but the Akron bullpen failed to hold the lead.

Aeros RHP Kyle Landis relieved Salazar to start the sixth inning and promptly loaded the bases with a single and two walks and faced just four batters before leaving the game with what was later described as soreness on his right side.

With Landis (nine walks in 13 innings at Double-A) out, another RHP in Bryce Stowell was called on to try to limit the damage. But by the time the long inning ended, Erie had plated three runs that handed the vistors a 4-3 lead.

Next up for Akron is the final game of the homestand. Aeros LHP Matt Packer (0-4, 4.60 ERA) is slated to face SeaWolves RHP Patrick Cooper (1-2, 5.19 ERA) Wednesday at 10:35 a.m. at Canal Park.

This being the development-minded Double-A level, odds are Moncrief’s recent play caught the attention of the Indians’ minor-league brass, which appreciates versatile players and perhaps looked to challenge him while he was hot.

Regardless of the reason, there’s no denying Moncrief’s recent play has begun opening eyes across the Eastern League. Moncrief hit the game-winner Saturday and Sunday and has displayed his cannon for a right arm.

“It was a Carlos Moncrief weekend,” first-year Aeros manager Edwin Rodriguez joked after Moncrief’s play stole the show for a second game Sunday in the Aeros’ second consecutive victory over the Bowie Baysox.

“He did the same thing last year,” said Rodriguez, who managed Moncrief last season at high Class-A Carolina. “He started slow offensively and defensively and then whenever he settled down, his abilities started taking control of the game. That’s what we’re seeing here in Akron now.”

The left-handed batting Moncrief fought off a handful of pitches in the ninth inning of Saturday night’s game against a Baysox left-hander. Finally, he got a hanging slider he could handle and deposited it into deep right field for the game winner. Moncrief had entered the game 3-for-24 against left-handers, but his last two hits Saturday were off lefties.

“That game really boosted my confidence going into [Sunday’s] game,” Moncrief said. “I’m figuring out a lot of hitting is confidence. To get that walk-off hit [Saturday], my confidence went up more for Sunday’s game.”

Sunday, Moncrief was hitless in his first two at-bats before blasting a towering home run over the 60-foot batter’s eye some 400 feet to deep center field. The hit itself was something to see, but was all the more impressive in that it broke a 1-1 and stood up to give the Aeros a 2-1 victory.

“Coming into the game, I wanted to remain confident and try not to give [the Baltimore Orioles top pitching prospect and Bowie starter Kevin Gausman] too much credit, even though he’s a really good pitcher. I’m learning I need to make pitchers give me credit, that’s my mindset,” he said.

But Moncrief isn’t just developing into a dangerous hitter. He routinely guns runners out on the bases from right field, like Sunday, when he easily threw out a runner tagging up from second base at third base by three feet.

About the only person not highly impressed by Moncrief’s play as of late has been Rodriguez, who insists Moncrief’s monster longballs are routine.

“I had him last year, so what he did [Sunday’s homer], that doesn’t really impress me,” Rodriguez said. “He had three or four home runs last year that were pretty much the same, straightway to center field. In Carolina, we had a big wall there about 30 feet.”

So while Moncrief’s teammates in the dugout got all excited about Sunday’s monster shot, Rodriguez acted been-there, done-that.

“Everybody else was high-fiving him and he looked at me expecting me to, too,” Rodriguez said. “I said, ‘What? I’ve seen you do that before. You’re supposed to do that.’ He said, ‘Yeah, you know me.’ ”

But did you know the Indians drafted Moncrief as a pitcher in the 14th round of the 2008 draft out of Florida’s Chipola Junior College, where he played both ways?

“I had a slight shoulder problem as a pitcher in 2009,” Moncrief said. “And I’d always felt I wanted to be a position player even when I got drafted as a pitcher because I was a two-way player in high school and college. So when I had the shoulder issue and I was rehabbing over the offseason, I told our rehab coordinator at the time that I wanted to be a position player and I wanted to hit.”

Moncrief said there was a moment of silence first, then this: “Well, let’s concentrate on getting your arm back first.”

By the next spring training, Moncrief was in a one-on-one meeting with farm director Ross Atkins when Atkins said, “I guess we don’t need to talk about your pitching, I understand you want to hit now.”

Moncrief’s response: “Yes, sir. If you just give me the opportunity to hit, I won’t let you down. Please, my heart’s not really into pitching. But I’ll work hard as a hitter.”

Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Aeros blog at http://www.ohio.com/aeros. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SStormABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/sports.abj.

Key Situation: The Aeros held a 3-1 lead through the first five innings until Erie rallied against starter Will Roberts for a four-run sixth inning, highlighted by Wade Gaynor’s two-run home run. The SeaWolves tacked on two insurance runs against Cole Cook in the ninth.

Quick Hits: Three of the Aeros’ runs came courtesy of home runs. Before being ejected in the seventh inning, Chun Chen hit a two-run homer in the first and Quincy Latimore added a leadoff solo shot in the fourth.

Next Game: Aeros right-hander Danny Salazar (2-3, 2.83 ERA) is slated to face SeaWolves left-hander Kyle Lobstein (3-2, 2.98 ERA) at 7:05 tonight at Canal Park.

Dsignated hitter Chun Chen gave the host Aeros an early lead in the first inning with a two-run home run to left field. Before him, right fielder Bo Greenwell led off with a base hit, then came around to score on Chen’s homer that gave Akron a 2-0 lead.

Left fielder Quincy Latimore joined the home run theme when he launched a solo shot in fourth inning to give the Aeros a 3-0 lead.

But the SeaWolves got on the board in the fifth inning to cut the Aeros lead to 3-1 via right fieler Luis Castillo's RBI triple. Erie’s offense then opened the floodgates, taking advantage of a Tyler Collins RBI single to left field that Latimore lost as twilight engulfed Canal Park.

The SeaWolves rallied for four runs in the sixth inning and never looked back, chasing Akron starter Will Roberts from the game. Roberts, who was in control until the rough sixth inning, took the loss. He gave up five runs on 10 hits (including a home run) in 5 2/3 innings.

The Aeros were in the midst of a seventh-inning rally when Chen was ejected after a brief, albeit heated argument with first base umpire Roberto Ortiz after he was called out 1-6-3 on a close play at first with runners at the corners and two outs.

Erie added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth inning off Aeros reliever Cole Cook, including shortstop Eugenio Suarez's first home run of the season. Catcher James McCann also added a RBI single to push the SeaWolves lead to 7-3.

Aeros shortstop Ronny Rodriguez opened the bottom of the ninth inning with a leadoff single and scored on third baseman Giovanny Urshela’s double to cut the deficit to three runs before the rally eneded.

NOTES:

SALAZAR HONORED – Aeros RHP Danny Salazarwas named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the period of April 29th-May 5th. Salazar started just one game for Akron, but it was a standout performance. The 6-foot, 190-pounder held host Altoona scoreless through six innings while striking out 12 batters in a 4-1 Aeros victory.

Salazar was perfect through the first four innings before giving up a leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth. He also worked around a pair of walks in the sixth inning to preserve the shutout.

The 23-year old tied for the league lead in ERA (0.00) last week and was also among the weekly league leaders in batting average against (.056-2nd), WHIP (0.50-3rd), strikeouts (12-tied 3rd) and wins (1-tied 4th). Salazar, who signed with the Indians as a non-drafted free agent on July 3, 2006, leads the league with 43 strikeouts and is 2-3 with a 2.83 ERA in six starts for the Aeros.

ALL HANDS ON DECK – A Double-A team can never have to many instructors on hand during a homestand, as witnessed by the plethora of coordinators currently in town, including: minor league pitching coordinator Ruben Niebla, minor league hitting coordinator Alan Zinter and Indians special assistant to baseball operations Travis Fryman.

ROSTER MOVES - Aeros second baseman Jose Ramirez was placed on the disabled list retroactive to Sunday with a hip flexor. Taking his place on the Aeros roster is infielder Justin Toole. Toole went 1-for-5 in his first game in Akron Monday.

UP NEXT –Aeros Salazar (2-3, 2.83 ERA) is slated to face SeaWolves LHP Kyle Lobstein (3-2, 2.98 ERA) Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. at Canal Park.

To say it’s quite a poke to get any ball to clear it — even in batting practice — is no understatement. Occasionally the batter’s eye will get hit by a blast off a player’s bat, as the handful of home run balls stuck in the groves of the corrugated metal can attest.

But clear the blue beast? Why, that hasn’t happened in at least the last decade.

That’s why it was rare to see Carlos Moncrief’s towering solo homer that led off the bottom of the seventh inning head straight for the wall, quickly carry high enough and then sail right over it to prove the eventual game-winning hit in the Aeros’ 2-1 victory over Bowie Sunday.

The pitch didn’t come from a Double-A scrub, either.

The fastball that Moncrief drilled was an offering by right-hander Kevin Gausman, the No. 2 prospect overall in Baltimore’s farm system and the Orioles’ top pitching prospect heading into the season according to Baseball America.

“That home run felt good, especially coming off that pitcher,” Moncrief said. “With as good as he was, I didn’t want him to get me three times [he struck out and flew out in his first two at bats on the afternoon]. I really wanted him bad, so to get him like that felt real good.”

Moncrief’s run was just one of two that Gausman allowed on the baseball-perfect afternoon at Canal Park and the first since left fielder Bo Greenwell drove in center fielder Tyler Holt with a bunt single in the first inning.

“[Gausman is] a really good pitcher, but the guys like that challenge of facing of pitchers like that,” Aeros manager Edwin Rodriguez said of Gausman, who was once again the Baysox tough-luck starter at 0-3 with a 1.37 ERA over his last three starts — a stretch that includes just one walk to 14 strikeouts. “It’s good competition and it gets them to really get up for the challenege.”

Strong game for Moncrief

Despite Gausman’s impressive credentials and solid statistics, he was overshadowed by Moncrief — who, ironically, is a former pitcher.

Still riding the high of producing Saturday’s night’s ninth-inning walk-off single to center field, Moncrief began his stellar effort Sunday by gunning down a Bowie runner trying to tag up from second base on a fly out to right field.

We’re not just talking about any runner either, but speedy Baysox leadoff man Xavier Avery, who had to be stunned to see Moncrief’s bullet of a throw beat him by at least a foot as he slid into the bag with third baseman Kyle Bellows waiting for him with the ball already in his glove.

In the bottom of the first inning, Baysox center fielder Kyle Hudson also drew oohs and ahs from the 3,896 in attendance when he made a highlight-reel leaping catch at the wall on a ball crushed by Aeros designated hitter Chun Chen.

Hudson slammed into the wall hard a second after coming down with the ball, threw it into the infield and then crumpled to the ground in pain.

After being attended to by the Bowie trainer, Hudson got up, dusted himself off and stayed in game.

The Baysox then went on to tie the score 1-1 in the top of the next inning when a Zelous Wheeler groundout scored Caleb Joseph, who walked to lead off.

Effective Aeros pitching

Overshadowed by Moncrief’s all-around play was Aeros starting pitcher Jordan Cooper, who made the spot start on three days rest. In five innings, the right-hander held Bowie’s explosive offense to just one run while scattering five hits over five innings.

Jose Flores followed with two innings of hitless relief, Bryan Price gave up a mere meaningless hit in an inning of work and Austin Adams slammed the door shut with a perfect ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.

With the victory, the Aeros (15-15) improved to .500, won the series two-games-to-one against the pesky Baysox and are now 9-3 since April 22 — when they were a season-low six games under .500.

Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Kent State blog at http://www.ohio.com/flashes. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/SStormABJ and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/sports.abj.

To say its quite a poke to get any ball to clear it – even in batting practice - is no understatement. Ocasionally the batter’s eye will get hit by a blast off a player’s bat, as the handful of home run balls stuck in the groves of the coregated metal can attest.

But clear it the blue beast? Why, that hasn’t happened in at least the last decade.

That’s why it was rare to see Carlos Moncrief’s towering solo homer that lead off the bottom of the seventh inning headed straight for the wall, quickly carry high enough and then sail right over it prove the eventual game-winning hit in the Aeros 2-1 victory over Bowie Sunday.

The pitch didn’t come from no Double-A scrub, either. The fastball that Moncrief drilled was an offering by right-hander Kevin Gausman, the No. 2 propsect overall in Baltimore’s farm system and the Orioles top pitching prospect heading into the season according to Baseball America.

“That home run felt good, especially coming off that pitcher,” Moncrief said. “With as good as he was, I didn’t want him to get me three times (he struck out and flew out in his first two at bats on the afternoon). I really wanted him bad, so to get him like that felt real good.” 

Moncrief’s run was just one of two that Gausman allowed on the baseball-perfect afternoon at Canal Park and the first since left fielder Bo Greenwell drove in center fielder Tyler Holt with a bunt single in the first inning.

“(Guasman’s) a really good pitcher, but the guys like that challenge of facing of pitchers like that,” Aeros manager Edwin Rodriguez said of Gausman, who was once again the Baysox tough-luck starter at 0-3 with a 1.37 ERA over his last three starts – a stretch that includes just one walk to 14 strikeouts. “It’s good competition and it gets them to really get up for the challenege.”

Despite Gausman’s impressve credentials and solid statistics, he was overshadowed  by Moncrief - who, ironically, is a former pitcher. Still riding the high of producing Saturday’s night’s ninth-inning walk-off single to center field, Moncrief began his stellar effort Sunday by gunning down a Bowie runner trying to tag up from second base on a fly out to right field.

We’re not just talking about any runner either, but speedy Baysox leadoff man Xavier Avery, who had to be stunned to see Moncrief’s bullet of a throw beat him by at least a foot as he slid into the bag with third baseman Kyle Bellows waiting for him with the ball already in his glove.

In the bottom of the first inning, Baysox center fielder Kyle Hudson also drew oh’s and ah’s from the 3,896 in attendance when he made a highlight-reel leaping catch at the wall on a ball crushed by Aeros designated hitter Chun Chen.

Hudson slammed into the wall hard a second after coming down witht the ball, threw it into the infield and then crumpled to the ground in pain. After being attended to by the Bowie trainer, Hudson got up, dusted himself off and stayed in game. The Baysox then went on to tie the score 1-1 in the top of the next inning when a Zelous Wheeler groundout scored Caleb Joseph, who walked to lead off.

Also overshadowed by Moncrief’s all-around play was Aeros startring pitcher Jordan Cooper, who made the spot start on three days rest. In five innings, the right-hander held Bowie’s explosive offense to just one run while scattering five hits over five innings.

Jose Flores followed with two innings of hitless relief, Bryan Price gave up a mere meaningless hit in an inning of work and Austin Adams slammed the door shut with a perfect ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.    

With the victory, the Aeros (15-15) improved to .500, won the series two-games-to-one against the pesky Baysox and are now 9-3 since April 22 when they were a season-low six games under .500.

NOTES:

* The Aeros were forced to go with their “emergency infield” during Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Bowie with second baseman Jose Ramirez out with a hip flexor suffered late in Saturday’s win.

“He told me there was a high bounce to him at second in the seventh inning,” Aeros skipper Edwin Rodriguez said. “When he came up and made that change of direction, he that’s when he pulled it.”

With Ramirez deemed “day-to-day” for now by Rodriguez, usual third baseman Giovanni Urshela filled in at shortstop, Kyle Bellows took over for Urshela at third and usual shortstop Ronny Rodriguez played in place of Ramirez at second base.

“Urshela did a good job, but obviously he’s not a shortstop,” the Aeros skipper said. “But it was an emergency move…Any of those players who show they can play another position, it helps increase their value.”   

* Right-handed pitcher Brett Brach was originally scheduled to start Sunday’s game for the Aeros but was scratched when he learned he was being called up to Triple-A Columbus to start Monday’s game for the Clippers.

“That’s why it was a very impressive outing by Cooper to make the spot start (on three days rest) and keep us in the game,” Rodriguez said. 

With so much attention paid to the group of young shortstops led by Francisco Lindor, Dorssys Paulino and Ronny Rodriguez, often lost in the shuffle of the Tribe’s standout middle-infield prospects has been the Aeros’ 5-foot-9, 165-pound, switch-hitting second baseman.

A shortstop by trade who moved to second base after Lindor became the Indians’ first-round pick (eighth overall) in the 2011 draft, Ramirez was signed by the Indians as a non-drafted free agent out of Bani, Dominican Republic, in November 2009.

Although undersized, Ramirez’s athleticism allowed him to quickly overcome the position change as he’s shot through the lower levels of the Tribe’s farm system.

Baseball America ranked him as the Tribe’s 23rd-best prospect entering the season, while MLB.com ranked him ninth.

Even though he doesn’t turn 21 until September and skipped the high Class-A level all together, he’s holding his own with his older teammates at Double-A Akron.

Through 27 games Ramirez is batting .264 with a double, triple, home run, 10 RBI and is second on the team with 21 runs scored.

“Ramirez has been swinging the bat very well, even in spring training,” Aeros manager Edwin Rodriguez said. “I think that’s what we’re going to see out of him this year — he’s a good hitter who will get on base and make things happen for us.”

In his first experience at the prospect-laden Double-A level, Ramirez needed little time to adjust as he opened the season with a six-game hitting streak. Although he slowed down from the torrid pace, he’s also shown he’s capable of having occasional pop in his bat when he socked a tie-breaking solo home run in the Aeros’ 7-5 victory over the host Binghamton Mets for his first Double-A homer April 28.

In addition to showing a mature approach to hitting that includes savvy plate discipline (over that same span Ramirez worked 10 walks and struck out just 12 times), he’s provided speed on the bases (an Eastern League-leading 11 stolen bases in 13 tries) and been solid in the field, showing good range and arm strength.

“He puts good at-bats together and has tremendous bat-to-ball ability,” Akron hitting coach Jim Rickon said. “He’s a patient hitter. He waits for good pitches to hit, and when he gets them, he puts a good swing on them. He doesn’t try to do too much. He knows who he is as a player and how he fits on the team and he helps you win with what he brings to the table.”

Last season as a 19-year-old, Ramirez combined to hit .354 and owned a .993 fielding percentage in 70 games between short-season Mahoning Valley and low Class-A Lake County. The previous year — his first as a professional — Ramirez led all Indians minor-leaguers with a .325 batting average while playing with the rookie-level Arizona League Indians.

Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Aeros blog at http://www.ohio.com/aeros. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/SStormABJ and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/sports.abj.

Key situation: Carlos Moncrief smashed a game-winning single to center field in the bottom of the ninth inning to score the speedy Jose Ramirez and hand the Aeros a victory. The big hit was his third of the night as the right fielder went 3-for-5.

Quick hits: Indians rehabbing right-handed pitcher Blake Wood (Tommy John elbow surgery) started for the Aeros but didn’t make it out of the first inning, allowing a run on a double and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Originally scheduled starter and right-hander Paolo Espino relieved Wood and limited the Baysox to two runs on five hits, also striking out eight. Right-hander Bryce Stowell earned the win to improve to 2-0, holding Bowie to one hit over two scoreless innings.

Next game: Aeros right-hander Brett Brach (1-2, 3.12 ERA) and Baysox right-hander Kevin Gausman (1-3, 3.77 ERA) are scheduled to pitch today at 2:05 p.m. at Canal Park.

— Stephanie Storm