Starting lineups for Wednesday’s Eastern League game between the Akron Aeros and the Erie SeaWolves at Jerry Uht Park:
Akron Aeros (75-53): 1. Tyler Holt CF, 2. Jordan Henry RF, 3. Thomas Neal LF, 4. Chun Chen 1B, 5. Jesus Aguilar DH, 6. Ryan Rohlinger 3B, 7. Davis Stoneburner 2B, 8. Michel Hernandez C, 9. Carlos Rojas SS.
Starting pitcher: RH Danny Salazar (2-0, 2.70 ERA).
Erie SeaWolves (55-73): 1. Niuman Romero SS, 2. Tony Plagman DH, 3. Nick Castellanos RF, 4. Jordan Lennerton 1B, 5. Avisail Garcia CF, 6. Daniel Fields LF, 7. Rawley Bishop 3B, 8. Brandon Douglas 2B, 9. James McCann C.
Starting pitcher: RH Jared Gayhart (1-3, 4.50 ERA).
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Eastern League officials announced Wednesday that the New Britain Rock Cats will host next year’s All-Star Game. New Britain Stadium will welcome some of its best players July 10, 2013.
New Britain last hosted that game in 2003. Outfielder Grady Sizemore of the Cleveland Indians was among the current Major League Baseball players who competed in Connecticut that season.
The Erie SeaWolves have never hosted an All-Star Game since joining the league in 1999.
– Mike Copper
Tuesday wasn’t the first time that Tony Plagman recorded a walk-off victory for the SeaWolves.
Plagman’s two-out solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning was the difference in Erie’s 3-2 victory over the Aeros. The outfielder launched his 13th homer of the season down the right-field line off Akron reliever Rob Bryson.
Plagman also was the hero for Erie when it edged Reading 8-7 May 22 at Uht Park. In between, he was credited with a 10th-inning single that helped win 5-4 at Akron June 29.
Daniel Fields’ ankle injury was a reason that Plagman has recorded eight hits over his last three games. Fields hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth for Erie’s 5-4 victory over Portland Aug. 11.
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Pitcher Jameson Taillon, whom the Pittsburgh Pirates chose with the second overall pick in the 2010 amateur draft, made a stellar Double-A debut Tuesday.
Taillon, starting for the Altoona Curve, pitched a four-hit shutout over the first five inning of their 5-0 victory against Trenton at Waterfront Park. The right-hander struck out six and didn’t walk a batter.
The possibility exists that Taillon, along with former No. 1 overall pick Gerrit Cole, could pitch for Altoona when it visits Uht Park for Erie’s last home series over Labor Day weekend.
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The SeaWolves will have completed their season’s last road trip by then. They begin that eight-game stretch with Thursday’s opener of a four-game series at Reading.
While Erie’s playoff elimination number was at one going into Wednesday night’s game against Akron, the Phillies are fighting New Britain for second place and the Eastern Division’s wild-card berth. They were 68-62 after Wednesday afternoon’s 2-1 loss at Harrisburg.
Reading is led by slugger Darin Ruf, the league’s latest player of the week award recipient. Ruf is best in the league for homers (32) and slugging percentage (.598), and ranks second in RBIs (88).
Thursday and Friday’s games at FirstEnergy Stadium have scheduled first pitches of 7:05 p.m. Saturday’s game will start at 6:35 and Sunday’s finale at 6:05.
Probable starters for the series are: Erie RH James Avery (10-10, 4.56 ERA) vs. Reading RH Ethan Martin (12-6, 3.22 ERA) Thursday; LH Jared Wesson (7-9, 5.85) vs. LH Adam Morgan (2-0, 3.00) Friday; RH Patrick Cooper (3-8, 4.89) vs. RH Austin Hyatt (6-5, 4.97) Saturday; and LH Ramon Garcia (8-9, 4.03) vs. RH Brody Colvin (1-2, 9.25) Sunday.