Lowery Homecoming Yields A Career Night in 11-8 Win

Richmond, VA-If the phone rings at Progressive Field Friday morning, it might be the San Francisco Giants trying to work out a trade for Akron catcher Jake Lowery.

Lowery torched the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the Giants' Double-A farm club, on Thursday night with a three-hit, five-RBI performance that included a three-run homer as the Aeros captured an 11-8 victory in the opener of a five-game series at The Diamond.

It was a storybook evening for the 22-year-old Lowery, a native of Midlothian, Virginia, just 20-minutes away from Richmond. He attended Richmond Braves games at The Diamond as a youngster, and went on to star at nearby Cosby High School and later at James Madison University.

His three-run home run in the fifth inning off Richmond reliever Tom Vessella (3-2) brought the Aeros back from a 6-4 deficit and put them ahead for good. It was the centerpiece of a 13-hit attack that helped produce Akron's second straight win.

Lowery played before dozens of his family and friends among a sellout crowd of 9,560. He cracked an RBI single in his first at-bat, driving in Akron's first run of the game in the second inning. He clubbed his three-run homer in the fifth, an estimated 400-foot drive off the third tier of advertising signs in right field. In the sixth, he came up again with runners at second and third and smashed a gapper to left, but Javier Herrera made a sliding catch, forcing Lowery to settle for a sacrifice fly. In his final at-bat, he lined a shot of the pitcher, Ryan Bradley, for a single. His stat line reads 3-for-4, with a homer and five runs knocked in. Lowery raised his average to .314. He now has four homers and 16 RBI for the season.

With four games to go in the series, Hollywood scriptwriters are weeping at the possibilities. At the end of the series, the Giants might be weeping, too.

The Aeros (41-45) fell behind 2-0 in the first before rallying to tie it in the second inning. They scored twice in the fourth, even without Lowery's help, to take a 4-2 lead. The Squirrels (41-44) roared back though, helped by Herrera's solo home run the third, to take a short-lived, 6-4 lead. Herrera finished with four hits and four RBI on the night for Richmond.

Akron starter Brett Brach fell victim to the hot-hitting Richmond lineup. He allowed six runs, four earned, and left after 3.1 innings. Righthander Cole Cook (2-1) stabilized the pitching side of things for Akron, going 2.2 innings while the Aeros rallied to take the lead. Even though Cook allowed a pair of runs on a Herrera single in the sixth, he earned the win, his second of the season. Trey Haley worked the final two innings, netting a couple of double plays, to earn his third save.

Matt Lawson was 3-for-3, for Akron, and reached base all five times he came to bat. He drew a walk and was hit by a pitch. He stole a base and scored twice. Justin Toole was 3-for-4, with three singles. Carlos Moncrief had a pair of hits, including an RBI triple. Tyler Holt had an RBI single to extend his hitting streak to seven games.

The game was the longest nine-inning game of the season for the Aeros, taking 3:33 to complete.

The Aeros and Flying Squirrels will play game two of the series on Friday evening at 7:05. RHP Jordan Cooper (3-4, 3.39) will get the ball for Akron, and LHP Chris Gloor (6-3, 3.19) will start for Richmond. The game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1350 AM, and online at www.sportsradio1350.com. For more information, please call the Aeros at 330-253-5151. Follow the team on Twitter @akronaeros or on Facebook at facebook.com/theakronaeros.