Akron’s star of the night…the squirrel
Photo courtesy Akron Aeros

Senators 9, Aeros 1

• The Senators offense stayed red-hot as they raced out to a 4-run inning in the second, added one in the third, and tacked on three runs in the fifth inning to turn the game into a laugher. Ricky Hague smoked his fifth home run of May on an 0-2 offering that plated three, Jimmy VanOstrand collected two RBIs on three hits (two doubles), and Sandy Leon laced a two-run triple down the left field line to pace Harrisburg.

• Taylor Jordan continues to impress. In four starts since his promotion to Double-A, Jordan holds a 1.00 ERA, limited opponents to a .200 batting average, and has struck out 17 batters in 18 innings.

• In the bottom of the seventh inning, Jordan got the first two outs but ran into trouble when Akron strung together three straight hits and ended his shutout bid. After a Matt LeCroy trip to the mound, Jordan walked Jose Ramirez on four pitches to load the bases. It would have been easy to make the call to the bullpen, but instead LeCroy let Jordan out there to get out of his own jam. He induced a chopper back up that middle that he corralled and got the easy out at first to end the inning. As I said on Twitter, if you’re not going to do it up 9-1 when are you?

• Paul Menhart did not make the trip to Canal Park Stadium as the pitching coach stayed back at the team hotel fighting a stomach bug.

• Jose Lozada was the only Senators batter who failed to reach base safely via hit or walk.

• Nate Karns made his MLB debut for the Nationals as the righthander went 4.1 innings, surrendering three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out three. Former Senator Jeff Kobernus also got his first MLB at-bat when he grounded out as a pinch-hitter.