You know a win is huge when it snaps a four-game losing streak.

But at Canal Park, you know an Aeros win is really big when manager Tim Bogar busts out his cowboy boots.

I don’t mean once he’s out of uniform and dressed in street clothes. Nope, Bogar’s big-game statement is always made while still in his uniform, parading around the clubhouse with his old out-of-style brown cowboy boots.

Bogar doesn’t care how goofy he looks. The boots were a gift from teammates when he first made it to the big leagues, and Bogar reserves wearing them now only for his team’s big wins.

It didn’t take Bogar long to put them on Wednesday night after shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera hit a three-run, walk-off home run in the ninth inning that not only won the game 9-7, but also snapped the team’s losing streak AND prevented a sweep by lowly Harrisburg.

But before the boots came out, former Aeros catcher Javi Herrera blasted a three-run home run in the fifth that handed visiting Harrisburg an early 6-0 advantage.

Few Aeros fans would ever openly root for an opponent, but here’s betting there were plently of people doing it quietly for one of Akron’s former favorite players.

Jake Westbrook made a rehab start at Akron Friday night and looked like he needed more rehab time. He said he felt fine, which is good news regarding his left abdominal strain. But in his two rehab starts with Triple-A Buffalo and Akron, he’s gotten hit hard. Friday he allowed four runs on five hits and three walks in just 2 1/3 innings. I wrote for Saturday’s story that results don’t usually matter as much as how a guy feels, but in this case, maybe it should mean something.

Before Westbrook’s start, there was a flurry of activity in the Aeros lockeroom.

Michael Aubrey was lounging around the clubhouse during the game, which means he will be activated as early as Saturday. While many Aeros fans welcome his bat (he hit .400 with five home runs in 13 games with Class-A Kinston) it’s tough to see first baseman Jordan Brown have move to accomodate Aubrey. Plus, it’ll be interesting to see what roster move the team makes for Aubrey. If Brown has to move, he’ll move to an already crowded outfield. The Tribe’s deep thinkers will have to decide - do they put another guy on the phantom DL? Do they dare send struggling Trevor Crowe down to Kinston to find his stroke and create room? Do they really want to bench veteran Jon Van Every, who has as hot of a bat as Brown right now?

It’ll definitely be a tough call. I’d send Crowe down if were up to me, but I don’t think the Indians would do that.

An hour or so before Aubrey arrived, Infielder Rodney Choy Foo was activated from the DL and Shuan Larkin returned to his coaching duties at first base.

Then about 45 minutes before game time, back up catcher Javier Herrera found out he had been traded to tha Washington Nationals. He was as stunned as his teammates. At the time he didn’t know for sure where he was headed, but a good guess is Double-A Harrisburg. The Senators just happen to play in Akron again on July 16-18 - giving anyone who wishes they had a chance to say good bye and good luck to one of the truly classisest guys to have worn an Akron uniform an opportunity.

No player likes to have to take a step back, even if it’s a detour that will help their career in the long run. When you’re in the minor leagues, the only way to get to the Show is up, and anything else is often viewed as a failure.

That’s why I’m so impressed with Aeros backup catcher Javier Herrera. Herrera is a good defensive catcher. But like most defensive catchers, he struggles on offense. So much so, that after spending all of 2005 and the first half of 2006 in Akron, the Indians sent him back to Class-A Kinston while promoting young catcher Wyatt Toregas. (See my story in the Beacon Thursday for more on the relationship between Herrera and Toregas.)

It was a tough time for Herrera, but he took it in stride. Not that he didn’t want to be in Akron, but he UNDERSTOOD why he needed to be in Kinston. And even when the Indians brought him back to Akron this year - to be Toregas’ backup - Herrera still has handled it with maturity.

“I didn’t want to go down, but I was in total agreement with their decision,” Herrera said. “I had a bad start and Wyatt was on fire. He was doing everything he needed to move up and I wasn’t.”

Refreshing. Honestly, you just don’t hear guys say that - and mean it.

I don’t know if Herrera is ever going to make it to the majors, but it’s hard not to root for him and hope he finds the way.

That being said, who are the good guys in the game you root for?