Baysox Spoil Opening Night Party for RubberDucks
April 10, 2014 - Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release
(Akron, OH) April 10, 2014 - Bowie third baseman Buck Britton blasted a pair of home runs during the first two innings of Thursday's RubberDucks home opener at Canal Park, helping the Baysox to a 6-3 victory before an overflow crowd of 8,046 fans.
Britton slugged the first pitch of the game from Cody Anderson (1-1) into the new right field Tiki Terrace. Then, in the second, he launched a two-run homer to center as part of a three-run rally, and the Baysox held a 4-0 lead.
The RubberDucks, who were introduced to the crowd in Chevy Corvettes, rebounded in the third against Baysox starter Tyler Wilson. Joe Wendle led off the inning with an infield single, one of his three hits on the night. Jake Lowery followed with a sharp single to center, and Giovanny Urshela cleared the bases with a long homer to left-center to make it 4-3. It was Urshela's second of the year, which leads the team through the first week of the season.
Unfortunately for the RubberDucks and the gathered masses, Wilson (2-0) buckled down and did not allow another run.
He worked into the seventh, scattering 10 hits. He walked none and struck out eight.
After the rocky start, Anderson settled down and resembled the pitcher who dominated the Binghamton Mets in the season opener one week ago. He lasted through six innings, and gave four runs on five hits, with two walks and four strikeouts.
It stayed a one-run game until the ninth, when the Baysox scored a pair of insurance runs off righthander Enosil Tejeda.
Akron threatened often against Wilson and the Baysox relief corps. The Ducks left runners in scoring position in the fifth, sixth and seventh against Wilson. In the bottom of the ninth, Akron's Bryson Myles doubled, and Michael Bourn walked, bringing Tyler Naquin to the plate against Marcel Prado. After a lengthy at-bat, Naquin was called out on strikes on a borderline pitch for the first out of the inning. Bowie then switched to their closer, Oliver Drake, who retired Francisco Lindor and Wendle to nail down the save.
Bourn, on a major league rehab assignment to test out his injured left hamstring, played the whole game and went 0-4, with a walk. He made a sensational, running grab in the right-center alley in the first inning, taking extra-bases away from Bowie's Christian Walker. Bourn is expected to play again for Akron on Friday, when he'll be joined by his fellow Indians teammate, Jason Giambi.
The RubberDucks (3-4) and Baysox (6-2) will play the second game of the four-game series on Friday evening at 6:35.
LHP Tim Berry (0-0, 0.00) will start for Bowie, and RHP Joe Colon (0-1, 9.64) will start for Akron.
The Akron RubberDucks are the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The 2014 season the 18th since moving to Canal Park and its first since becoming the RubberDucks. For more information and merchandise featuring the Akron RubberDucks, go to www.AkronRubberDucks.com or call 330-253-5151. The Akron RubberDucks are on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AkronRubberDucks and Twitter at @AkronRubberDuck.
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