Higashioka with Career-Day in 12-2 Win over 'Ducks
June 26, 2016 - Eastern League (EL1)
Trenton Thunder News Release
AKRON, OH - Kyle Higashioka's bat stole the show for the Trenton Thunder in a 12-2 blowout win over the Akron RubberDucks Sunday afternoon at Canal Park. Before 7,021 fans the Thunder earned their largest win of the season, eclipsing a 9-2 victory over the Binghamton Mets May 30th.
The Thunder catcher had a double and two home runs to drive in a career-high seven runs. He began the scoring in the top of the 1st inning with a two-out RBI double plating Mark Payton with two outs. Lane Adams followed with an RBI single to give the Thunder a 2-0 lead before starter Caleb Smith took the mound.
The game remained 2-0 until the 4th inning when Jose Rosario plated a pair of runs with a triple, quickly followed by Michael O'Neill's first Double-A homer to make it 6-0. The bases were empty with two outs when Payton and Miguel Andujar singled to bring up Higashioka again. For the third time since returning from the disabled list Thursday, he homered and opened up a 9-0 Thunder lead. The 4th inning featured seven runs and seven hits in the inning, which both were season-highs for the Thunder offense.
Trenton did not score again until the 9th inning when Higashioka connected on another three-run homer to extend the lead from 9-2 to 12-2. With seven RBI, the 26-year old from Huntington Beach, CA tied the franchise record- joining Brandon Laird from June 24, 2010 at Jerry Uht Park in Erie, PA. The game also marked the first multi-HR game of the season for a Thunder batter since April 2015 when Eric Jagielo had a two-homer game.
The Thunder starter, Smith, needed just 64 pitches to go 5.0 scoreless innings and allow just two hits as he earned his first win of the season. The only arm needed out of the bullpen was LHP Nestor Cortes who finished the game with 4.0 innings, allowing just one hit in his Double-A debut. The 21-year old, who was called up from Single-A Charleston before the game, retired the first two men he faced in the 6th inning out of the bullpen before walking Bradley Zimmer with two outs. Clint Frazier connected on a two-run homer in the to put the lone two runs of the day on the scoreboard for the 'Ducks.
With the win, the Thunder are a season-best 18 games above .500, 47-29. The Reading Fightin Phils and Hartford Yard Goats both lost, so Trenton moves to 6.0 games from 1st place in the East Division and they are 5.5 games ahead of Hartford for the second playoff spot in the division.
The Thunder pile on the bus and return to Trenton to kickoff a seven-game homestand starting Monday against the Portland Sea Dogs. The first three games of the homestand are against the Sea Dogs before the Thunder take-on the Richmond Flying Squirrels in a four-game series leading up to the July 2nd and 3rd Independence Day Spectacular fireworks shows. First pitch for Monday's ballgame is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. with pregame cover age beginning at 6:40 p.m. on 91.3 FM WTSR and online at www.trentonthunder.com.
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Eastern League Stories from June 26, 2016
- SeaWolves Earn Series Win - Erie SeaWolves
- Higashioka with Career-Day in 12-2 Win over 'Ducks - Trenton Thunder
- Cole Delivers Strong Start Sunday - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- RubberDucks Smacked by Thunder - Akron RubberDucks
- Freiman's 3-Run Homer Lifts Sea Dogs to 9-8 Win - Portland Sea Dogs
- Baysox Cap Series with 5-2 Loss - Bowie Baysox
- 3-Run Home Run in 8th dooms Fightins - Reading Fightin Phils
- Espinal, Wood Homer to Back Strong Start by McRae in 5-2 Curve Win - Altoona Curve
- Mapes Rebounds with Gem in Senators 3-1 Win - Harrisburg Senators
- Yard Goats Sunk by SeaWolves on Sunday 5-2 - Hartford Yard Goats
- Squirrels Swept Away in Binghamton on Sunday - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Earl Offense, Pill's Gem, Vault B-Mets to 7-2 Win - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Nestor Cortes Joins Thunder - Trenton Thunder
- A Salute to the Military, An Early Independence Day Celebration and More on Tap at PNG Field - Altoona Curve
- B-Mets Game Notes: B-Mets (30-42) vs. Flying Squirrels (27-47) - 1:05 pm - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Sea Dogs Game Notes June 26 vs. Reading (Game 74) - Portland Sea Dogs
- Thunder Sweep DH with Pair of 4-3 Wins - Trenton Thunder
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