RubberDucks Break Thunder Hex
April 24, 2016 - Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release
Nellie Rodriguez homered and drove in four runs, and Shawn Morimando picked up his league-leading, fourth win, as the Akron RubberDucks shut out the Trenton Thunder, 5-0, Sunday afternoon at ARM & HAMMER Park.
Turning Point
Rodriguez cracked a three-run homer in the top of the fifth inning to give Akron a 5-0 lead. It came off Trenton starter Brady Lail (0-2), and followed a single by Yandy Diaz and a double by Bradley Zimmer. It was Rodriguez's fourth homer of the year.
Winging It
Morimando (4-0) took a no-hitter to the sixth inning for the second consecutive start. On Sunday, the lefty did not allow a hit until Trenton's Jake Cave lined a base hit to left field with one out in the sixth. Morimando worked to two more hitters before being lifted in favor of right-hander Perci Garner. Morimando threw 89 pitches, 54 of which were strikes. He walked four and struck out five. Morimando lowered his ERA to 1.57. Garner worked 2.1 scoreless innings, and Ben Heller held Trenton scoreless in the ninth to complete Akron's first shutout of the season.
Duck Tales
Rodriguez was 3-4 with a walk on the day. He singled in the first inning and added an RBI double off Lail in the third. His three-run shot in the fifth raised his RBI total to 13, which leads the team. Diaz also had a three-hit day, collecting three singles and scoring twice. Zimmer was 2-4, with a pair of doubles. He had four doubles in the series. Anthony Gallas stroked an RBI single in the first.
Notebook
The RubberDucks (11-6) snapped a three-game losing streak...After collecting just 10 hits in the first three games of the series, The RubberDucks picked up 11 on Sunday...The Thunder (10-7) loaded the bases against Garner in the sixth, but Dan Fiorito grounded out to end the threat...Time of game: 2:41...Attendance: 4,052.
On Deck
The RubberDucks will open a three-game series at Reading on Monday night at 6:35. RHP Michael Peoples is the announced starter for Akron, and RHP Nick Pivetta is expected to get the ball for the Fightin Phils. The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1350 AM, the WARF iHeart channel, and the TuneIn Radio App.
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Eastern League Stories from April 24, 2016
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- RubberDucks Break Thunder Hex - Akron RubberDucks
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