Bazzana Homers in First Pro 4-Hit Game; Ducks Beat Richmond, 8-3
Published on April 5, 2025 under Eastern League (EL)
Akron RubberDucks News Release
Akron second baseman Travis Bazzana had his first professional four-hit game, including his first Double-A home run, while first baseman Jorge Burgos hit a two-run home run for a second straight night in an 8-3 RubberDucks victory over the Richmond Flying Squirrels in the second game of a three-game series at The Diamond Saturday night.
Turning Point
Akron grabbed the lead for good in the first inning for a second straight game. Bazzana led off with a single to left field off right-hander Manuel Mercedes. Designated hitter C.J. Kayfus hit a triple past center fielder Carter Howell, scoring Bazzana. With one out, Burgos homered to right field for a 3-0 Akron lead.
Mound Presence
Right-hander Austin Peterson struck out all three batters in the first inning and yielded only a bunt single in four scoreless innings. Right-hander Ross Carver worked around two walks with three strikeouts in two scoreless innings. Right-hander Davis Sharpe began the seventh inning, when he allowed three hits and Richmond's first two runs. He walked two in the eighth, before right-hander Allan Hernandez walked two more, forcing home a run before he retired the side. Hernandez pitched a scoreless ninth inning to end the game.
Duck Tales
In the second inning, after left fielder Tyresse Turner reached on a fielder's choice, Bazzana hit a two-out, two-run home run to left-center field to extend the lead to 5-0. In the third, third baseman Dayan Frías hit a leadoff double and scored on catcher Cameron Barstad 's RBI single to right field, his first Double-A hit. Bazzana and Kayfus hit back-to-back two-out doubles in the sixth to add a run for a 7-0 lead. In the ninth, Bazzana hit a leadoff single and scored - his first four-run game as a professional also - after an errant pickoff attempt, a wild pitch and a groundout to make it 8-3.
Notebook
Bazzana has six hits in his first two Double-A games, reaching base in eight of 10 plate appearances, and came within a triple of the first cycle by a RubberDuck since Bryson Myles did it Aug. 25, 2025, against Trenton...Burgos leads the team with five RBIs in two games, while Kayfus has four...Game Time: 3:02...Attendance: 9,325.
On the Pond
The RubberDucks conclude their series in Richmond at 1:35 p.m. Sunday at The Diamond. Akron right-hander Aaron Davenport is scheduled to face Flying Squirrels left-hander Jack Choate. The game broadcast is on 640 WHLO, the 640 WHLO iHeartRadio channel, and akronrubberducks.com, and available on Bally Live. Tickets for RubberDucks home games are available at akronrubberducks.com/tickets.
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