Offense Shines as Erie Beats Akron 13-9
June 30, 2022 - Eastern League (EL)
Erie SeaWolves News Release
The Erie SeaWolves won its second slugfest over the Akron RubberDucks in their six-game set with a 13-9 victory on Thursday at UPMC Park.
Akron utilized the long ball in the first. Brayan Rocchio hit a two-run jack and Jhonkensy Noel blasted a solo homer against Reese Olson to give the RubberDucks a 3-0 lead.
Erie responded in the bottom of the frame. Andre Lipcius laced a one-out double off of Luis Oviedo. Parker Meadows then singled to center and moved Lipcius to third. The Akron centerfielder Julian Escobedo threw all the way to the plate, prompting Meadows to try and take second. Meadows was gunned down on a 2-6 putout, but Lipcius came in to score the SeaWolves' first run.
Erie notched three runs in the third. Wenceel Perez began the frame with a single. Lipcius singled to move Perez to second. Both runners advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch. Meadows then walked to load the bases before Quincy Nieporte reached on a 9-2 fielder's choice. Lipcius scored on a wild pitch and Dane Myers had an RBI fielder's choice to give Erie a 4-3 lead. Dillon Dingler lifted a sac fly to make it a 5-3 game.
Akron cut the deficit 5-4 in the fourth with a solo homer from Micah Pries. Dario Gardea maintained the lead after coming in relief of Olson. Gardea induced a groundout from Chris Roller on the first pitch he saw with runners on second and third with two outs.
Erie broke them wide open in the home half of the fourth. Eric De La Rosa led off with a walk. Two batters later, Perez roped one down the right-field line for an RBI triple, knocking Oviedo out of the game. Lipcius scored on a wild pitch from Manuel Alvarez to put Erie up, 6-4.
Lipcius worked a walk in the same at-bat and advanced to second on a single from Meadows. Nieporte hit an infield single to the right of Pries, but nobody was covering first and thus the bases were loaded. Lipcius once again scored on a wild pitch and Myers stroked a two-run single up the middle. Dingler put an exclamation mark on the seven-run frame with a two-run homer to put Erie ahead,12-4.
Akron cut the deficit to 12-6 in the fifth. Noel went yard for the second time by lining a two-run homer to left.
Erie tacked on a run in the seventh. Perez worked a two-out walk against Thomas Ponticelli. Perez swiped second, his first stolen base in an Erie uniform. Lipcius reached safely in all five plate appearances with his third free pass of the evening. Meadows followed suit with a single to bring in Perez and give Erie a 13-6 lead.
The RubberDucks trailed 13-9 after a three-run eighth inning. Rocchio belted a three-run shot off of Zac Houston in part of a multi-homer day. Nick Kuzia then came in relief and fired 1.2 scoreless to seal the win.
Joe Navilhon (5-0) earned the win. He tossed two shutout frames, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out two.
Oviedo (0-3) received the loss. He allowed 7 runs in 3.1 innings.
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