EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Rodriguez Knocks Pair of Homers to Lift RubberDucks 5-4

Published on August 1, 2015 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


Akron's Ronny Rodriguez slugged a pair of home runs, and closer Jeff Johnson earned his 19th save, as the RubberDucks opened the month of August with a 5-4, comeback win over the Altoona Curve on Saturday night at People's Natural Gas Field.

Turning Point

After the RubberDucks (56-52) stormed back from a 4-0 deficit to tie the game, 4-4, Rodriguez lined a solo homer to left with one out in the sixth inning off Curve reliever Brett McKinney (0-3) to give the RubberDucks a 5-4 lead. It was Rodriguez's second homer of the night, his third of the series, and his ninth of the season.

Mound Presence

Mike Clevinger (7-6) overcame four early runs by the Curve to earn his seventh win of the season. He allowed three runs on four hits in the first inning, and allowed another run in the second to fall behind 4-0. After that, the right-hander settled down and lasted through 5 2/3 innings. He retired the final 11 batters he faced, and left after a season-high, 104 pitches. Clevinger entered the game ranked second in the EL in strikeouts. He fanned four on Saturday, giving him 105 on the season. Johnson inherited a 5-4 lead in the ninth and gave up a lead-off single to Altoona's Adam Frazier. He struck out back-to-back hitters, and was facing Barrett Barnes when Frazier was caught in a run-down between first and second and was tagged out for a game-ending caught-stealing. Johnson improved to a perfect 19-for-19 in save chances.

Duck Tales

Yandy Diaz drove in the first run of the game with an infield single in the third off Curve starter Chad Kuhl. Rodriguez belted his first homer in the fourth, also off Kuhl, to make it 4-2. In the fifth, Bryson Myles and Diaz sent solo homers to left to tie the game. Diaz's game-tying shot was his fourth of the year. Myles clubbed his fifth. It was the first time this season that the RubberDucks hit more than two homers in a game.

Notes

The RubberDucks have won the last six match-ups against the Curve (57-51), and are now 12-9 in the season series...Akron is now just a game behind the 2nd-place Curve, and five behind 1st-place Bowie, who lost at home to Trenton, 6-4...Curve standout first-baseman Josh Bell was promoted to Triple-A before the game...Time of game: 2:56...Attendance: 6,820.

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