EL1 Akron RubberDucks

RubberDucks Edge Flying Squirrels 5-4

June 27, 2016 - Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


Solo homers by Bradley Zimmer and Nellie Rodriguez and a clutch defensive play by Clint Frazier added up to 5-4 Akron RubberDucks victory over the Richmond Flying Squirrels Monday night at The Diamond.

Turning Point

The RubberDucks held a 5-2 lead entering the bottom of the ninth inning, but the Squirrels put a rally together against Akron closer Perci Garner. After a walk and single to start the inning, Steve Lerud singled into left field to drive in Tyler Horan to make the score 5-3. Garner struck out former RubberDuck Carlos Moncrief for the first out, and retired Darren Ford on a dribbler to the mound. Ford's groundout, however, moved runners to second and third. Ali Castillo was next and laced a base hit to left field. Brandon Bednar scored from third to make it 5-4, but with Lerud barreling toward the plate, Frazier fielded the ball and fired a perfect throw to catcher Daniel Salters who tagged Lerud out to end the game.

Winging It

Shawn Morimando (10-3) worked six innings to grab his league-high 10th win of the season. He allowed just two runs on three hits and struck out five. The win snapped a personal three-game losing streak for Morimando, who began the season 9-0. Garner pitched the final three innings to earn his second save.

Duck Tales

Zimmer blasted a long homer to center field in the first inning off Richmond starter Dan Slania (6-5). It was his 12th of the year. The Ducks scored two more in the second on an RBI groundout by Mike Papi and a run-scoring single by newcomer Claudio Bautista. Jordan Smith clubbed an RBI double in the third, and Rodriguez capped the scoring with a prodigious homer off the scoreboard in left field, which gave the Ducks a 5-2 lead at the time. Rodriguez was 3-4 on the night. The homer was his 15th of the year. Salters was 2-3, with a double and a walk in his Akron debut.

Notebook

The RubberDucks (44-34) snapped a three-game losing streak...The win lifted the Ducks back into first place in the EL West, a half-game ahead of Altoona, who lost 3-2 at home against Binghamton...The Flying Squirrels (27-49) lost their sixth consecutive game...Neither team committed an error...Time of games 2:34... Attendance 3,646.

On Deck

The RubberDucks will play the second game of the series at Richmond on Tuesday night at 6:35. RHP Mike Peoples is the announced starter for Akron, and LHP Matt Gage is expected to get the ball for Richmond. The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1350 AM, the WARF iHeart channel, and the TuneIn Radio App.

Check out the Akron RubberDucks Statistics



Eastern League Stories from June 27, 2016


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