RubberDucks Halt Hartford, 6-2
July 26, 2019 - Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release
Akron RubberDucks right-hander Jake Paulson (8-7) took the mound with a lead in the first inning and held it through the first five innings to become the team's first eight-game winner in a 6-2 series-opening victory over the Hartford Yard Goats at Dunkin' Donuts Park in Hartford, Connecticut, on Thursday night.
Turning Point
With two outs in the top of the first inning, Yard Goats right-hander Heath Holder walked RubberDucks designated hitter Trenton Brooks, who reached third base when right fielder Connor Marabell singled to right field. Holder's balk then scored Brooks, giving Akron the lead, which it never lost for the rest of the game.
Mound Presence
Paulson pitched five innings for a sixth straight start since returning from Triple-A Columbus on . He scattered seven hits, including one in every inning, with no walks and one strikeout, while recording 12 groundouts, including two ground-ball double plays. Hartford only got single runs in the fourth and fifth against him. Right-hander Chih-Wei Hu made his first relief outing in three appearances for Akron and struck out six batters while allowing two hits and three walks in three scoreless innings. In his 2019 RubberDucks debut, right-hander Henry Martinez worked around a leadoff double in a scoreless ninth inning. For Hartford, Holder allowed a season-high six earned runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Duck Tales
Akron extended the lead in the fourth inning, when second baseman Andruw Monasterio and left fielder Mitch Longo hit consecutive singles and advanced on Holder's wild pitch. Center fielder Alex Call hit an RBI single, and first baseman Alexis Pantoja grounded into a double play to score a run. In the fifth, third baseman Nolan Jones hit a leadoff double, Brooks singled, and Monasterio and Longo hit consecutive RBI singles, before Call's walk and Pantoja's RBI groundout.
Notebook
Shortstop Ernie Clement had two hits and has an Eastern League-leading 81 since May 9, while reaching base in 24 of his last 25 games...Eight players in Akron's starting lineup had a hit, and all nine reached base...The RubberDucks won a series opener for the first time since defeating Hartford on June 11, snapping an 11-game losing streak in series openers...Akron has won the first four meetings with Hartford this season...Time of game: 2:56...Attendance: 6,850.
On the Pond
The RubberDucks continue their series in Hartford at 7:05 p.m. Friday. Akron LHP Tanner Tully (6-8, 4.43) is scheduled to face Yard Goats RHP Brandon Gold (7-5, 3.54). The game broadcast, powered by FirstEnergy, is on Fox Sports 1350 AM, the WARF iHeartRadio channel, and the TuneIn Radio App, and available on MiLB.TV. Tickets for RubberDucks home games are available at akronrubberducks.com/tickets.
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