EL1 Akron RubberDucks

RubberDucks Open Road Trip with 5-3 Win

Published on June 3, 2014 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


(New Britain, Conn.) June 3, 2014 - Akron righthander Will Roberts mowed down the first nine batters he faced Tuesday night, and went on to post a 5-3 victory over the New Britain Rock Cats in the opener of a three-game series at New Britain Stadium.

The RubberDucks (36-21) won for the second straight game, and opened this six-game road trip to New Britain and Harrisburg on a positive note. It was the 20th road win of the season and equals the team's best record of the year at 15 games over .500.

The win was also timely in that both of the RubberDucks' closest competitors in the EL West both lost. Richmond fell at home to Trenton, 8-3, and Bowie was clobbered at New Hampshire, 10-2. Thus, the second-place Flying Squirrels are five games out, and the Baysox have now fallen to seven behind Akron.

Roberts (5-6) snapped a personal, four-game losing streak. He worked 6 2/3 innings, and allowed three runs on six hits.

He walked two and struck out seven. He did not allow a hit until the fourth inning, and held the Cats scoreless until the sixth. He left after surrendering a pair of RBI doubles in the seventh, which cut the Akron lead to 5-3.

Righthanders Enosil Tejeda and Shawn Armstrong followed Roberts, and combined for scoreless relief work. Tejeda tossed 1 1/3 innings, and Armstrong closed the game with a scoreless ninth for his eighth save.

Joe Wendle cranked a two-out, two-run triple to right in the third inning off New Britain starter Taylor Rogers (5-4) to snap a scoreless tie. It was Wendle's third triple of the season and increased his RBI total to 29. The RubberDucks added three more in the fifth, also off Rogers, to take a 5-1 lead. Ronny Rodriguez stroked an RBI single, Alex Lavisky an RBI double, and Tyler Naquin a nifty squeeze bunt for an RBI single.

Akron played errorless baseball, and turned a pair of double plays, including a strike-out-throw-out double play by catcher Tony Wolters in the eighth after Tejeda allowed a lead-off single, and had the potential tying run at the plate.

The RubberDucks and Rock Cats (25-30 will play game two of the series on Wednesday evening at 6:35. LHP Matt Packer (NR) is scheduled to make his 2014 debut for the RubberDucks, while RHP Tyler Duffy (1-1, 4.15) is the announced starter for New Britain. The game will be broadcast on WARF 1350 AM and www.AkronRubberDucks.com.

The Akron RubberDucks are the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The 2014 season is the 18th since moving to Canal Park and the first as the RubberDucks. For more information, including official team merchandise, go to www.AkronRubberDucks.com or call 330-253-5151. Fans may also follow the team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AkronRubberDucks and Twitter at @AkronRubberDuck.

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Eastern League Stories from June 3, 2014


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