SeaWolves Drop Opener in Akron

The SeaWolves could not come up with the big hit late on Thursday night at Canal Park as they dropped the series opener to the Akron RubberDucks 5-3.

The Ducks jumped ahead against Erie starter Kyle Ryan in the bottom of the third. Ryan retired the first seven batters of the game before Ronny Rodriguez reached on an error with one out in the third. Jordan Smith followed and walked. Tim Fedroff and Francisco Lindor followed with back-to-back run scoring singles for a 2-0 lead. Adam Abraham singled, loading the bases for Bryan LaHair. LaHair singled to left, plating Fedroff but on a perfect throw from Jamie Johnson, Lindor was cut down trying to score. Anthony Gallas doubled bringing home Abraham for a 4-0 lead.

Akron extended its lead in the fifth when Gallas belted a solo home run off of Ryan for a 5-0 advantage.

In the seventh, the 'Wolves finally got to Akron starter Will Roberts. Devon Travis led off with a double down the right field line and scored on a Daniel Fields triple making it a 5-1 game. Fields scored on a Steven Moya sacrifice fly making it a 5-2 game.

Erie wrapped up the night's scoring in the eighth against reliever Trey Haley. With two outs, Travis walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. Fields singled putting runners on the corners for Moya. Moya lined an RBI double off the glove of the first baseman LaHair, scoring Travis making it 5-3. Erie left the tying run on second and could not plate any more runs.

Ryan (6-9) took the loss allowing five runs, three earned, on eight hits with a walk and two strikeouts in five innings of work.