RubberDucks Game RecapRubberDucks 5 Yard Goats 4WP: Matt Whitehouse (2-1) LP: Jack Wynkoop (2-3) Save: Luke Eubank (2)SummaryAkron's Matt Whitehouse tossed five shutout innings, and Joe Sever homered, as the RubberDucks edged the Hartford Yard Goats, 5-4, Saturday night at Dunkin' Donuts Park in Hartford, Conn.
RubberDucks Game Recap
RubberDucks 5 Yard Goats 4
WP: Matt Whitehouse (2-1) LP: Jack Wynkoop (2-3) Save: Luke Eubank (2)
Summary
Akron's Matt Whitehouse tossed five shutout innings, and Joe Sever homered, as the RubberDucks edged the Hartford Yard Goats, 5-4, Saturday night at Dunkin' Donuts Park in Hartford, Conn.
Turning Point
The RubberDucks (24-18) escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth inning to preserve the win. After pair of singles and a one-out, RBI double by Brendan Rodgers brought the Yard Goats to within 5-4, Ducks closer Luke Eubank intentionally walked Hartford's Dom Nuñez to load the bags. Eubank then managed to strike out Brian Mundell and induce a groundout to second by Sam Hilliard to end the game with the bases full. It was Eubank's second save of the season.
Mound Presence
Akron starter Matt Whitehouse was outstanding in his third start of the season. The lefty hurled five shutout innings. He scattered six hits, walked none and fanned three. The Goats rallied against the trio of Akron relievers who followed Whitehouse, scoring one against Kieran Lovegrove, two against David Speer and one against Eubank. For his part, Speer inherited a bases-loaded jam with one out in the eighth and worked out of it while only giving up one run.
Duck Tales
The RubberDucks built a 5-0 lead on Hartford starter Jack Wynkoop, but not before the lefty retired the first 11 batters he faced. Sever finally broke that string with a solo homer in the fourth inning, his fourth of the year. Tyler Krieger and Andrew Calica lined RBI singles in the fifth to make it 3-0, and Connor Marabell did the same in the sixth, scoring Willi Castro after he doubled. Akron made it 5-0 in the seventh inning when Castro delivered an RBI single off Hartford reliever Scott Griggs. Calica, Castro, Marabell and Jorma Rodriguez all had two hits apiece.
Notebook
Hartford closed the gap to 5-3 in the eighth on a wild pitch by Eubank and a throwing error on Daniel Salters…The RubberDucks have won two in a row…Akron has hit six home runs in the series…Akron utility man Todd Hankins was promoted to Triple-A Columbus before the game…Time of game: 3:05… Attendance: 6,451.
On the Pond
The RubberDucks and Yard Goats (22-20) will conclude the series and the road trip on Sunday afternoon at 1:05. The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1350 AM, the WARF iHeart channel, and the TuneIn Radio App.
