SummaryAkron RubberDucks left-hander Adam Scott (3-0) pitched six scoreless innings, and back-to-back home runs by right fielder Trenton Brooks - whose home run was his first career grand slam - and first baseman Nellie Rodríguez with two outs in the third inning carried the visitors to a 5-0 win over
Summary
Akron RubberDucks left-hander Adam Scott (3-0) pitched six scoreless innings, and back-to-back home runs by right fielder Trenton Brooks - whose home run was his first career grand slam - and first baseman Nellie Rodríguez with two outs in the third inning carried the visitors to a 5-0 win over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies in the second game of a four-game series at NYSEG Stadium on Friday night.
Turning Point
In a scoreless game with two outs in the third inning against Rumble Ponies right-hander Austin McGeorge, RubberDucks shortstop Ernie Clement hit an infield single to Binghamton third baseman David Thompson. Left fielder Mitch Longo doubled to right field, and center fielder Alex Call walked to load the bases for Brooks, who drilled a 1-2 offering over the right field fence. Rodriguez battled to a 3-2 count before smashing his ninth home run of the season - and 44th in his RubberDucks career - out of the ballpark to left field. With the 5-0 lead, Scott and the RubberDucks bullpen never allowed Binghamton to get a runner to third base or have multiple baserunners in the same inning for the rest of the game.
Mound Presence
In the first inning, Scott worked around a one-out double and single. With runners at first and third bases, he struck out All-Star first baseman Patrick Mazeika, and Call made a running catch in deep center field on Thompson's fly ball. Scott never allowed another runner into scoring position, marking his third straight scoreless start. He scattered five hits and a walk, striking out seven batters for a second straight start and extending a 19 1/3-inning scoreless streak. Right-hander Jared Robinson pitched two scoreless innings, and right-hander Dalbert Siri pitched a perfect ninth inning. McGeorge allowed five runs in three innings, before three Binghamton relievers allowed three hits and no runs in six innings.
Duck Tales
Outside of the five-run, four-hit third inning, Akron had five other hits. Brooks added a triple for a two-hit game, while Clement, Longo and catcher Logan Ice each had two hits. Clement has six multi-hit games in his current eight-game hitting streak (15-for-37, triple, five runs, four RBI), raising his average to a team-leading .300.
Notebook
The RubberDucks' nine shutouts this season are tied with Binghamton for second-most in the Eastern League (Erie has 11)...Scott's scoreless streak is the second-longest by a RubberDuck this season (21 2/3 innings by Zach Plesac )…Clement's 10-game stretch without a strikeout is Akron's longest this season…Time of game: 2:40…Attendance: 2,924.
On the Pond
The RubberDucks continue their series in Binghamton at 6:35 p.m. Saturday. Akron LHP Eli Lingos (0-0, 3.38) is scheduled to face Rumble Ponies RHP Harol Gonzalez (3-3, 3.33). 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.
