SummaryAkron RubberDucks center fielder Daniel Johnson hit his sixth home run in seven games - and team-high ninth this season - to tie Thursday's series opener, 2-2, leading off the sixth inning, and he led off the eighth inning with a triple before scoring the go-ahead run on right fielder
Summary
Akron RubberDucks center fielder Daniel Johnson hit his sixth home run in seven games - and team-high ninth this season - to tie Thursday's series opener, 2-2, leading off the sixth inning, and he led off the eighth inning with a triple before scoring the go-ahead run on right fielder Connor Marabell 's sacrifice fly in a 4-2 win over the Richmond Flying Squirrels at The Diamond in Richmond, Virginia. Akron has won back-to-back games and four of its last five.
Turning Point
Against right-hander Ryan Halstead (1-3), Johnson hit a leadoff triple to right-center field. Left-hander Sam Moll entered and retired first baseman Wilson Garcia on a popout to left field, before Marabell lined to medium-deep left field, allowing Johnson to score ahead of the throw from left fielder Chris Shaw, for a 3-2 RubberDucks lead.
Mound Presence
Akron right-hander Eli Morgan did not allow a run for the first four innings, preserving a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the fifth inning, he allowed an infield-popup single, walk and sacrifice, before center fielder Johneshwy Fragas hit a two-run single to right-center field, for a 2-1 Richmond lead. After Morgan's five-inning start, left-hander Rob Kaminsky (1-1) pitched two scoreless innings, and after the leadoff batter reached in the eighth inning, right-hander Nick Sandlin pitched two scoreless innings with four strikeouts - both matching career highs - for his first Double-A save. For Richmond, left-hander Connor Menez allowed two runs in six innings. Halstead pitched a scoreless seventh inning before allowing Johnson's triple in the eighth inning. Moll went for 1 2/3 innings, allowing one run.
Duck Tales
The RubberDucks took the lead in the first inning, as shortstop Ernie Clement hit a leadoff single to right-center field, and designated hitter Nellie Rodríguez grounded an RBI double down the third-base line. The final run came in the ninth inning, as left fielder Ka'ai Tom hit a leadoff infield single and later scored on third baseman Tyler Krieger 's RBI single.
Notebook
Johnson extended a nine-game hitting streak, matching a RubberDucks season high (set by Jorma Rodriguez ), and has six of Akron's 15 home runs the last seven games…Marabell and Tom have season-high eight- and six-game hitting streaks, respectively…Morgan is the ninth straight Akron starter to pitch at least five innings without allowing more than two earned runs. Akron is 5-4 in that span…Time of game: 2:48…Attendance: 5,076.
On the Pond
The RubberDucks continue the series in Richmond on Friday at 7:05 p.m. EDT. RHP Aaron Civale (1-0, 3.60) is scheduled to start for Akron. The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1350 AM, the WARF iHeartRadio channel, and the TuneIn Radio App, and available on MiLB.TV.
