June 5: RubberDucks Patient Approach and Balanced Offensive Attack Outlasts Erie, 8-5

Akron RubberDucks 8 (18-9) – Erie SeaWolves 5 (18-10)

WP: Juan Hillman (3-1) LP: Mark Leiter Jr. (1-3) Save: Nick Mikolajchak (4)

Summary

The Akron RubberDucks use a balanced but explosive offense and a clutch bullpen to hold off the Erie SeaWolves 8-5 on Saturday night at Canal Park.

Turning Point

The RubberDucks found themselves down 2-0 entering the bottom of the third but would come alive when Will Benson doubled home Chris Roller to cut the Erie lead in half. Richie Palacios would drive in Benson to tie the game with a double of his own before scoring on Alex Call’s double to make it 3-2 Akron.

Mound Presence

Juan Hillman got the start for the RubberDucks and gave up back-to-back solo home runs to open the game, but then settled in to keep Erie scoreless for the next four innings. In total, Hillman would go 5.1 allowing four runs while striking out three. Kyle Marman would relieve Hillman and toss two-thirds of an inning allowing a run. Juan Mota would follow and toss an inning and a third scoreless. Nick Mikolajchak would close the game out tossing a scoreless inning and two thirds.

Duck Tales

Akron would add on to their lead in the bottom of the fifth when Jose Fermin came around to score on a Call sacrifice-fly. The Ducks would continue to add on the fifth when Tyler Freeman came home on a wild pitch and when Trenton Brooks singles home Palacios to make it 6-2. Akron would continue to add in the seventh when Brooks singled home Palacios before coming home to score when Benson was hit-by-pitch. All nine Akron starters recorded a hit in the game as the Ducks were 4-for-12 with RISP and left seven on base.

Notebook

Akron as a team hit a season-high six doubles … Brooks RBI single in the fifth gave him sole position of the team lead in RBI … Call’s double was his fourth extra-base hit of the series … Fermin extended his season-high hitting streak to five game … Naylor’s double extended his season-long hitting streak to three … Time: 3:06 … Attendance: 4,636

On the Pond

The RubberDucks will conclude the series with the Erie SeaWolves on Sunday, June 6 at 2:05 PM as Union Home Mortgage welcomes fans back home to Canal Park. The game broadcast, powered by FirstEnergy, is on 640 WHLO, the WHLO iHeartRadio channel, and the TuneIn Radio App, and available on MiLB.TV. Eli Lingos (3-0, 2.95 ERA) will take the mound for Akron against Erie starters Pedro Payano (1-1, 3.86 ERA).