RubberDucks 6 Flying Squirrels 5WP: Jake Paulson (2-0) LP: Mike Connolly (1-1) Save: Henry Martinez (3) SummaryAkron's Connor Marabell blasted a three-run homer and finished with four RBI, and Henry Martinez pitched a perfect ninth inning for his third save, as the RubberDucks slipped by the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 6-5, Tuesday
RubberDucks 6 Flying Squirrels 5
WP: Jake Paulson (2-0) LP: Mike Connolly (1-1) Save: Henry Martinez (3)
Summary
Akron's Connor Marabell blasted a three-run homer and finished with four RBI, and Henry Martinez pitched a perfect ninth inning for his third save, as the RubberDucks slipped by the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 6-5, Tuesday night at the Diamond in Richmond, Va.
Turning Point
The RubberDucks (20-11) were up 3-2 in the sixth when Marabell launched a three-run homer to right field off Richmond reliever Mike Connolly (1-1). It came on a 2-0 pitch with one out. Todd Hankins and Mark Mathias had each singled before Marabell came up. It was Marabell's fourth homer of the year and gave the RubberDucks a 6-2 lead and set the stage for the team's seventh consecutive win.
Mound Presence
Jake Paulson (2-0) made his second start of the season for the Ducks and came away with his second win. He worked into the seventh (6.1 IP) and allowed four runs on six hits. He surrendered a pair of two-run homers to K.C. Hobson and Jerry Sands to allow the Squirrels to pull to within 6-4. Paulson fanned five and walked only one. Argenis Angulo came out of the pen and took over in the seventh, posting back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning. Angulo gave up a pair of doubles in the eighth to make it 6-5, but stranded the potential tying run in scoring position. Closer Henry Martinez was summoned in the 9thand recorded a perfect 1-2-3 inning to earn his third save in three chances. Martinez struck out Sands and Ronnie Jebavy before inducing a groundout by Ali Castillo.
Duck Tales
Marabell was 2-4, with four RBI on the night. He also banged a run-scoring double in the fourth inning when the Ducks scored three times to grab an early 3-0 lead. Willi Castro socked a solo homer that inning, his second of the year. Castro was also 2-4. Mathias and Hankins chipped in two hits apiece, and Hankins stole two bases.
Notebook
The RubberDucks have won seven straight games overall, all six on the current road trip, and 11 of the last 12… Richmond (16-14) used five pitchers for the second consecutive night …Akron's Andrew Calica was scratched from the starting lineup after suffering an ankle injury during batting practice…Joe Sever was 0-4, snapping his eight-game hit streak…Time of game: 2:44…Attendance: 4,279.
On the Pond
The RubberDucks and Flying Squirrels will conclude the series and road trip on Wednesday afternoon at 12:05. The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1350 AM, the WARF iHeart channel, and the TuneIn Radio App.
