Aug. 6: Fermin walk-off, Benson homers and Hillman shutout lead Ducks to 3-2, 2-0 sweep of Curve

Akron RubberDucks 3-2 (50-31) – Altoona Curve 2-0 (44-36)

Game 1 WP: Nick Mikolajchak (1-4) LP: Will Gardner (2-5) Save: N/A | Box Score

Game 2 WP: Juan Hillman (9-2) LP: Brad Case (2-2) Save: N/A | Box Score

Summary

The Akron RubberDucks walked off the Altoona Curve, 3-2, in Game 1, as Jose Fermín lined a double off the left-field wall that scored Jonathan Engelmann, and Will Benson’s two home runs backed Juan Hillman’s first career complete game in a 2-0 win and doubleheader sweep Friday night at Canal Park.

DID SOMEBODY SAY WALKOFF! @JoseFermin29 with the double to win the game!

AKRON 3 - ALTOONA 2 #QuAkron pic.twitter.com/SFnzQvXmXV

— Akron RubberDucks 🐤 (@AkronRubberDuck) August 6, 2021

Turning Point

With Akron as the visiting team on the scoreboard in Game 2, Benson launched a solo home run on the third pitch of the game to give Akron the 1-0 lead. It was his third leadoff home run this season.

TOP 1: @_thekidbilly_ with a leadoff home run at home! It’s different but we like it!

AKRON 1 - ALTOONA 0 #QuAkron pic.twitter.com/Fz4FJEZSh6

— Akron RubberDucks 🐤 (@AkronRubberDuck) August 6, 2021

TOP 6: One home run wasn’t enough for @_thekidbilly_! His second of the game was launched at 105 mph and went 422 feet!

AKRON 2 - ALTOONA 0 #QuAkron pic.twitter.com/qbdrhwvgTo

— Akron RubberDucks 🐤 (@AkronRubberDuck) August 7, 2021

Mound Presence

Logan Allen started Game 1 and allowed a run in the first and third innings. Be he went six innings for the first time as a RubberDuck, allowing just the two runs while striking out six. Activated from the injured list on Friday, Nick Mikolajchak tossed a scoreless inning with a strikeout to pick up the win. In Game 2, Hillman worked around two hits in the first inning and struck out six batters over a seven-inning shutout that made him the first nine-game winner in the Double-A Northeast.

Duck Tales

Akron tied Game 1 in the bottom of the first, when Brayan Rocchio doubled home Steven Kwan to tie the game, 1-1. After surrendering the lead in the third, the RubberDucks answered with a run in the fourth, as designated hitter Bo Naylor doubled home catcher Bryan Lavastida to make it 2-2. In Game 2, Benson added a 422-foot homer to center field to make it 2-0 Akron.

BOT 1: Two batters in and we tie the game! @rocchio05 with a RBI double!

AKRON 1 - ALTOONA 1 #QuAkron pic.twitter.com/Hpv8lP20Vu

— Akron RubberDucks 🐤 (@AkronRubberDuck) August 6, 2021

BOT 4: You get a double, you get a double, everyone gets a double! Bo Naylor with a double to the First Energy Power Alley to tie the game!

AKRON 2 - ALTOONA 2 #QuAkron pic.twitter.com/D6M202birz

— Akron RubberDucks 🐤 (@AkronRubberDuck) August 6, 2021

TOP 6: Just your casual pop out to the shortstop, nothing special… except @rocchio05 showing off his range!

AKRON 2 - ALTOONA 2 #QuAkron pic.twitter.com/KnWhuoV45O

— Akron RubberDucks 🐤 (@AkronRubberDuck) August 6, 2021

Notebook

Fermín’s walk-off double was just the third walk-off win of the season for Akron…Hillman pitched Akron’s first complete game since July 23, 2019 (Eli Morgan’s six innings in a loss at Trenton), first seven-inning complete game since May 13, 2017 (Thomas Pannone’s win in Binghamton) and first complete game shutout since July 11, 2015 (Ryan Merritt’s seven-inning no-hitter against Reading at Canal Park)… Game times: 1:49 & 1:46 … Attendance: 4,929.

On the Pond

The RubberDucks will continue their series with the Altoona Curve on Saturday at 7:05 p.m., as Union Home Mortgage welcomes fans 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. RubberDucks right-hander Peyton Battenfield (AA-South: 3-0, 2.72 ERA) takes the mound for his Cleveland organizational debut against Curve left-hander Trey McGough (3-2, 3.88 ERA).