SeaWolves deal RubberDucks a third straight loss, 6-4

RubberDucks Game Recap

Erie SeaWolves (7-3) 6, Akron RubberDucks (6-3) 4

WP: Angel DeJesus (1-0) LP: Thomas Ponticelli (1-1) S: Henry Martinez (1)

Summary

The Erie SeaWolves broke a 3-3 tie with a three-run sixth inning and held on for a 6-4 victory, handing the RubberDucks their third straight loss in the fourth game of a six-game series at UPMC Park Friday night.

Turning Point

Each team held a lead and then lost it within the first five innings. In a 3-3, sixth-inning tie, SeaWolves shortstop Ryan Kreidler hit a leadoff single against RubberDucks right-hander Thomas Ponticelli, who walked right fielder Jacob Robson. Third baseman Drew Ward hit an infield single, and second baseman Marcos González made an errant throw past first base, allowing the go-ahead run. Erie first baseman Josh Lester chopped the next pitch down the right-field line for an RBI single, and an error by right fielder Oscar González allowed another run to score, making it 6-3.

Mound Presence

Right-hander Alex Royalty worked five innings in his second Double-A start. He allowed a first-inning home run to Erie Robson and a two-run home run to Lester in the fourth inning that put the SeaWolves up, 3-2. But Royalty struck out five while walking only one, leaving in a 3-3 tie. Ponticelli rebounded from the rocky sixth inning to retire six in a row and hold Erie without another run through the eighth inning.

Duck Tales

Akron erased a 1-0 deficit in the second inning, when left fielder Alex Call and designated hitter Chris Roller hit consecutive singles, and Oscar González hit into a fielder’s choice. Center fielder Richie Palacios hit a go-ahead home run – his first since Aug. 21, 2018 – to left field in the third inning off Erie right-hander Ricardo Pinto. Behind 3-2 in the fifth, third baseman Andruw Monasterio doubled and scored after consecutive groundouts to tie the game, 3-3. Monasterio also singled in the ninth off former RubberDuck Henry Martinez, who allowed shortstop Tyler Freeman’s RBI double before retiring Palacios on a groundout for the save in his first appearance against his former organization.

Notebook

Monasterio tallied a three-hit game, after Oscar González had the team’s first of the year Thursday…Call and Freeman extended their team-leading six-game hitting streaks…Freeman has reached base in all eight games he has played…The sixth inning snapped a string of 22 1/3 scoreless innings by the Akron bullpen…Time of game: 2:36…Attendance: 1,357.

On the Pond

The RubberDucks continue their six-game series in Erie at 4:05 p.m. EDT Saturday. Akron RHP Shane McCarthy (0-0, 3.00) is scheduled to face SeaWolves RHP Paul Richan (0-0, 3.38). The game broadcast, powered by FirstEnergy, is on 640 WHLO, the 640 WHLO iHeartRadio channel, and akronrubberducks.com, and available on MiLB.TV. Tickets for RubberDucks home games are available at akronrubberducks.com/tickets.