June 13: RubberDucks shut out, 3-0, drop series in Altoona

June 13 RubberDucks Game Recap | Box Score

Altoona Curve (22-13) 3, Akron RubberDucks (20-14) 0

WP: Jeff Passantino (1-2) LP: Alex Royalty (1-2) S: Hunter Stratton (3)

Summary

Akron right-hander Alex Royalty allowed just one unearned run on two hits in six innings, but Altoona right-hander Jeff Passantino and three Curve relievers combined for a 3-0 shutout that clinched a six-game series victory, four games to two, over the RubberDucks in the series finale Sunday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

Turning Point

Altoona had not scored first in any of the first five games of the series but did so in the first inning against Royalty. Shortstop Oneil Cruz hit a leadoff single to center field and went to third base on Royalty’s errant pickoff throw. Second baseman Rodolfo Castro hit a sacrifice fly to score Cruz for a 1-0 lead.

Mound Presence

After allowing the leadoff single in the first inning, Royalty retired the next 12 batters in a row. He worked around a hit and walk in the fifth inning with the help of a double play, as the Curve sent two runners in motion on a pitch that catcher Arden Pabst hit to right field, resulting in a double play. Royalty struck out four batters and walked one, matching his longest start of the season. Left-hander Skylar Arias pitched a scoreless seventh inning. Right-hander Kyle Marman began the eighth inning by walking center fielder Jonah Davis and allowing Pabst’s RBI double. Right-hander Nick Mikolajchak relieved him with one out and allowed left fielder Canaan Smith-Njigba’s two-out RBI single.

Duck Tales

Akron had two runners on base in three innings but did not score. Shortstop Tyler Freeman and left fielder Alex Call ­– extending a six-game hitting streak – hit first-inning singles but were stranded. Center fielder Richie Palacios extended an eight-game hitting streak with a sixth-inning two-out triple, and Call walked before Passantino escaped. In the eighth inning, third baseman José Fermín walked, and Freeman was hit by a pitch, but Call grounded into a double play.

Notebook

Akron had its third shutout loss of the season. The first two were by Erie…Call stole his team-high ninth base, and the RubberDucks stole 16 bases in 17 attempts in the six-game series…Altoona outscored Akron, 35-32, in the series, which featured four one-run games, a two-run game and a three-run game…Time of game: 2:25…Attendance: 4,712.

On the Pond

The RubberDucks continue their 12-game road trip, opening a six-game series at first-place Bowie (25-9) at 6:35 p.m. EDT on Tuesday. Akron scheduled to face Baysox RHP Grayson Rodriguez (2-0, 0.90 ERA). 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.