July 6: Kwan and Benson spark Ducks' comeback, but Curve prevail, 12-9

July 6 RubberDucks Game Recap | Box Score

Altoona Curve (30-23) 12, Akron RubberDucks (31-23) 9

WP: Cam Vieaux (3-1) LP: Zach Draper (0-2) S: Cristofer Melendez (3)

Summary

Akron RubberDucks outfielders Steven Kwan and Will Benson each came within one hit of the cycle to help the visitors trim a six-run deficit to one, but the Altoona Curve maintained the lead from the first inning through the end of a 12-9 series opener at Peoples Natural Gas Field Tuesday night.

Turning Point

The Curve built a six-run lead with three-run first and third innings against left-hander Zach Draper. In the first inning, center fielder Jonah Davis hit a leadoff infield single, shortstop Connor Kaiser walked, and right fielder Cal Mitchell’s ground ball got through second baseman Richie Palacios, allowing a run to score. An RBI groundout by left fielder Canaan Smith-Njigba and RBI single by second baseman Daniel Amaral made it 3-0. In the third inning, Davis and Kaiser each singled, and first baseman Mason Martin hit a three-run homer – his first of two in the game – for a 6-0 Curve lead.

Mound Presence

Draper worked through a season-long five innings, allowing the six early runs and an additional run in the fourth inning, departing with a 7-1 deficit. Right-hander Kyle Marman allowed a two-run homer to Davis while pitching the sixth inning, and left-hander Jake Miednik yielded Martin’s second home run leading off the seventh. Right-hander Manuel Alvarez pitched the eighth inning allowing two runs on two walks and RBI singles by Martin and Smith-Njigba.

Duck Tales

With Akron trailing 7-1 entering the sixth inning, Benson, third baseman Andruw Monasterio and Kwan hit consecutive singles against Curve left-hander Oddy Nunez. Palacios walked, and catcher Mike Rivera hit a two-run single to make it 7-4. With a 9-4 deficit in the seventh, Benson doubled and scored on Monasterio’s single, and Kwan hit an RBI triple before scoring on a groundout by Palacios to make it 9-7. Benson added an eighth-inning two-run homer to cut it to 10-9.

Notebook

Benson came within a triple of the cycle for the second straight game and has four straight multi-hit games…In 14 starts as the leadoff batter, Benson has six multi-hit games and is 19-for-51 (.373) with nine walks, a .460 on-base percentage and .725 slugging percentage…Kwan had his first multi-hit game of the season and hit his first Double-A home run in the fourth inning…The Curve lead the season series, 5-2, with all games in Altoona…Time: 3:03… Attendance: 4,392.

On the Pond

The RubberDucks continue their six-game series in Altoona at 6:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday. Akron RHP Thomas Ponticelli (2-2, 3.32 ERA) scheduled to face Curve RHP Travis MacGregor (2-1, 3.68 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.