July 9: Ducks lose, 6-2, then win, 4-1, for DH split in Altoona

July 9 RubberDucks Game Recap | Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

Akron RubberDucks (33-24) 2-4, Altoona Curve (31-25) 6-1

Game 1 WP: Shea Murray (2-0) LP: Dakody Clemmer (1-2) S: None

Game 2 WP: Thomas Ponticelli (3-2) LP: Osvaldo Bido (2-2) S: Nic Enright (1)

Summary

The Altoona Curve broke a 2-2 tie with a four-run sixth inning to win, 6-2, in Game 1, but Akron right-hander Thomas Ponticelli pitched six strong innings in Game 2, as RubberDucks third baseman Andruw Monasterio hit a two-run double, and Bo Naylor added a two-run homer for a 4-1 win and doubleheader split Friday at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

Turning Point

After Akron lost Game 1 and trailed, 1-0, in in Game 2, first baseman Jonathan Engelmann hit a third-inning leadoff infield single against Altoona right-hander Osvaldo Bido. Left fielder Will Benson walked with two outs, and Monasterio hit a 2-2 pitch to right-center field for a two-run double, giving Akron a 2-1 lead.

Mound Presence

RubberDucks left-hander Juan Hillman allowed a run in each of the first two innings of Game 1 but kept Altoona from taking the lead in his 4 1/3 innings. Right-hander Dakody Clemmer escaped the fifth inning, but he allowed a sixth-inning, two-out RBI single by center fielder Jonah Davis, a walk and three-run homer by left fielder Canaan Smith-Njigba for a four-unearned-run inning. In Game 2, Ponticelli only allowed a second-inning homer to first baseman Mason Martin – his league-leading 16th – and a single and hit batter in the fourth inning. Right-hander Nic Enright pitched a perfect seventh.

Duck Tales

The RubberDucks added insurance runs in the sixth inning of Game 2 against right-hander John O’Reilly. Center fielder Chris Roller – who had three hits in the doubleheader – hit a two-out single to right field to extend his four-game hitting streak, and Naylor hit his first home run since May 22 over the right-field fence to make it 4-1.

Cleveland’s No. 3 prospect Bo Naylor gave this ball a ride to the rollercoaster for @AkronRubberDuck. pic.twitter.com/fPAGB33OCF

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 10, 2021

Notebook

Monasterio is 7-for-16 with five RBIs and hits in all four games of the series…With a hit in Game 1, Steven Kwan is 6-for-14 in the series and has a four-game hitting streak…Benson reached base in both games, but his six-game hitting streak was snapped with an 0-for-2 Game 2...The RubberDucks left 12 runners on base in seven innings of Game 1, going 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position…Akron is 2-2-2 in the six doubleheaders it has played this season…The Curve lead the season series, 6-4, but each team has scored 55 runs…Times of games: 2:42 & 1:53…Attendance: 4,645.

On the Pond

The RubberDucks continue their six-game series in Altoona at 6 p.m. EDT Saturday. Akron LHP Adam Scott is scheduled to make his first 2021 Double-A start against Curve LHP Omar Cruz (0-1, 1.69 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.