May 24: Valera homers and drives in four to lead Ducks blowout of Fisher Cats 9-2

RubberDucks Game Recap | Box Score

Akron RubberDucks (24-16) 9, New Hampshire Fisher Cats (17-22) 2

WP: Brett Daniels (1-0) LP: Nick Fraze (1-4) Save: N/A

Summary

George Valera drove in four runs to lead the Akron RubberDucks past the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 9-2 on Tuesday afternoon at Canal Park.

Turning Point

After taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning, Akron started to put the game in cruise control with a four-run fifth inning. Three straight singles from Micah Pries and Daniel Schneemann and Bo Naylor loaded the bases to start the inning. After a wild pitch allowed Pries to score, George Valera sent one behind the right field wall for a three-run home run to make it 7-1 RubberDucks.

Mound Presence

Jaime Arias fought through baserunners in every inning, walking five and allowing four hits. After allowing a run, he ended his day pitching four innings and striking out four. Brett Daniels started his Akron debut shaky with two walks, but a 6-4-3 double play and strikeout helped him escape the jam on his way to two scoreless innings. Andrew Misiaszek followed with two innings allowing one run. Manuel Alvarez struck out two in a scoreless ninth.

Duck Tales

In the first, Akron started hot with Naylor singling and Valera bringing him home on an RBI double to make it 1-0 Ducks. Will Brennen then sent one 413 feet into right field to put Akron up 3-0. Valera started the seventh by reaching on a fielding error by the Fisher Cats second baseman. After a Brennen walk, Jose Tena brought them both home with a two-run double to make it 9-1 Akron.

Valera is just that good scoring Naylor on a double

Bottom 1: Akron 1 | New Hampshire 0 pic.twitter.com/r7SFfncdIu

— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) May 24, 2022

Will Brennan launches one to right 💣

Bottom 1: Akron 3 | New Hampshire 0 pic.twitter.com/Nlp2rJdgIT

— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) May 24, 2022

Notebook

Valera extended his hitting streak to seven game, in which he has five multi-hit games, four home runs and 13 RBI…After driving in two today, Brennan now has seven RBI during his seven game hitting streak…With two hits this afternoon, Tena has 12 hits during his seven game hitting streak…Game Time: 2:31 …Attendance: 8,072 (first sellout of the season).

On the Pond

The RubberDucks will continue their six-game series with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Wednesday, May 25 at 6:35 p.m. Eastern League Pitcher of the Week Hunter Gaddis (4-1, 2.53 ERA) will take the mound for Akron. 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 all RubberDucks home games, are available at akronrubberducks.com/tickets.