SeaWolves Take Fourth Straight with Series-Opening Win in Akron

AKRON, OH - The Erie SeaWolves (6-1, 42-33) stayed hot at the plate, racking up 12 hits in a 6-4 win against the Akron RubberDucks (1-6, 36-39) on Tuesday night.

Erie sent right-handed starter Hayden Minton back to the mound for his second appearance with the team after making his Double-A debut last week against Binghamton. Early in the night, the Oklahoma native was hit around a bit. He surrendered a double and triple consecutively in the first after retiring the first batter and allowed a pair of runs in the frame.

Minton was sharp from that point on. He finished off the first without allowing another run and pitched three more scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Minton's four innings of work bested his 3.1 innings of work his first time out with the SeaWolves.

Erie's bats were quiet the first time through the order against Akron starter Rafe Schlesinger. Peyton Graham and Justice Bigbie both recorded hits isolated in the first and second inning, respectively, but the SeaWolves did not plate a run in either instance.

As has been the trend with Schlesinger on the mound this season, the SeaWolves broke out the offense the second time through the order. Seth Stephenson doubled and was quickly knocked in when Peyton Graham smashed a double of his own and traded places with Stephenson. Garrett Pennington collected his seventh RBI in his sixth game with the SeaWolves on a single that scored Graham. Erie went to the fourth with the game knotted at two.

The Howler offense kept it rolling into the fourth inning when EJ Exposito singled with one out and Stephenson singled to put two on for Graham. For the third time on the night, Graham smashed a double and cleared the bases to put Erie up 4-2.

Exposito's contributions were not finished. He homered to lead off the sixth inning, his 12th long ball of the season and his third in the last week.

Then in the seventh it was Chris Meyers that led off with a solo blast. The reigning Eastern League Player of the Week's homer gave Erie a 6-2 lead with just nine outs to go.

Carlos Peña took care of the next four innings after Minton exited the game; the lefty tossed three scoreless, but the RubberDucks reignited their offense in the eighth with a leadoff single from Juan Benjamin, which was followed by two more singles as Akron cut the Erie lead to two heading to the ninth.

Trevin Michael slammed the door with a scoreless ninth inning to earn his second save of the season.

Max Alba starts for the SeaWolves as the series continues tomorrow night from Akron with first pitch at 6:35 PM.

Single-game tickets, suites, picnics, The Club by Synchrony events, and Bud Light Party Deck groups are now available by visiting SeaWolves.com, calling 814-456-1300, or visiting the UPMC Park Box Office in person.