The Erie SeaWolves notched a 2-0 shutout victory over the Akron RubberDucks on Saturday night at Canal Park, improving to 3-0 in the second half of the Eastern League season. The SeaWolves broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fifth against Akron starter Zach Draper. After Draper struck
The Erie SeaWolves notched a 2-0 shutout victory over the Akron RubberDucks on Saturday night at Canal Park, improving to 3-0 in the second half of the Eastern League season.
The SeaWolves broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fifth against Akron starter Zach Draper. After Draper struck out the first two batters of the inning, Derek Hill and Isaac Paredes each singled, putting a pair on for Jose Azocar. Azocar dropped a single into right field, scoring Hill for a 1-0 lead.
Erie extended the lead in the top of the seventh against Akron reliever Jordan Stephens. With one out, Kody Eaves blasted off with a solo home run to right-center making it 2-0. It was the second home run for Eaves in the past two games and his eighth of the season.
The SeaWolves pitching staff was rock solid for the second straight game. Beau Burrows (1-0), making his second start since returning from the injured list, gave Erie five shutout innings, allowing two hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Burrows has not allowed a run over two starts between Lakeland and Erie.
A trio of Erie relievers in Trent Szkutnik, Will Vest and Drew Carlton kept the RubberDucks off the scoreboard over the final four innings of the contest. Carlton gave up a pair of singles to start the bottom of the ninth inning, but bounced back and retired the side in order to pick up his sixth save in as many chances.
Draper (0-1) took the loss in his Double-A debut allowing a run on eight hits with three walks and five strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
Since Matt Manning gave up three runs in the first inning on Friday night, the SeaWolves pitching staff has gone on to hurl 17 consecutive scoreless frames.
The SeaWolves improved to 6-2 against Akron in 2019 and the team has won all three series against their Western Division rivals.
Erie looks for the series sweep on Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. RHP Spenser Watkins (2-0, 3.45 ERA) takes the mound for the SeaWolves against LHP Sam Hentges (1-8, 4.84 ERA).
