RubberDucks Game RecapRubberDucks 7 Curve 6WP: Neil Holland (3-0) LP: Jake Brentz (0-1) Save: noneSummaryAkron's Yonathan Mendoza drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday, completing a four-run, walk-off rally, as the RubberDucks stunned the Altoona Curve, 7-6, at Canal
RubberDucks Game Recap
RubberDucks 7 Curve 6
WP: Neil Holland (3-0) LP: Jake Brentz (0-1) Save: none
Summary
Akron's Yonathan Mendoza drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday, completing a four-run, walk-off rally, as the RubberDucks stunned the Altoona Curve, 7-6, at Canal Park in Akron, Ohio.
Turning Point
Trailing 6-3 entering the ninth inning, the RubberDucks (44-41) took advantage of control problems from Altoona lefty Jake Brentz (0-1), who walked the first three batters of the inning to load the bases. Eric Haase then lined a RBI single to left to make it 6-4. Brentz walked Bobby Bradley to force in Akron's fifth run. Yu Chang followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game. Altoona manager Michael Ryan finally lifted Brentz in favor of right-hander Miguel Rosario. Dorssys Paulino lined out for the second out, but Rosario re-loaded the bases with a walk to Luigi Rodriguez, and then issued Altoona's sixth free pass of the inning to Mendoza to force in the winning run, 7-6.
Winging It
Akron right-hander Neil Holland (3-0) worked two scoreless innings of relief to earn the win. Fellow-reliever Robbie Aviles also tossed a pair of scoreless frames for Akron. The Curve built a 6-0 lead off starter Matt Whitehouse, who lasted five innings and issued five walks of his own. The ninth-inning meltdown wasted a fine effort by Curve starter Tanner Anderson, who allowed just two runs in 6.1 innings.
Duck Tales
Chang clubbed his team-high 19th homer of the season in the eighth. He finished 2-4, with a pair of RBI, on the day and extended his hit streak to seven games. The RubberDucks got on the board in the seventh when Luigi Rodriguez singled home Chang, and Jordan Smith drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 6-2. Haase had three hits on the day to extend his hitting streak to 10 games (17-40, .425).
Notebook
The win prevented a four-game sweep by the Curve (46-41)…At the All-Star break, the Ducks are one game out of first in the EL West…Sunday's victory was the fourth walk-off win for the RubberDucks this year, three of which have come against Altoona…Curve first baseman Edwin Espinal homered and drove in four RBI…The teams split the season series 10-10……Time of Game: 2:52… Attendance: 5,641.
On Deck
The RubberDucks are off for the next three days for the EL All-Star break. The season will resume on Thursday night at 7:05 when the Ducks open a four-game series at Erie. The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1350 AM, the WARF iHeart channel, and the TuneIn Radio App.
