SeaWolves can't cool off Esparza, 7-6

RubberDucks Game Recap
RubberDucks 7 SeaWolves 6
WP: Matt Esparza (5-0) LP: Beau Burrows (2-2) Save: Perci Garner (1)
Summary
Akron's Tyler Krieger slugged a three-run home run and drove in five RBI altogether, and Matt Esparza earned his fifth win, as the RubberDucks defeated the Erie SeaWolves, 7-6, on Thursday afternoon at Canal Park in Akron, Ohio.

Turning Point
The RubberDucks (39-35) jumped all over Erie starter Beau Burrows (2-2) with four runs in the first inning. With one out, Mike Papi doubled and came around on a double by Eric Haase. After a two-out walk to Joe Sever, Tyler Krieger ripped a three-run homer to right field to give the Ducks a 4-0 lead. It was Krieger's fifth homer of the year, and Akron's 41^st this month.
Winging It
Matt Esparza (5-0) remained unbeaten with a six-inning effort Thursday. He did not allow a run and only yielded three hits. He walked two and fanned eight, and lowered his ERA to 1.82 in his first six Double-A starts. He was 3-3 at Single-A Lynchburg before joining the RubberDucks on May 30^th. Right-hander Mitch Brown worked a scoreless seventh inning, but left the bases loaded for lefty David Speer with one out in the eighth. Speer gave up a pair of two-run doubles to Christin Stewart and Kody Eaves and a RBI single to A.J. Simcox to allow the SeaWolves to pull to within 7-5. Speer came back for the ninth, but allowed three singles to load the bases with one out. Right-hander Perci Garner came out of the pen and gave up a sacrifice fly to Steven Moya to make it 7-6, but recovered to induce a groundout by Simcox to end the game and secure his first save.
Duck Tales
Krieger added a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning when the Ducks extended the lead to 6-0, and grounded an RBI single in the seventh to extend the lead to 7-0. He was 2-3 on the day. Haase was also 2-3, and filled the box score with a double, a single, a walk, two stolen bases and three runs. Dorssys Paulino enjoyed a two-hit day, going 2-4, with a pair of singles.
Notebook
With Altoona losing at Bowie, 9-3, Akron is now in a first-place tie atop the EL Western Division…The RubberDucks have won three straight games, and improved to four games over the .500-mark for the first time all season… After trailing 7-0, the SeaWolves (37-41) sent 17 batters to the plate in their final two innings, scored six runs, and had the bases loaded when the game ended….After dropping the series opener, the RubberDucks won the final three games of the series…Time of Game: 2:54… Attendance: 4,918. 
On Deck
The RubberDucks continue the homestand on Friday night at 7:05, when they host the Bowie Baysox in the opener of a four-game wrap-around series. The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1350 AM, the WARF iHeart channel, and the TuneIn Radio App.