The Erie SeaWolves were unable to complete the comeback and ultimately fell 10-4 to the Akron RubberDucks on Wednesday at UPMC Park.
Jose Tena greeted Sawyer Gipson-Long with a leadoff triple just past the reach of first baseman Quincy Nieporte. Brayan Rocchio pounded a groundball past the drawn-in infield for
The Erie SeaWolves were unable to complete the comeback and ultimately fell 10-4 to the Akron RubberDucks on Wednesday at UPMC Park.
Jose Tena greeted Sawyer Gipson-Long with a leadoff triple just past the reach of first baseman Quincy Nieporte. Brayan Rocchio pounded a groundball past the drawn-in infield for an RBI single to give Akron a 1-0 lead.
Daniel Schneeman began the second inning with a single and advanced to third on a base hit from Chris Roller. Raynel Delgado lifted a sac fly to bring in Schneeman and put Akron ahead, 2-0.
The leadoff reached again in the third as Bryan Lavastida homered for the second straight day to make it a 3-0 game.
The RubberDucks brought in two more runs in the fifth. Delgado poked a one-out double to center and he moved to third after Jose Tena reached on a fielder’s choice. Rocchio doubled in Delgado to end Gipson-Long’s evening. Brendan White came in and issued a walk to Lavastida before Micah Pries hit an RBI fielder’s choice to put Akron on top, 5-0.
Erie responded in the fifth. Michael De La Cruz worked a walk against Thomas Ponticelli. Luis Carpio doubled which brought De La Cruz to third. Daniel Cabrera knocked in a run with an RBI groundout. Andrew Navigato then lifted a sac fly to bring in Carpio to cut the deficit to 5-2.
Ponticelli did not factor in the decision after going 4.1 innings, yielding two runs on five hits, walking two, and striking out four.
The SeaWolves made it a two-run ballgame in the sixth as Dane Myers launched a solo homer to center field against Robert Broom. It was his 18th for Erie this season.
Erie closed the gap in the seventh. Carpio reached on an error from Rocchio. Cabrera and Navigato singled to load the bases before Parker Meadows cashed in with a sac fly to cut the deficit to 5-4.
Akron broke the game open in the ninth. Pries began the frame with a single off of Elvis Alvarado. Jhonkensy Noel blooped a single to right to move Pries to third. Lavastida hit a sac fly to drive in Pries. Schneeman doubled and Chris Roller was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Delgado then delivered a bases-clearing double to extend Akron’s lead to five. Tena walked and Rocchio singled to put runners at every square base. Lavastida brought home Delgado with a sac fly against Joe Navilhon to give the ‘Ducks a 10-4 lead.
Mason Hickman picked up his first save in his Double-A debut. He tossed two perfect innings and struck out a batter.
Broom (3-1) earned the win. He pitched 2.2 innings, allowing two runs, one earned on three hits, walking none, and striking out three.
Gipson-Long (1-1) received the loss. He threw 3.1 innings, giving up five runs on nine hits, walking none, and striking out six.