AKRON, OH- It was a cool and crisp spring Sunday afternoon at Canal Park as the Akron Rubberducks wrapped up their series with the Erie Seawolves. Akron was looking to salvage the last game of the series after dropping the last four straight. Ryan Webb (1-0, 2.08) took the mound for the Ducks opposed by Erie's Troy Melton (0-1, 6.43).
The Ducks came out flashing the leather early on. In the top of the 1st Ryan Webb walked the first two batters before inducing a fly ball out to right center and a strikeout of Jake Holton. Chris Meyers then sent a pop up to short left field that was grabbed on a sliding catch near the left field line by Alexfri Planez to end the inning and save a run.
In the top of the 2nd with two down, second baseman Christian Cairo made a diving catch into short center field of a soft liner off the bat of Eliezer Alfonzo to end the inning.
Ryan Webb was pulled with 2 outs and a runner on second in the 5th inning by manager Greg DiCenzo. Lenny Torres Jr. came in to induce a fly ball out to end the inning. Webb allowed 2 hits, walked 4 and struck out 5 in 4.2 innings of work lowering his season ERA to 1.35 in three starts.
In the top of the 6th Torres got into a bases loaded, one out jam after allowing a double, a single and a walk. He was able to strike out Ben Malgeri on a full count to get out of the inning keeping it a scoreless game.
Lenny Torres Jr. with the big bases loaded strikeout to end the top of the 6th for Akron
The Rubberducks were finally able to break through in the bottom of the 7th. After a Joe Naranjo walk, Christian Cairo laid down a perfect but past the pitcher towards second base and was able to beat it out putting runners at first and second with no outs. Yordys Valdes then laid down a sacrifice bunt moving the runners up to second and third. Micael Ramirez delivered a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Naranjo.
Micael Ramirez with a sacrifice fly giving Akron a 1-0 lead in the 7th
Petey Halpin lined out into the right center field gap to end the inning. Akron led 1-0 after seven.
Erie was able to strike back in the top of the 8th. Tyler Thornton walked a pair of batters leaving runners at first and second before a pitching change was made. Andrew Walters came on for Akron and gave up an RBI single to Eliezer Alfonzo before striking out Malgeri to end the inning on a 97 MPH fastball. The game was tied up 1-1.
It stayed 1-1 until the bottom of the 9th when the Rubberducks walked it off on a crazy play. Alexfri Planez started things off with a bloop single to right. After a Naranjo strikeout, Christian Cairo sent a high chopper to third that hung in the air long enough for him to beat it out. Yordys Valdes then sent what appeared would be an inning ending double play ball to first, but he was able to beat the throw back to first with the pitcher covering. Planez appeared to be caught between third and home, but after the throw went to third he was able to beat the throw home as he slid in for the walk-off victory.
The Rubberducks walk it off on a crazy play in the 9th!
After an off day on Monday the Rubberducks hed to Altoona for a six game series with the Curve starting on Tuesday.
Final box score for Akron:
