Squirrels drop series finale with RubberDucks

The Akron RubberDucks (53-45) backed a solid outing from Michael Peoples with 14 hits in a 7-3 win over Richmond (38-57) on Wednesday afternoon at The Diamond.

Akron managed to win the series by taking the last two games of the set. Peoples traded zeroes with Richmond starter Matt Gage for most of the day in front of a near sellout crowd of 8,294 fans. C.J. Hinojosa collected three hits for Richmond in the loss.

Lefty Matt Gage squared off against righty Michael Peoples in the series finale and both hurlers where effective and efficient through the first five innings. Gage needed just 28 pitches to retire the first six batters of the game. Akron catcher Daniel Salters became the first base runner for either team to start the third but was erased on a 5-4-3 double play. Gage faced the minimum amount of hitters through the first three innings on just 31 pitches.

Gage’s counterpart, Peoples, also moved down the lineup quickly, using only 29 pitches through the first three innings. Peoples picked up five groundball outs in the first three innings and did not allow a base runner until C.J Hinojosa singled with twoouts in the fourth inning. Hinojosa turned in a three-hit performance in the defeat.

Akron was able to dent Gage’s armor with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning. Ivan Castillo began the uprising with a one-out single to right. Bradley Zimmer followed with a base hit and Jeremy Lucas lofted an RBI base hit down the right field line for a 1-0 lead. Nellie Rodriguez added a sacrifice fly to go ahead 2-0.

The Squirrels quickly countered with a pair in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game, 2-2. Darren Ford led off with an infield base hit and promptly swiped second base. Steven Duggar then connected on his sixth hit of the series – a single to left field – producing Richmond’s first run. Christian Arroyo and C.J. Hinojosa each singled to continue the inning and load the bases. Chris Shaw then tied the game by chopping a fielder’s choice to second base, Peoples limited the damage from there, inducing a ground ball double play to end the inning.

Gage returned to the mound for the seventh inning but could not make it fully through. After striking out Joe Sever to start the inning, Akron connected on three straight base hits to load the bases and force Richmond into the pen. Tyler Mizenko took over for Gage but could not hold back Akron. Bradley Zimmer careened a ground ball past the mound, scoring a pair of runs fr a 4-2 Akron advantage. Jeremy Lucas followed with a base hit to left, scoring Ivan Castillo and ending the line on Gage. Gage lasted 6 1/3 innings and allowed the five runs on eight hits. Hetossed 107 pitches and struck out five in the outing.

Peoples continued to baffle the Squirrels until Richmond stuck again in the eighth inning. With two outs, Christian Arroyo doubled and Hinojosa brought him home with a base hit to pull Richmond to within two, 5-3. The base hit ended the longest outing of the season for Peoples. Peoples (8-4) earned the win and hurled 7 2/3 in the effort. He allowed three runs on eight hits and tossed 96 pitches in the victory. Louis Head entered for Peoples and struck out Chris Shaw to cease further damage in the eighth.

Mizenko worked the eighth for Richmond and Chase Johnson entered for the ninth. Johnson picked up a pair of strikeouts, but yielded three hits, including a two-run double to Jordan Smith. Smith doubled home Jeremy Lucas and Clint Frazier to take a 7-3 lead.