The Akron RubberDucks (69-61) scored four runs in the second inning and pulled away late, defeating Richmond (55-76) by a final of 9-3 on Friday night at Canal Park. Squirrels starter Kyle Crick suffered the loss and could not make it past the third inning in the defeat. Brandon Bednar collected two more hits in the contest for Richmond and extended his hitting streak to seven consecutive games.
Akron took advantage of an erratic Kyle Crick to stake an early 4-0 lead. Crick, afterlooking sharp in the first inning, struggled with his command in the second. Crick hit the first batter of the inning and then walked the next two, loading the bases. Crick secured the first out of the inning on a grounder but gave into the next hitter Todd Hankins on a 3-2 fastball. Hankins drilled the pitch off the top of the left field wall, scoring a pair in the process. Ivan Castillo followed with a sacrifice fly and Hankins eventually came around to score on a passed ball. Crick threw 39 pitches in the inning before getting the final out.
Richmond threatened to no avail through the first three innings against Akron starter Jullian Merryweather. Darren Ford and Ryder Jones both singled in the first inning but were left stranded as Merryweather closed the inning with a pair of strikeouts. Merryweather also danced around a double in the second and a single in the third.
The ‘Ducks tacked on another run in the third, leading to Crick’s departure. Crick once again hit Nellie Rodriguez with a pitch to start the inning. Mike Papi then singled with a one out, sending the Squirrels into the bullpen early. Christian Jones relieved Crick and relinquished an RBI single to Daniel Salters prior to getting the final two outs of the inning. Crick (3-11) lasted just 2 1/3 innings and allowed five runs on two hits on the loss. Crick walked four and struck out three.
The Squirrels were able to break through against Merryweather in the fourth and fifth innings, puling to within a run 5-3. C.J. Hinojosa started the rally with a hit by pitch and Tyler Horan followed with a single. Brandan Bednar then extended his hitting streak to seven games with an RBI single, scoring Hinojosa. Horan then was brought home on a double play, cutting the lead to 5-2. Richmond added one more run on an RBI base hit from Chris Shaw in the fifth for 5-3 score.
Up by two runs, the RubberDucks managed to tally three more in the fifth and pull away against the lefty Christian Jones. Eric Haase started the inning with a single and advanced to second on a ground out. Daniel Salters then delivered his second RBI hit of the night for a 6-3 Akron lead. Todd Hankins then drilled a triple and Ivan Castillo added an RBI single to cap the three-run inning.
Merryweather (5-4) earned the win by pitching six innings on the night. The right-hander allowed the three runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out five. The Akron bullpen of Cole Sulser and Nick Maronde finished out the contest.
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Chris Graham
