Guardians Baseball Insider

Image: David Monseur/Accent Images/Courtesy Akron RubberDucks

The RubberDucks dropped the first two games of their six-game series with the Altoona Curve at Canal Park before winning the next four to secure a series victory. After two close losses to start the week, the ‘Ducks got back on track with a 9-8 comeback win that involved a four-run sixth inning. With Daniel Espino setting the tone on Friday before leaving with injury, the entire pitching staff dominated the Curve throughout the weekend allowing just four runs over the final 27 innings of the series. Guardians infielder Yu Chang also made two rehab appearances during the series going 1-5. 

Day-by-Day

4/26: Altoona 6, Akron 4; W: Matson; L: Cantillo; S: Selby
4/27: Altoona 2, Akron 1; W: Toribio; L: Alvarez; S: Roberts
4/28: Akron 9, Altoona 8; W: Misiaszek; L: Mejia
4/29: Akron 3, Altoona 1; W: Alvarez; L: MacGregor; S: Enright
4/30: Akron 4, Altoona 2; W: Burns; L: Cruz; S: Kelly
5/1: Akron 4, Altoona 1; W Cantillo; L: Mlodzinski

Player of the Week

RHP Hunter Gaddis: 10 IP, 10 H, 1 ER, 14 K, 0 BB

All Hunter Gaddis has done while toeing the rubber for the ‘Ducks at home this season, is throw strikes. In two appearances against Altoona, he gave up just one earned run in ten innings and walked none. He started off the week Tuesday with a piggyback appearance that followed a rough start from lefty Joey Cantillo. His five innings of one run baseball allowed the Akron offense to bring the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning before their eventual loss. Gaddis got the start on Sunday and continued his hot play at Canal Park. Throwing just 65 pitches (46 for strikes) in five innings, Gaddis set Akron up for a series finale victory allowing just four hits and one unearned run. 

Who’s Hot

IF Marcos Gonzalez: 6-17, HR, 2 RBI

Marcos Gonzalez’s offense gave Akron a huge lift after losing the first two games against Altoona this week. During Thursday’s contest he went 2-4 including an RBI double in the first inning en route to a high scoring win for the ‘Ducks. During Saturday’s win he homered to left field which was his second of the year. Gonzalez is now batting .316 in 13 games for Akron on the year. 

LHP Logan Allen: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K

GBI’s #8 prospect continues his hot start to the season. The southpaw tossed six innings allowing just five baserunners in six innings for Akron on Wednesday night before the relief allowed Altoona to score twice en route to a 2-1 loss. Allen now has a 2.11 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 21.1 innings of work on the season.

SS Brayan Rocchio: .238/.360/.524, 2 HR, 4 RBI

While Rocchio only got five hits in six games against Altoona, he made the most of them. In Thursday’s comeback win, he socked a two-run home run in the sixth to bring the ‘Ducks within a run. He homered again in the first inning on Saturday to give Akron a lead that they would keep the rest of the game. Rocchio also stayed patient against the Curve, drawing four walks, and finished with an .884 OPS for the week. 

Who’s Not

The Catchers: 2-25, 1 RBI, 12 K, 3 BB

Akron players whose primary position is catcher combined for five total bases in 28 plate appearances against Altoona. Bo Naylor, who caught two games in the series missing Wednesday and Thursday’s games with a hand injury and pinch hitting as a DH on Friday and Sunday, had the only two hits. Eric Rodriguez went 0-9 with seven strikeouts while Seth Caddell went 0-4 in his one game played on Thursday.

RHP Xzavion Curry: 3 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, HR

In the same way Hunter Gaddis has been lights out at home, Curry has struggled mightily at Canal Park this season. He labored Thursday throwing 69 pitches in just three innings while allowing four runs to cross. Although he’s given up just one earned run in nine innings on the road this year, he’s given up 10 earned runs in 7.2 innings pitched at home.

Transactions

4/26/22: RHP Nick Gallagher assigned to Columbus Clippers from Akron RubberDucks
4/26/22: RHP Kevin Coulter assigned to Akron RubberDucks from Columbus Clippers
4/26/22: C Seth Caddell assigned to Akron RubberDucks from Lake County Captains
4/26/22: RHP Luis Oviedo assigned to Akron RubberDucks
4/27/22: LHP Jake Miednik assigned to ACL Guardians from Akron RubberDucks
4/28/22: OF Jonathan Engelmann assigned to Columbus Clippers from Akron RubberDucks
4/29/22: Cleveland Guardians sent SS Yu Chang on a rehab assignment to Akron RubberDucks

On ‘Duck

5/3: @ Richmond, 6:35 PM
5/4: @ Richmond, 6:35 PM
5/5: @ Richmond, 6:35 PM
5/6: @ Richmond, 1:05 PM
5/7: @ Richmond, 6:05 PM
5/8: @ Richmond, 1:05 PM