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Photo: David Monseur/Accent Images/Courtesy Akron RubberDucks

Richmond Flying Squirrels 3, Akron RubberDucks 2

Akron couldn’t generate many offensive opportunities, and failed to capitalize on the ones they did, as they fell 3-2 to Richmond. Micah Pries went deep in the first, but they couldn’t score again, despite loading the bases on two separate occasions. It is the RubberDucks first time suffering consecutive losses since May 5th. 

Offense Comes Up Short

It looked like the start of another big offensive night for Akron, when Micah Pries clubbed another home run to the bullpens in right-center field, giving the Ducks an Early 2-0 lead. However, the offense sputtered from there, unable to convert again for the rest of the night.

Barely.

In the fifth inning, George Valera crushed a line drive to right center field. It may have seemed like his eighth dinger of the season, but fans might have known something was up when Valera was hustling out of the box instead of giving the ball his signature home run watch. 

His instincts were correct, as the ball thumped off of the yellow line at the top of the wall, three inches short of a home run, leaving Valera with a 370-foot double. The offense couldn’t bring him home, and the game remained 3-2. 

The offense wasn’t all bad, eight of nine batters had a hit, with the one exception being Daniel Schneeman, who walked twice. The hits just came at the wrong time.

The bottom of the order caused a threat with one out in the seventh, loading the bases for the top of the order, Richmond left starter Matt Frisbee in the game, and he escaped the threat by striking out Bo Naylor and George Valera.

A chance for redemption came in the ninth.Jonathan Engelmann, Schneeman and Naylor walked, setting up a pair of top prospects with the bases loaded and one out. George Valera popped out on the infield, and Brayan Rocchio struck out to end the night. 

Gaddis Keeps It Close

As marvelous as Frisbee was, Akron starter Hunter Gaddis came ready to compete. His fastball whizzed past Richmond bats, on his way to 10 punchouts. 

On an untimely hitting night for Akron’s, Richmond was perfect. After Gaddis walked one of two batters he did on the night, he conceded a game-tying home run to right field, Richmond’s first hit of the game.

It came on a 93 mph fastball. For a pitch that peaked at 97 mph early, Gaddis’ heater faded late, down to 94 on a routine basis. 

Akron ended up outhitting Richmond by an 8-6 margin, but timing was key, and when Gaddis allowed a home run off a changeup in the fifth, it turned out to be the game-sealing run. 

Notable Performances

P Hunter Gaddis: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 10 K, 2 BB 92 Pitches (60 Strikes, 32 Balls)

FB: 93-97

SL: 87-88

CH: 85-86

CB: 76-79

P Andrew Misazek: 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 K, 1 H