June 7: Planez homers again, but Ducks fall to Sea Dogs, 4-2
June 7, 2024 RubberDucks Game Recap | Box Score Portland Sea Dogs (30-25) 4, Akron RubberDucks (32-23) 2 WP: CJ Liu (1-1) LP: Ryan Webb (1-5) Save: Felix Cepeda (10) Summary RubberDucks right fielder Alexfri Planez hit his fifth home run in his last nine games, but the Portland Sea
June 7, 2024 RubberDucks Game Recap | Box Score
Portland Sea Dogs (30-25) 4, Akron RubberDucks (32-23) 2
WP: CJ Liu (1-1) LP: Ryan Webb (1-5) Save: Felix Cepeda (10)
Summary
RubberDucks right fielder Alexfri Planez hit his fifth home run in his last nine games, but the Portland Sea Dogs kept Akron scoreless the rest of the night for a 4-2 victory in the fourth game of a six-game series at Hadlock Field Friday night.
🖐️ homers in 9 games for Alexfri Planez!
— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) June 8, 2024
The "Maine Monster" is no match!
106 mph 💪 402 feet for his team-high 9th Western Reserve Distillers 🍸 HOME RUN
TOP 6 | Portland 4 | Akron 2 pic.twitter.com/1vQyGdAsHR
Turning Point
After a 53-minute rain delay following the top of the second inning, Akron left-hander Ryan Webb walked third baseman Eddinson Paulino, who moved to second base on a balk and stole third base when Webb walked right fielder Phillip Sikes. First baseman Tyler Miller hit a sacrifice fly to center field to break the scoreless tie, and Portland kept the lead for the rest of the game.
Mound Presence
Webb induced a double play to end the second inning and another after allowing a run in the third. He finished four innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Right-hander Alaska Abney allowed three hits and two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning but worked two more scoreless innings to give Akron three in relief. Right-hander Tyler Thornton pitched a perfect eighth inning with one strikeout.
Starter @RWebb55 gave us
— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) June 8, 2024
4⃣ innings
3⃣ strikeouts
2⃣ @bbb_Akron double plays https://t.co/5vmQvXKdjL pic.twitter.com/bLl1tk9TmC
Duck Tales
RubberDucks first baseman C.J. Kayfus singled in the first inning to extend a four-game hitting streak to begin his Double-A career. But Portland right-hander CJ Liu did not allow a hit after the rain delay until the sixth inning, when second baseman Nate Furman drew a leadoff walk. Two batters later, Planez drilled a 402-foot home run over the 37-foot-high “Maine Monster” in left field, cutting the deficit to 4-2. Liu struck out the next two batters to finish his six-inning start. Liu and two Portland relievers combined to retire the next 11 batters to end the game.
Notebook
Akron remained a half game ahead of Harrisburg (31-23) in the Southwest Division first-half race, while Portland drew within a half game of Hartford in the Northeast Division…Planez has 11 hits in his season-long six-game hitting streak…Kayfus has eight hits and eight RBIs in his first four Double-A games…Center fielder Petey Halpin’s 17-game on-base streak ended…Game Time: 2:30 (0:53 delay)…Attendance: 6,401.
On the Pond
The RubberDucks continue their series in Portland at 6:00 p.m. Saturday at Hadlock Field. Akron left-hander Doug Nikhazy (0-0, 1.93 ERA) is scheduled to face Sea Dogs right-hander Luis Perales (1-0, 0.00 ERA). The game broadcast is on 640 WHLO, the 640 WHLO iHeartRadio channel, and akronrubberducks.com, and available on Bally Live. Tickets for RubberDucks home games are available at akronrubberducks.com/tickets.