June 11: Walk-off homer beats RubberDucks in Hartford, 4-3

June 11, 2024 RubberDucks Game Recap | Box Score

Hartford Yard Goats (31-26) 4, Akron RubberDucks (33-25) 3

WP: Collin Baumgartner (2-0) LP: Jordan Jones (1-4) Save: none

Summary

The Akron RubberDucks built a 3-0 lead through the first six innings, but the Hartford Yard Goats tallied four runs over the final three innings, including a ninth-inning, two-run, walk-off home run by pinch hitter Zach Kokoska for a 4-3 win in the opener of a six-game series at Dunkin’ Park on Tuesday night.

Turning Point

With Akron leading, 3-2, in the bottom of the ninth inning, first baseman Kyle Datres hit a one-out ground ball to third baseman Dayan Frías, whose fielding and then throwing error to first base allowed Datres to reach second base as the tying run against right-hander Jordan Jones. Kokoska hit the 1-0 pitch to the seats in left-center field for a walk-off win.

Mound Presence

RubberDucks left-hander Jaime Arias allowed back-to-back singles to start the game and a two-out walk to load the bases but then retired 13 of the final 14 batters he faced, completing five shutout innings with two walks and four strikeouts. Right-hander Davis Sharpe pitched around a single in the sixth inning but in both the seventh and eighth innings, he allowed leadoff doubles and subsequent RBI singles. Jones relieved Sharpe with two outs in the eighth and the tying run in scoring position but struck out left fielder Sterling Thompson to keep a 3-2 lead through eight innings.

Duck Tales

Akron loaded the bases in the first inning against right-hander Connor Van Scoyoc and had six hits through four innings without a run. In the fifth, Van Scoyoc hit designated hitter Nate Furman with a pitch, and when first baseman C.J. Kayfus lined a single down the right-field line, Furman raced home as Kayfus was thrown out at second base. In the sixth inning against left-hander Reagan Todd, second baseman Milan Tolentino singled to left-center field, and Frías doubled to right field. A wild pitch and a groundout by shortstop Yordys Valdés scored the runners for a 3-0 lead.

The new guys are good!!@CJK_3121 drives in Furman with a big RBI base hit! pic.twitter.com/P0gTrd4Aqv

— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) June 12, 2024

Adding on!@milantolentino reads the wild pitch and speeds home to extend the lead! pic.twitter.com/DY5wnjjcnv

— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) June 12, 2024

Notebook

The walk-off home run was the first against Akron since Binghamton’s Tanner Murphy hit a two-run homer in a 6-4, 11-inning final April 29, 2023…Akron fell percentage points behind Erie (32-24) in the Southwest Division first-half race, while Hartford remained a half game behind Portland in the Northeast Division…Kayfus is 11-for-22 with a six-game hitting streak to begin his Double-A career…Right fielder Alexfri Planez had three hits and is 15-for-35 in his season-long, eight-game hitting streak…Left fielder Joe Lampe had two hits and is 11-for-24 in a five-game hitting streak…Tolentino had two hits and has nine hits in five games on the road trip…Game Time: 2:39…Attendance: 5,621.

On the Pond

The RubberDucks continue their series in Hartford at 7:10 p.m. Wednesday at Dunkin’ Park. Akron right-hander Aaron Davenport (4-1, 2.02 ERA) is scheduled to face Yard Goats right-hander Jarrod Cande (3-3, 4.50 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.