July 10: Peterson, power give Ducks 6-3 win in Reading
July 10, 2024 RubberDucks Game Recap | Box Score Akron RubberDucks (11-3, 48-35) 6, Reading Fightin Phils (4-10, 35-47) 3 WP: Austin Peterson (3-0) LP: Robinson Pina (9-4) Save: Jack Leftwich (7) Summary RubberDucks right-hander Austin Peterson held Reading hitless until the sixth inning to become Minor League Baseball’s first
July 10, 2024 RubberDucks Game Recap | Box Score
Akron RubberDucks (11-3, 48-35) 6, Reading Fightin Phils (4-10, 35-47) 3
WP: Austin Peterson (3-0) LP: Robinson Pina (9-4) Save: Jack Leftwich (7)
Summary
RubberDucks right-hander Austin Peterson held Reading hitless until the sixth inning to become Minor League Baseball’s first 10-game winner this season, and center fielder Petey Halpin hit a go-ahead three-run home run, while third baseman Milan Tolentino had his first professional multi-homer game in Akron’s 6-3 win over the Fightin Phils in the second game of a six-game series at FirstEnergy Stadium Wednesday night.
Turning Point
In a scoreless game in the third inning, catcher Joe Donovan hit a one-out double to left field, right-hander Robinson Pina hit first baseman C.J. Kayfus with a pitch, and Halpin drove a three-run home run to left-center field, marking his third straight game with a home run and giving Akron a 3-0 lead.
Mound Presence
Peterson retired the first seven batters of the game before allowing his first walk in six starts. He retired another five in a row before a second walk. He allowed his third walk and hit another batter in the sixth before allowing the first Reading hit – a two-out, two-run double by first baseman Carson Taylor to cut the Akron lead to 4-2 and end Peterson’s outing after 5 2/3 innings with five strikeouts and put him in line to win his third straight start to begin his Double-A career. Right-hander Davis Sharpe pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings and has not allowed an earned run in seven straight appearances (11 1/3 innings). Right-hander Mason Hickman allowed an eighth-inning solo homer to second baseman Robert Moore. Right-hander Jack Leftwich worked around a single in a scoreless ninth inning for his seventh save and fourth in five outings.
Holding Reading hitless for 5.2 innings, @APetey19 has begun his Double-A career with three straight starts of 5+ innings, 2 or fewer runs allowed
— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) July 11, 2024
5⃣ strikeouts tonight give him 20 in 18.2 Double-A innings 💪 https://t.co/3dJ0ubCBGw pic.twitter.com/h222xZyW3x
Yordys Valdés & @CJK_3121 turn the inning-ending @bbb_Akron double play behind @HickmanMason
— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) July 11, 2024
END 8 | Akron 6 | Reading 3 pic.twitter.com/SJLs41oF1x
RubberDucks WIN!@Jacklefty21 earns his 7⃣th save, finishing with a strikeout! 🔥
— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) July 11, 2024
FINAL | Akron 6 | Reading 3@APetey19 (5.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 K) has won all 3 of his Akron starts
HRs: @peteyhalpin (8), @milantolentino x2 (8)https://t.co/VmhPHBaCOT pic.twitter.com/Cqhvu6GIJC
Duck Tales
Tolentino led off the fourth inning with a solo home run to left-center field off Pina to make it 4-0. In the seventh inning, shortstop Yordys Valdés doubled to right-center field and stole third base, scoring on an RBI single by Kayfus with the infield in. Tolentino added a two-out solo home run in the eighth against right-hander Daniel Harper for a 6-2 lead.
Notebook
Peterson leads Minor League Baseball with 103 2/3 innings this season, ranks second in WHIP (0.76) and has 107 strikeouts, ranking fifth. He still has only nine walks, while all other minor leaguers with 100 strikeouts have also walked at least 20 batters this season…Tolentino has three home runs in his last two games and four in his last four games…Akron has seven home runs in the series and leads the Eastern League with 21 homers in the second half (since June 25)…For a second straight game, every RubberDucks hitter had at least one hit…Game Time: 2:26…Attendance: 5,218.
On the Pond
The RubberDucks continue their series in Reading at 7 p.m. Thursday at FirstEnergy Stadium. Akron left-hander Parker Messick (1-1, 3.65 ERA) is scheduled to face Fightin Phils right-hander Jean Cabrera (High-A: 5-4, 3.39 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.