Rubberducks Game Notes 090118
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2018 Akron RubberDucks Game Notes Erie SeaWolves (62-75) vs. Akron RubberDucks (76-61) Detroit Tigers Cleveland Indians Game 138 • Saturday, September 1, 2018 • 6:05 p.m. UPMC Park • Erie, PA Radio: WARF 1350 AM • WARF iHeart Channel • TuneIn App | Television: MiLB.TV Today’s Starting Pitchers: Sat. 9/1, 6:05 p.m. at Erie: Akron: RHP Zach Plesac (2-1, 2.25) Erie: RHP A.J. Ladwig (4-1, 2.31) UpcoMing GaMes and Pitching Probables (subject to change): Sun. 9/2, 6:05 p.M. at Erie: Akron: LHP Sean Brady (7-7, 4.70) Erie: RHP Beau Burrows (10-9, 3.96) Mon. 9/3, 1:35 p.M. at Erie: Akron: LHP Matt Whitehouse (4-1, 2.40) Erie: RHP Matt Manning (0-0, 0.00) Tue. 9/4—OFF Wed. 9/5, TBA vs. Altoona (ELDS): Akron: RHP Triston McKenzie (7-4, 2.68) Altoona: TBA Thu. 9/6, TBA vs. Altoona (ELDS: Akron: RHP Kyle DoWdy (4-8, 6.22) Altoona: TBA RubberDucks News and Notes: Last TiMe Out Akron’s Kyle DoWdy tossed six shutout innings and combined With three relievers on a four-hitter, and AndreW Calica clubbed a tWo-run double, as the RubberDucks claimed a 4-0 victory over the Erie SeaWolves Friday night at UPMC Park in Erie, Pa. Where We Stand At 76-61, the RubberDucks are in 2nd place in the EL West, one game behind Altoona. Akron has clinched a playoff spot. Altoona holds the potential tie-breaker if the teams end up tied for the division title. Three (3) games remain in the regular season. The RubberDucks… -are tied With the Altoona and Trenton for the most Wins in the EL (76). -enter Sept. one game out of 1st place after leading the division by seven games on 8/1. -are 38-29 on the road, Which is the 2nd-most road Wins in the EL. -rank 2nd in the EL in runs (646), 2nd in ERA (3.56), tied for 9th in batting (.247), 3rd in steals (131) and T-5th in defense (.978). Player Notes -OF Andrew Calica was 10-27 (.370) With a homer, tWo doubles and four RBI on the homestand. He is also 3rd in the EL in stolen bases (27) and on-base percentage (.389). -2B Mark Mathias is the top-ranked defensive second baseman in the EL (.987 FA, 6 E, 464 TC). About the Opposition Erie is the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, a partnership that began in 2001. The team is managed by AndreW Graham. Erie’s hitting coach is Mike Hessman, Who holds the all-time minor league home run record With 433 career homers. Home games are played at UPMC Park in doWntoWn Erie, Pa. The SeaWolves have qualified for the EL playoffs five times, losing in the first round each time. The SeaWolves lost to the then-Akron Aeros, 3-1, in the first round of the playoffs in 2007. Notable alumni of the franchise include Nick Castellanos, Michael Fulmer, Curtis Granderson, and Eugenio Suarez. Transaction Wire RHP Kieran Lovegrove and C Li-Jen Chu have been promoted to Columbus. INF Alexis Pantoja has been transferred to Lynchburg. C Gianpaul Gonzalez and RHP Zach Plesac have been received from Lynchburg. INF Elvis Perez has been received from Lake County. On Deck The RubberDucks and SeaWolves Will continue the series on Sunday night at 6:05. Akron Baseball: A Winning Tradition This is the 30th season of Double-A baseball in Northeast Ohio, and the 22nd in doWntoWn Akron. The franchise began as the Canton-Akron Indians in 1989, and then moved to Canal Park in Akron as the Aeros in 1997. KnoWn as the RubberDucks since 2014, Akron has qualified for the Eastern League playoffs 16 times overall, and 10 of the last 16 years. The team has captured five Eastern League titles—2003, 2005, 2009, 2012 and 2016. Notable alumni of the franchise include Jaret Wright, Victor Martinez, CC Sabathia, Grady Sizemore, Charles Nagy, Cliff Lee, Jhonny Peralta, Danny Salazar, Jose Ramirez, Roberto Perez, Francisco Lindor, Giovanny Urshela, Tyler Naquin and Bradley Zimmer. Last GaMe Recap RubberDucks 4 SeaWolves 0…Friday, 8/31/18 SuMMary Akron’s Kyle DoWdy tossed six shutout innings and combined With three relievers on a four-hitter, and Andrew Calica clubbed a tWo-run double, as the RubberDucks claimed a 4-0 victory over the Erie SeaWolves Friday night at UPMC Park in Erie, Pa. Turning Point The RubberDucks (76-61) scored three crucial runs in the fifth off Spenser Watkins (1-2). With tWo men on and one out, Ernie Clement doubled into the right-center gap, scoring Daniel Salters to give the Ducks a 2-0 lead. Calica Was up next and crushed a double to the Wall in right field, chasing in tWo more to extend the lead to 4-0. It Was Calica’s 21st double. In the last 10 games, Calica is 12-32 (.375). Mound Presence Dowdy (4-8) picked up his first Win in the Indians organization With a sparkling, six-inning effort. He allowed three harmless singles, Walked three and fanned nine batters, which ties a season-high for the Ducks. Facing his former team, DoWdy used an overpoWering fastball to put aWay hitter after hitter. He struck out the side in his final inning. Nick Sandlin, James Karinchak and Argenis Angulo all chipped in a scoreless inning to complete the WhiteWash. It was Akron’s 13th shutout of the season. Duck Tales Nellie Rodriguez belted an RBI triple in the fourth inning to give the Ducks a 1-0 lead. Clement finished 2-5, as did Calica. Sam Haggerty Was 2-3 With a walk and a steal, his 24th of the year. Notebook The SeaWolves (62-75) used four relievers after Watkins left in the fifth, and they all tossed scoreless baseball…The Ducks entered the day one game behind Altoona in the EL West race…The Curve led BoWie, 8-4 in the 11th inning With the game in a rain delay at press time…Akron and Altoona Will meet in the first round of the playoffs, but home field advantage Will be determined by the division championship…Three games remain in the regular season…Akron Went 11-18 in August and lost a seven-game lead in the division…Time of game: 2:54…Attendance: Not announced. RubberDucks 2018 Field Staff #6 Tony Mansolino, Manager—Former minor league infielder Tony Mansolino is in his first season as manager of the Akron RubberDucks. Mansolino, 35, Was named the 17th manager in franchise history on January 17, 2018. He replaces Mark Budzinski, Who Was promoted to the major league staff after managing the RubberDucks last season. This season marks Mansolinoi’s third as a manager in the Indians minor league system. A native of NeWport Beach, California, and noW a resident of Nashville, Tennessee, Mansolino managed the Class-A Lynchburg Hillcats last season. He was named Carolina League “Manager of the Year” after guiding the Hillcats to a stellar 87-42 overall record and a Carolina League co-championship. Mansolino made his managerial debut With the Lake County Captains in 2016. Drafted by the Pirates in the 26th round of the 2005 draft out of Vanderbilt University, Mansolino played professionally for six years in the minor leagues and Was a career .231 hitter With 19 homers and 173 RBI. In addition to the Pirates organization, he also played in the Phillies minor league system and With three independent clubs before moving into coaching in 2011. He served as the RubberDucks hitting coach in 2015. Mansolino played four years for head coach Tim Corbin at Vandy, including an NCAA tournament appearance in 2004. Mansolino’s father, Doug, is the minor league field coordinator for the Phillies. #47 Rigo Beltran, Pitching Coach—After spending the past three seasons as pitching coach at Class-A Lynchburg, former major league left-hander Rigo Beltran Will serve as the RubberDucks pitching coach in 2018. Beltran, 48, joined the Indians in 2014, following seven years as a pitching coach in the Reds organization. After being selected in the 26th round of the 1991 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals out of the University of Wyoming, Beltran Went on to pitch professionally for 16 seasons. He appeared in 78 major league games With the Cardinals, Mets, Rockies and Expos, going a combined 2-3, With a 4.40 ERA. Born in Tijuana, Mexico, and noW a resident of Delray Beach, Florida, Beltran served as the pitching coach for Mexico in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. #25 Kevin Howard, Hitting Coach—RubberDucks hitters Will have the luxury of getting advice from a College World Series champion this season, as former University of Miami star Kevin HoWard Will serve as the RubberDucks hitting coach. This Will be his fourth season as a hitting coach in the Indians organization. HoWard, 36, Was a sophomore infielder When the Hurricanes defeated Stanford to Win the 2001 college baseball title. The folloWing summer, he Was drafted in the 5th round by the Reds and Went on to play professionally for 10 seasons. HoWard slugged 93 homers and drove in 540 runs during his minor league career. He Was born in Hinsdale, Illinois, attended high school in Westlake Village, California, and noW makes his off-season home in Miami Beach. #13 Dennis Malave, Bench Coach—A fixture in the Indians player development system, Dennis Malave assumes the role of bench coach for the RubberDucks in 2018. Malave, 38, is entering his 14th year in the organization.