Rubberducks Game Notes 090518
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2018 Akron RubberDucks Game Notes Altoona Curve (78-60) vs. Akron RubberDucks (78-62) Pittsburgh Pirates Cleveland Indians Western Division Series Game 1 • Wednesday, September 5, 2018 • 6:35 p.m. Canal Park • Akron, OH Radio: WARF 1350 AM • WARF iHeart Channel • TuneIn App | Television: MiLB.TV Today’s Starting Pitchers: Wed. 9/5, 6:35 p.m. vs. Altoona (ELDS) Akron: RHP Kyle Dowdy (4-8, 5.68) Altoona: LHP Cam Vieaux (9-5, 3.59) Upcoming Games and Pitching Probables (subject to change): Thu. 9/6, 6:35 p.m. vs. Altoona (ELDS) Akron: RHP Jake Paulson (8-5, 3.04) Altoona: RHP Eduardo Vera (8-3, 3.62) Fri. 9/7, 6:00 p.m. at Altoona (ELDS) Akron: RHP Zach Plesac (3-1, 2.45) Altoona: TBA Sat. 9/8, 4:00 p.m. at Altoona (ELDS)* Akron: LHP Sean Brady (7-7, 4.53) Altoona: TBA Sun. 9/9, 2:00 p.m. at Altoona (ELDS)* Akron: TBA Altoona: TBA * if necessary RubberDucks News and Notes: Last Time Out Akron’s Nellie Rodriguez homered, and Mark Mathias mashed a two-out, two-run, go-ahead double, as the RubberDucks notched a 7-4 win over the Erie SeaWolves in the regular-season finale Monday afternoon at UPMC Park in Erie, Pa. Where We Stand At 78-62, Akron finished in 2nd place in the EL West, one game out. Altoona won the division title with a 78-60 record, and will have home-field advantage in the best-of-five Division Series. The winner advances to the ELCS against either Trenton or New Hampshire. The RubberDucks… -are in the EL playoffs for the 17th time in franchise history (30 seasons). -tied with Altoona for the 2nd-most wins in the EL (78). -were 38-32 in the friendly confines of Canal Park. -rank 2nd in the EL in runs (665), 2nd in ERA (3.59), T-6th in batting (.250), 3rd in steals (132) and T-4th in defense (.978). Player Notes -RHP Jake Paulson won the EL ERA title (3.04). -OF Andrew Calica finished 2nd in the EL in on-base percentage (.389) and 3rd in stolen bases (27). -2B Mark Mathias was the top-ranked defensive second baseman in the EL (.987 FA, 6 E, 474 TC). About the Opposition Altoona is the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Curve won the 2017 EL title with consecutive three-game sweeps of Bowie and Trenton. Michael Ryan is in his 2nd season as Curve manager. The franchise began in 1999, and is named after the famous Horseshoe Curve, a section of railroad line spanning the summit of the Allegheny Mountains and connecting Altoona and Johnstown, Pa. Notable alumni of the franchise include Andrew McCutcheon, Starling Marte, Neil Walker, Jameson Taillon and Gerritt Cole. Transaction Wire 3B Josh Donaldson and RHP Cody Anderson will suit up for the RubberDucks on minor league rehab assignments. In other moves, LHP R.C. Orlan, RHP Kieran Lovegrove and C Li-Jen Chu have been added to the playoff roster. On Deck The RubberDucks and Curve will play Game 2 of the ELDS on Thursday night at 6:35 at Canal Park. 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 17 times overall, and 11 of the last 17 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 7 SeaWolves 4…Monday, 9/3/18 Summary Akron’s Nellie Rodriguez homered, and Mark Mathias mashed a two-out, two-run, go-ahead double, as the RubberDucks notched a 7-4 win over the Erie SeaWolves in the regular-season finale Monday afternoon at UPMC Park in Erie, Pa. Turning Point The RubberDucks (78-62) scored four times against Matt Manning (0-1) in the fifth inning to wipe out a 3-2 deficit. Elvis Perez led off the inning with his first Double-A hit, a double, and scored on a double by Ernie Clement. Andrew Calica followed with an RBI single to tie the game, 4-4. Two batters later, Mathias crushed a double to left-center, chasing home two runs and giving the Ducks a 6-4 lead. Mound Presence Former RubberDucks ace and current Cleveland Indians pitcher Cody Anderson started the game and worked one scoreless inning on a minor league rehab appearance. Anderson has missed most of the last two seasons after elbow surgery. After the first, the Ducks pieced the rest of the game together with six relievers. Pasquale (3-3) picked up the win despite giving up a pair of runs in his 1.2 innings. DeMasi worked the final two innings, retiring all six batters he faced, to earn his first save. Duck Tales Rodriguez socked a solo homer in the seventh, a solo shot to right, to make it 7-4. It was his second hit of the day and fifth homer of the year. Perez was 3-4, with a double and two singles. Clement also enjoyed a three-hit day, going 3-5, with an RBI. Notebook The RubberDucks won three out of four in the series to close the regular season…Akron’s 78 wins tied for 2nd-most in the EL…Game 1 of the EL Western Division playoff series is Wednesday night at 6:35 against Altoona at Canal Park…RHP Kyle Dowdy will start for Akron against Altonna lefty Cam Vieaux…The SeaWolves (63-77) finished the season tied for fifth in the EL West…Time of game: 2:53…Attendance: 5,401. 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. He spent the last seven seasons as a hitting coach for Indians rookie-level players in Goodyear, Arizona. He spent two seasons as a bullpen catcher for the Cleveland Indians from 2007-2008. Malave moved into the coaching ranks after playing in the Tribe system for eight years, starting in 1997 when he was signed as a free agent.