AKRON RUBBERDUCKS GAME NOTES Akron RubberDucks Media Relations ● Canal Park ● 300 S. Main St. ● Akron, OH 44308 Director of Public & Media Relations: Adam Liberman [email protected] Lead Broadcaster: Marco LaNave [email protected] Akron RubberDucks (19-23) vs. Harrisburg Senators (29-13) Cleveland Indians Double-A Washington Nationals Double-A LHP Sam Hentges (1-5, 4.69) LHP Ben Braymer (3-1, 2.51) akronrubberducks.com @AkronRubberDucks Tuesday, May 21, 2019 • Canal Park • 6:35 p.m. EDT @AkronRubberDuck Game 43, Home Game 21, First Half Game 43, Night Game 29 WARF Fox Sports 1350 AM ● iHeartRadio (Fox Sports 1350) ● TuneIn (Akron RubberDucks) ● MiLB.TV @akronrubberducks Broadcast Powered By FirstEnergy ● Broadcasters: Jim Clark & Marco LaNave Sunday Recap: Flying Squirrels send RubberDucks home with split Ducks host Senators: The RubberDucks and Senators are playing the (Richmond 5, Akron 2): The Richmond Flying Squirrels scored five runs first of three scheduled intradivision three-game series this season, with in the first two innings and combined to shut out the RubberDucks on one six games at Canal Park and three at FNB Field. Last season, Akron went hit after a third-inning home run by first baseman Nellie Rodriguez in a 5- 5-7 against Harrisburg, including 2-4 at Canal Park. In 2018, the Senators 2 Richmond victory in the series finale to split the four-game series at The finished in third place in the Western Division, at 72-65 overall. Since Diamond in Richmond, Virginia, on Sunday afternoon. 2005, Akron leads the series, 100-84. Johnson’s hot bat: Outfielder Daniel Johnson is facing his former Garcia finds a groove in Double-A: In his first season with the Indians organization for the first time since he was part of the Nov. 30 trade (along organization and first in Double-A, first baseman Wilson Garcia leads the with IF Andruw Monasterio and RHP Jefry Rodriguez) that sent Yan team with 38 hits and 12 doubles. He is second on the club with five home Gomes from Cleveland to Washington. Before going 0-for-4 Sunday, runs, 29 RBI, 17 extra-base hits, 65 total bases, .417 SLG and .705 OPS. Johnson had an Akron season-long 11-game hitting streak May 7-18 (16- Garcia homered on May 10th and 11th in Reading, joining Daniel for-45, 14 runs, 2 doubles, triple, .356 AVG, .431 OBP) with six homers in Johnson as RubberDucks to homer in consecutive games this season. seven games May 9-16. He also had an RBI in eight of nine games May He began the season with 28 straight error-free games at first base. In the 8-17 (16 RBI). His .271 average, nine home runs (fourth in the Eastern first six games against one of his former organizations, the Philadelphia League), 31 RBI (third), 74 total bases (sixth), 24 runs, .359 OBP, .556 Phillies Double-A affiliate, Reading, Garcia was 8-for-23 (.348) with four SLG, and .916 OPS all lead Akron (qualified players). He has matched his runs, three home runs and six RBI. On May 3, he matched a career high RBI and surpassed his home run total from his Eastern League time in with four hits - his first four-hit game since May 23, 2018, while with the 2018, when he played 89 games with the Harrisburg Senators, and hit Frederick (A-Adv) Keys. .267 with six home runs and 31 RBI. He was on the injured list June 6-July 23, due to a broken right hamate bone that required surgery. Johnson is N-Rod rejoins Akron: First baseman and designated hitter Nellie the Indians’ No. 14 (Baseball America)/No. 22 (MLB.com) prospect. Rodríguez has begun his season with an eight-game hitting streak (11- for-35, double, three home runs, seven RBI, eight runs, .314 AVG, .351 Marabell is a mainstay: Before going 0-for-3 on Sunday, third-year OBP). He joined Akron May 11 to begin his eighth minor league season in RubberDuck Connor Marabell had a season-long 10-game hitting streak the Indians organization (and fourth season he has played with Akron in (12-for-37, double, home run, three runs, six RBI, .324 AVG, .395 OBP), five years). Rodriguez, 24, first reached Akron in August 2015, after raising his average from .209 to .237. He has played in each of Akron’s having posted numbers that earned him Carolina League MVP honors. In first 42 games (starting the last 38). He is tied for second in hits (36) on 196 games with Akron, he has 38 home runs (his most at any level). the club and tied for third in runs (19). He has made four starts at first base, 13 in left field, four in center field, 16 in right field, and four as a DH. Clement’s return: Infielder Ernie Clement has reached base in his last 11 games since April 7. After he was on the Injured List with a right Ducks flying out of the park: The RubberDucks had four straight multi- adductor strain April 16-May 8, Clement had an outstanding return to the homer games May 9-13 and have eight such games overall. Of Akron’s 34 lineup on Thursday, May 9. Batting leadoff as the designated hitter, home runs (third in the Eastern League), 24 have come in eight games, Clement reached base on a first-inning error, then drove in a run each of including 13 in four games May 9-13: his next three plate appearances, with a sacrifice fly, RBI single and solo April 5 vs. Altoona (4 – T. Krieger, W. Garcia, M. Longo, D. Johnson) home run – his first in Double-A. His three RBI were the first three of his April 13 (2) at Altoona (3 – Daniel Johnson, Tyler Krieger, Ka’ai Tom) season. In six games prior to going on the IL, the Indians No. 15 April 28 at Bowie (2 – Daniel Salters, Tyler Krieger) (MLB.com)/No. 18 (Baseball America) prospect was 3-for-25 (.120). He May 2 vs. Reading (2 – Wilson Garcia, Logan Ice) played his first full game back at shortstop Saturday after playing six May 9 at Erie (2 – Ernie Clement, Daniel Johnson) innings May 11, five innings May 13, and seven innings May 15 and 16. May 10 at Reading (3 – Wilson Garcia, Daniel Johnson-2) May 11 at Reading (6 – Marabell, Tom-2, Ice, Garcia, N. Rodriguez) Ka’ai on the ball: Outfielder Ka’ai Tom had a season-long seven-game May 13 vs. Bowie (2 – Ka’ai Tom, Daniel Johnson) hitting streak May 10-17, going 10-for-26 (.385) with two doubles, three The six home runs on May 11 were the most for Akron since hitting seven home runs (two in Reading May 11 and one May 13 against Bowie), on July 2, 2008, in a 10-6 win at Erie. seven runs, four RBI and a .484 OBP, raising his average from .191 to .228. His three home runs in two games May 11th and 13th made him the Strong starts: In each of the last 12 games (since May 7), the third RubberDuck to homer in back-to-back games this season, joining RubberDucks starting pitcher has pitched at least five innings and allowed Daniel Johnson (May 9-10) and Wilson Garcia (May 10-11). After no two earned runs or fewer. Included are five quality starts (6+ IP, 3 ER or 2019 RubberDuck homered in consecutive games through 33 games, a fewer). The RubberDucks are 6-6 in that span (2-3 in the quality starts). player accomplished the feat in three straight games Akron played. UPCOMING PROBABLE PITCHERS (ALL TIMES EASTERN) – SUBJECT TO CHANGE Wednesday, May 22 6:35 p.m. RHP Eli Morgan (0-0, 2.61) vs. Harrisburg RHP Wil Crowe (4-2, 2.66) Thursday, May 23 10:35 a.m. RHP Aaron Civale (2-0, 3.27) vs. Harrisburg RHP Jackson Tetreault (2-1, 3.79) Friday, May 24 6:35 p.m. TBA vs. Richmond TBA Saturday, May 25 6:35 p.m. TBA vs. Richmond TBA Double-A Eastern League Affiliate of the Cleveland Indians RUBBERDUCKS STARTING PITCHER #33 Sam Hentges…LHP, 6-8, 245, Age 22 (7/18/96), Resides: Shoreview, MN Member of Indians 40-man roster Acquired: Selected by the Indians out of Mounds View (MN) High School in the 4th round of the June 2014 MLB Draft Twitter: @samhentges Instagram: @samhentges Throws: Fastball, Cutter, Curveball, Changeup LAST START (Wednesday, May 15, vs. Bowie, ND in 5-2, 11-inning win) Hentges pitched a season-high seven innings – the longest scoreless outing of his career and second-longest start overall. He allowed three runners to reach second base but none to reach third. With two scoreless outings in his last three starts, he has allowed two earned runs in 19 IP (0.95 ERA). Left-hander David Speer kept the game scoreless through nine innings before allowing two runs in the 10th. Akron tied the game in the 10th and won in the 11th on Daniel Johnson’s walk-off, three-run home run. Season Highlights • Entered the season ranked as the No. 6 prospect in the Indians system by Baseball America and No. 10 by MLB.com (both as top left-handed pitcher). • Added to the Indians 40-man roster Nov. 20, and made his first two career major league spring training appearances, with two scoreless, hitless starts for the Indians – Feb. 26 at Colorado (W, 1.0 IP, 0 BB, 0 K) and March 3 vs.