RubberDucks tally 6 runs in the 1st inning to defeat Curve
AKRON, Ohio – Tsung-Che Cheng and Brenden Dixon each knocked solo home runs for Altoona in a 6-3 loss to Akron Friday night at Canal Park.
The RubberDucks scored all six of their runs in the first inning, chasing Curve starter Bubba Chandler out of the game after just 2/3 innings. Chandler did not allow a hit, but matched a career high with five walks in the frame. He left with the trainer in the eighth at-bat of the inning, with Justin Meis entering in relief and allowing a grand slam to Dayan Frias to cap the big inning.
Meis tossed 2 1/3 innings and allowed just two hits with three strikeouts. Drake Fellows gave Altoona four scoreless innings of relief with a career-high seven strikeouts. Fellows struck out five batters in a row from the fourth through sixth innings and seven of eight in that stretch. Cameron Junker tossed a scoreless eighth inning. Altoona pitching struck out 12 batters in the loss.
Cheng jumped into his fourth home run of the season in the second inning off Akron starter Tommy Mace. Brenden Dixon added his second long ball of the frame off Mace in the seventh, who threw 7 2/3 innings in the start for the RubberDucks with five strikeouts. Both Cheng and Dixon as well as Jase Bowen had two hits apiece in the loss.
Altoona rallied to add a run in the ninth inning on three hits off Andrew Walters, with Francisco Acuna adding a knock in a third straight game to plate a run.
Altoona continues tits series with the RubberDucks, Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, at 7:05 p.m. Saturday night. Left-hander Anthony Solometo takes the ball for Altoona with southpaw Rodney Boone slated to start for the RubberDucks.
