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RubberDucks score vs. Curve recap, highlights | Travis Bazzana plays in Akron for 1st time
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- RubberDucks score vs. Curve recap, highlights | Travis Bazzana plays in Akron for 1st time
The RubberDucks scored two runs in the seventh and eighth innings of their home opener to rally and beat the Altoona Curve 6-5 on Tuesday.
Zane Morehouse pitched a scoreless ninth for the Southwest Division champion Ducks to close things out and keep the Ducks (4-0) undefeated this season.
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Jorge Burgos was 2-for-3 with an RBI and hit his fourth home run in as many games. Davan Frias went 2-for-2 with an RBI.
Davis Sharpe pitched a scoreless and hitless inning to pick up his first win of the season. He struck out two and didn't walk a batter.
Follow along here for live updates, highlights and in-game analysis:
RubberDucks close out victory with 1-2-3 ninth inning
With Zane Morehouse on in relief, Sammy Siani struck out to start the inning, Nick Cimillo stuck out looking and Imanol Vargas grounded out to end the game.
RubberDucks go ahead in the eighth inning
RubberDucks 6, Altoona Curve 5
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C.J. Kayfus opened with a single deep in the hole at short and Jorge Burgos walked to start the frame. Joe Lampe's bunt went went back to the pitcher on the fly, but Jaden Woods' attempt to double up Kayfus went into right field. That chased Jaden Woods and brought on Cristofer Melendez. Dayan Frias is at the plate for the RubberDucks.
Frias flew out to right to tie things up. Burgos is on third and it's tied at five. With Alex Mooney at the dish, Melendez threw a wild pitch to score Burgos. Mooney struck out on the next pitch.
RubberDucks still a run down against Altoona Curve
Altoona Curve 5, RubberDucks 4
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Davis Sharpe struck out Shawn Ross and Termarr Johnson and then induced a Mitch Jebb pop out to third.
RubberDucks make things interesting in bottom of the seventh
Altoona Curve 5, RubberDucks 4
Joe Lampe was hit by a pitch and Dayan Frias walked to bring Alex Mooney to the plate as the tying run. Mooney grounded to first to move the runners. Jake Fox pushed Lampe to the plate with a single to right. Tyresse Turner stuck out to bring Travis Bazzana to plate against Jaden Woods. Bazzana walked to load the bases. A wild pitch scored Dayan Frias. Cooper Ingle struck out looking on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.
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Altoona Curve shut down for the third straight inning
Altoona 5, RubberDucks 2 B7
A one-out walk to Jack Brannigan didn't do any damage because Zach Jacobs bog Brendon Dixon to fly out to right and Tres Gonzalez to fly to left to end the frame.
RubberDucks run themselves out of an inning
Altoona Curve 5, RubberDucks 2 T7
C.J. Kayfus walked with one out, but Jorge Burgos struck out and Kayfus was thrown out trying to steal second to end things.
Altoona wastes a couple of walks in the sixth inning
Altoona Curve 5, RubberDucks 2 B6
Mitch Jebb and Sammy Siana induced a couple of two-out walks, but Nick Cimilio grounded into a fielder's choice at third to end the threat.
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Ducks go in order in bottom of the fifth, Travis Bazzana ends inning
Altoona Curve 5, RubberDucks 2 T6
Jake Fox popped to the catcher, Tyresse Turner struck out and Travis Bazzana grounded to first to end the inning and make the game official.
Web gem by Tyresse Turner keeps Altoona off the board in the fifth
Altoona Curve 5, RubberDucks 2 B5
A two-out triple by Brenden Dixon went unrewarded thanks to left fielder Tyresse Turner. Tres Gonzalez hit a bloop into no man's land behind third base, but Turner made a diving catch in foul territory and avoided a hard-charging Dayan Frias to record the final out. It was DEFINITELY SportsCenter worthy.
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Jorge Burgos keeps the bat going for the RubberDucks
Altoona Curve 5, RubberDucks 2 T5
Jorge Burgos has homered in all four games this season for the RubberDucks. The right fielder absolutely mutilated Po-Yu Chen's 1-0 pitch to center field. He's the first RubberDucks player to home in four straight games since Micah Pries did it 2022. Chen struck out Joe Lampe and Alex Mooney and got Dayan Frias to fly out to center field to end the the inning.
Altoona Curve opens things up against RubberDucks in the fourth inning
Altoona Curve 5, RubberDucks 1 B4
Brenden Dixon opened the inning with a fly out to center field, but Carter Spivey walked Tres Gonzalez and gave up a broken bat double to Shawn Ross. That brought Termarr Johnson to the plate. Johnson blasted a 1-1 pitch into Tiki Terrace for a three-run shot.
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That chased Carter Spivey from the mound in favor of Shawn Rapp. Spivey went 2⅔ innings of four-hit ball. He gave up three runs, all earned, struck out four and walked two.
Mitch Jebb struck out and Sammy Siani walked but Nick Cimillo flew out to deep center field to end the threat.
Travis Bazzana strikes out looking in bottom of the third, Ducks go down
Altoona Curve 2, RubberDucks 1 T4
Bazzana was able to force Po-Yun Chen to throw six pitches, but struck out looking to start the third inning. Cooper Ingle flew out to center and CJ Kayfus flew out to short.
Three up, three down for Altoona Curve in the top of the third
Altoona Curve 2, RubberDucks 1 B3
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Nick Cimillo and Jack Brannigan sandwiched strikeouts around Imanol Vargos in the third for Altoona. Vargos singled to left but was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double.
RubberDucks get on the board against Altoona Curve
Altoona Curve 2, RubberDucks 1 T3
Jorge Burgos opened the bottom of the frame with a single to center and Po-Yu Chen looked like he was going to possibly get out of the inning, but a walk to Alex Mooney brought Jake Fox to the plate. Fox singled to right to score Frias. Tyresse Turner struck out to end the threat.
Altoona Curve threatens but doesn't score in the second off RubberDucks
Altoona Curve 2, RubberDucks B2
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Tres Gonzalez opened with a hard hit double off the right-field wall, but Shawn Ross struck out and Termarr Johnson flew out to left for a quick two outs. Carter Spivey walked Mitch Jebb, but Nick Cimillo grounded out to Spivey.
Travis Bazzana goes down swinging in home debut for RubberDucks
Altoona Curve 2, RubberDucks 0 T2
The No. 1 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft pushed Po-Yu Chen to a full count but struck out swinging on a pitch that was up and out to lead off the bottom of the first. Cooper Ingle flew out to short center and CJ Kayfus whiffed.
Carter Spivey comes from an athletic background
Did you know that RubberDucks reliever Carter Spivey comes from gymnastic royalty? His aunt Hope Spivey was a gymnast at Georgia and member of the 1988 US Olympic team that finished fourth in Seoul, Korea?
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Altoona Curve get to RubberDucks, Rorik Maltrud in the top of the first
Altoona Curve 2, Akron RubberDucks 0
Termarr Johnson walked to start the frame, but Mitch Jebb and Sammy Siani struck out and it looked like Rorik Maltrud was going to get out of the first inning unscathed. Cleanup hitter Nick Cimillo singled to left and Imanol Vargos walked to load the bases. Jack Brannigan dropped a double inside the right-field line to put the Curve up 2-0.
That chased Maltrud from the bump in favor of Carter Spivey. Spivey came in and struck out Brenden Dixon to limit the damage.
Starting lineup for the Altoona Curve
| Number |
Name |
Bats |
Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 |
Termarr Johnson |
L |
2B |
| 19 |
Mitch Jebb |
L |
CF |
| 7 |
Sammy Siani |
L |
RF |
| 22 |
Nick Cimillo |
R |
DH |
| 24 |
Imanol Vargas |
L |
1B |
| 28 |
Jack Brannigan |
R |
SS |
| 5 |
Brenden Dixon |
R |
3B |
| 3 |
Tres Gonzalez |
L |
LF |
| 54 |
Shawn Ross |
R |
C |
| 44 |
Po-Yu Chen |
R |
P |
Starting lineup for the Akron RubberDucks
| Number |
Name |
Bats |
Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37 |
Travis Bazzana |
L |
2B |
| 2 |
Cooper Ingle |
L |
C |
| 4 |
CJ Kayfus |
L |
1B |
| 24 |
Jorge Burgos |
L |
RF |
| 22 |
Joe Lampe |
L |
CF |
| 15 |
Dayan Frias |
S |
3B |
| 9 |
Alex Mooney |
R |
SS |
| 8 |
Jake Fox |
L |
DH |
| 1 |
Tyresse Turner |
S |
LF |
| 35 |
Rorik Maltrud |
R |
P |
When is the RubberDucks-Curve game and who is scheduled to pitch
The home opener is set for a 6:35 p.m. pitch between Akron (3-0) and Altoona (1-2). Ducks right-handed pitcher Rorik Maltrud (8-5, 3.44 last year) is set to face Curve righty Po-Yu Chen (4-10, 4.03). The game is streamed on milb.com.
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How was opening weekend for the RubberDucks, Curve
It was great to be a Duck as Akron opened the season Friday with a 7-4 win over the Richmond Flying Squirrels and then came back with an 8-3 victory. They swept Richmond 5-4. After dropping 3-2 and 2-0 contests to the Chesapeake Baysox, Altoona salvaged the series with a 2-1 win on Sunday.
Travis Bazzana talks about the game of cricket during the RubberDucks media day at Canal Park in Akron on Wednesday April 2, 2025.
RubberDucks feature Guardians top prospect Travis Bazzana
Akron second baseman Travis Bazzana is the top-ranked prospect in the Guardians organization and is ranked No. 9 in all of baseball. He's hitting .538 and has a home run and three RBIs already for the Ducks.
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Who else to watch for the RubberDucks, Curve
First baseman C.J. Kayfus (.402, four RBIs) is ranked eighth in the Cleveland organization. Catcher Cooper Ingle (.333) is ranked seventh.
Middle infielder Termarr Johnson (.250) is the fourth-ranked player in the Pirates organization. Left-handed pitcher Hunter Barco is seventh. He threw four innings of three-hit, three-strikeout ball on Friday. shortstop/third baseman Jack Brannigan (.238, 18 home runs, 53 RBIs last season) is 11th.
Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: RubberDucks score updates, Travis Bazzana plays in Akron for 1st time
