The Chesapeake Ghost Crabs mounted a furious late-inning rally, but the Akron RubberDucks held on to clinch the four-game series with a 6-4 win in front of 3,177 at Prince George’s Stadium Thursday night.
A first-inning home run opened the scoring for the third straight game, but it was the visitors who cracked the scoreboard first. Bobby Bradley launched a three-run home run to right field for his fourth long ball of the series and 16th home run of the season. Joe Sever continued the three-run home run trend in the top of the fourth inning, hitting the second such long ball of the night with two outs to score Daniel Salters and Andrew Calica.
The hosts rallied to halve the deficit in the bottom of the fourth. Aderlin Rodriguez tied Corban Joseph for the team lead in long balls with a three-run shot down the left field line. The ninth homer of the season for the first baseman scored Anthony Santander and Ryan Mountcastle, and cut the deficit to 6-3.
Los Congrejos Fantasmas (34-44) cut the deficit to a pair in the eighth inning. After Erick Salcedo and Jaycob Brugman led off with two singles, Santander took the first pitch from Argenis Angulo to center field, deep enough for a sacrifice fly to score Salcedo.
On the mound, RHP Matthew Grimes came out of the bullpen and threw five scoreless innings to keep los Congrejos Fantasmas in the game. After relieving LHP Luis Ysla, the righty held the Ducks to one hit, one hit-by-pitch and two walks while striking out the final two Akron batters. The five innings ties a season high for Grimes, who set the mark in his last outing—a five-inning start in a no-decision June 24 at Richmond.
The Baysox hit the road for a short five-game road trip to Northwestern Pennsylvania and UPMC Field to face the Erie SeaWolves, Double-A Affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The last time the two teams met in Erie, the Baysox battled back after dropping the first game of three to earn a best-of-three series win.
