Travis Bazzana continues scorching start in Akron win

Cleveland Guardians minor league recap for Sunday, April 6, 2025.

Cleveland’s minor league affiliates played their second games Saturday. Whole rain canceled one, everyone else played and there were some standout performances.

Akron RubberDucks 8, Richmond Flying Squirrels 3

Box Score: Rubberducks improve to 2-0.

It was a monster day at the plate for Guardians top draft pick and No. 1 overall prospect Travis Bazzana, who obliterated the baseball on Saturday.

Bazzana went 4-5 at the dish, including hitting a home run and a double, just missing the cycle by a triple.

In his first two Double-A games of his career, Bazzana has gone 6-8 at the plate with a pair of walks, good for an .800 on base percentage. That’s a pretty damn good start to his Akron career. He won’t stay there long at this rate.

Other offensive standouts included C.J. Kayfus, who went 2-for-3 with a triple and a pair of walks to join Bazzana in reaching base safely four times.

Joe Lampe reached base safely threw times, going 1-for-3 with a double and two walks while Dayan Frias doubled and walked and Jorge Burgos blasted a two-run homer, his second in as many games.

On the pitching side of the equation, starting pitcher Austin Peterson picked up right back where he left off in 2024 with a dominant showing. Peterson was nearly flawless, tossing 4.0 shutout innings with four strikeouts, no walks and just one hit allowed in his 2025 debut.

Ross Carver was solid with a pair of scoreless in wings of relief to pick up the win.

Lake County Captains 1, Great Lakes Loons 6

Box Score: Captains fall to 1-1.

It was a rough day at the office for early all things Lake County on Saturday as the Captains were held to just three hits.

There weren’t many bright spots, but Alfonsin Rosario picked up the lone RBI, going 1-for-4 with a stolen base.

Esteban Gonzalez reached base safely three times, going 1-for-2 with a walk and a hit by pitch.

Captains pitchers also struggled, as starting pitcher Dylan DeLucia allowed four runs on four hits with one walk and three strikeouts in 3.0 innings.

In his debut in the Guardians system after being acquired from the Pirates, Michael Kennedy piggybacked with DeLucia and he also had a bit of a rough go of it. Kennedy allowed a pair of runs on three walks and two hits with three strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work.

The lone pitching bright spot was reliever Jack Jasiak, who chipped in two scoreless in wings and saved the rest of the bullpen from needing to be used..

Lynchburg Hillcats 6, Fayetteville Woodpeckers 5

Box Score: Hillcata improve to 1-1.

After getting some excellent pitching early, Lynchburg’s offense rallies late to pick up a win with a 9th inning comeback.

The comeback wasn’t particularly sexy as Tommy Hawke reached, stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error then tied the game on a ball. Christopher Espinola advances to third on the ball and scored on an RBI groundout a play later.

Espinola reached base safely three times with a double, a pair of walks and a stolen base.

Yaikel Mijares went 2-for-4 with a double while Carlos Gutierrez went 1-for-2 with a double and a pair of walks.

Starting pitcher Cam Walty opened the game with 1.1 scoreless innings. He was followed by 2.2 scoreless frames from Conner Whittaker, who struck out three.

Xavier Martinez allowed an unearned run in his 2.0 innings of work. The lone rough patch went to 2024 8th round pick Donovan Zsak, who struggled to get anyone out. Zsak gave up four runs on four hits and a pair of walks in just 0.1 innings, giving him a 108 ERA to open the season. It can only improve from here though, right?

Sean Matson saved the day out of the bullpen, providing 2.2 scoreless, hitless innings with three strikeouts to earn the win.