Akron routs Fightin Phils

READING » Francisco Mejia drove in four runs, while Taylor Murphy and Todd Hankins drove in three apiece as the Akron RubberDucks beat the Reading Fightin Phils 14-4 on Friday.

Mejia homered and singled, driving in four runs.

Akron had a big six-run fourth inning in the blowout victory. Hankins and Mejia hit three-run home runs en route to the eightrun lead.

Akron right-hander Shane Bieber (1-1) picked up a quality start and the win after allowing one run on six hits over six innings. Opposing starter Cole Irvin (5-2) took the loss in the Eastern League game after a rough outing in which he allowed nine runs and five hits over four innings.

Angelo Mora homered and singled twice, scoring two runs for the Fightin Phils.

Bisons 8, IronPigs 2

BUFFALO, N.Y. » Dwight Smith had three hits and scored two runs as the Buffalo Bisons topped the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 8-2 on Friday.

Buffalo started the scoring in the first inning when Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run double.

The Bisons later added five runs in the third and one in the fourth. In the third, Danny Jansen hit a two-run double, while Smith hit an RBI single in the fourth.

Wil Browning (4-1) got the win in relief while Lehigh Valley starter Tom Eshelman (7-3) took the loss in the International League game.

Despite the loss, Lehigh Valley is 10-4 against Buffalo this season.

Thunder 4, Curve 2

TRENTON, N.J. » Mike Ford homered and had three hits, and Will Carter tossed five scoreless innings as the Trenton Thunder beat the Altoona Curve 4-2 on Friday.

Carter (2-0) allowed one hit while striking out two and walking two to get the win.

Up 1-0 in the fourth, Trenton added to its lead when Ford hit a solo home run.

After Trenton added a run in the sixth when Ford scored on a double play, the Curve cut into the deficit in the eighth inning when Jordan George scored on a ground out and Michael Suchy scored on a wild pitch.

The Thunder tacked on another run in the eighth when Ryan McBroom hit an RBI single, bringing home Thairo Estrada.