While I hadn’t settled into a rhythm yet and rhythm is a dancer (don’t forget) I got off to a slower start by posting about Monday’s game right after I worked out Tuesday morning. A big mistake considering I had to check out of my residence in Greater Toledo and drive 123 miles to Casa Bob in Greater Akron.

After checking in, I hit the road for The Cleveland Museum of Art. GPS saved my bacon, but it wasn’t entirely smooth as the museum is located on a campus similar to STL. The campus is as nice as STL, but equally difficult to navigate. It was nice to pay $1.25 for parking.

They were doing some renovating, but that only slowed entering by about 48 seconds. Plus, the grand hall as I’ll call it is larger enough to absorb masses of humanity. Everything on the first floor was free so I was in business. Monet in Focus is a five piece, very focused exhibit and visitors were allowed to take pictures. I was equally interested in viewing Fairy Tales and Fables: Illustrations and storytelling in art. The 58 sketches, drawings and books were very well chosen, and the art reminded me of the books of my youth. As baseball and art often intersect, I’m including this piece by Claes Oldenburg.

Unfortunately, time got the better of me and I had to make the trip back to Casa Bob before heading out to the game.

The last time I visited Akron and Cousin Lois was 17 years ago and I didn’t spend more than a few minutes near the ballpark, so my memory is pretty poor. Unlike the Mudhens, Akron doesn’t have as long a history of professional baseball. The franchise however, is 101 years old. The team moved to Akron in 1997 as the Akron Aeros. They changed their name to Rubber Ducks in 2014 because Akron is the Rubber Capital of the world.

Canal Park is located on Main Street in downtown Akron, but due to some road work and construction (and maybe prep for 4th of July), it lacked the feel of a Main Street. All of the 3396 fans entered the park from the two gates behind home plate. The playing field is slightly asymmetrical with no outstanding birthmarks. Unlike most of the newer minor league parks, one can’t circumnavigate the entire park. The main concourse and seating ends abruptly in right-center. There are the requisite party decks and club seating (which looked pretty inviting).

Over the past dozen years or so, minor league teams have adopted alternate identities. Many of them are related to food native to the region, city or state. Some of the teams are able to sell the food item for a limited time. Unfortunately, two of Akron’s better identities The White French and The Sauerkraut Balls only took the form of logos and merchandise.

At long last, the game itself.

Each team’s starting pitcher allowed 6 earned runs in 5 innings and 5.2 innings respectively. Tommy Mace, the former, of the Rubber Ducks and Troy Melton of the visiting Sea Wolves (Detroit). Let’s leave it at that and that it could have been uglier.

My third-row seat down the third baseline was excellent. The first two rows were filled with local health care professionals that earned the right to sit in the hero section because patients were unavailable. Editor’s note: A really nice touch.

The Ducks took a 1-0 lead after leadoff hitter, C.J Kayfus tripled and scored on Petey Halpin’s sac fly to left. Remember those names. The Wolves did most of their damage in the top of the second when they scored 5 runs, culminating with a Hao-Yu Lee, two-run blast to left.

As I mentioned, neither team’s starter cared about getting outs and blanking the opponent. The Ducks scored two more in the 3rd and took a brief 6-5 lead in the 4th. Kayfus, Cleveland’s #27 prospect, scored two more runs and drove in two. Halpin, he #15 prospect added an RBI and run scored during those two innings.

Erie tied the game in the 5th on a solo blast from shortstop, Trei Cruz (3-4). Akron’s bullpen held Erie to two singles over the last four (shutout) innings. And after that calamitous fifth inning Wolves pitchers blanked the Ducks thought the 8th inning.

After a quick 1-2-3 top of the ninth, Akron’s number nine hitter, Yordys Valdes singled with one out and advanced to second on a fly ball to medium center off Kayfus’ bat. With a count of 1-1, Halpin lined a sharp single to center to drive in the winning run. Akron 7-Erie 6 and all of Akron went crazy. Okay, maybe only a few hundred people were really into it.

Where else would anyone want to be in Akron?