Beyond the right field fence at Peoples National Gas Field, home of the Altoona Curve, Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, stands the tracks from the “Skyliner,” the inactive roller coaster of Lakemont Park.
Still, Ryan Cesarini went on a thrill ride last week when the Akron Rubber Ducks, Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, paid a visit.
During the five-game series against the Curve – Sunday’s finale was postponed by rain – the Valley View graduate batted .474 (9 for 19) in four games with six home runs, 11 RBIs, seven runs and one stolen base.
That performance earned him Eastern League Player of the Week honors for the period of Aug. 10-16.
In the series opener Aug. 11, Cesarini hit three home runs. His two-run blast in the top of fifth inning gave Akron a 2-0 lead. He hit a three-run shot in the top of the seventh to make it 11-0. His solo homer in the top of the ninth capped a 16-1 win for the Rubber Ducks.
On Aug. 12, he hit a solo home run in the top of the third inning to give Akron a 3-0 lead on its way to a 4-3 victory.
He added two more home runs Aug. 14. He sent the game’s first pitch out to the roller coaster tracks in right for a leadoff home run, then followed with a three-run shot in the top of the second. Akron won, 7-1.
Cesarini concluded his big week with two hits Aug. 15, but Altoona won, 12-3, to halt Akron’s seven-game winning streak.
In 21 games since being promoted from High-A Lake County on July 13, Cesarini is batting .385 (30 for 78) with seven doubles, eight home runs, 22 RBIs and is 6 for 7 in stolen bases. He is riding an eight-game hitting streak and had hit safely in 17 of 21 games.
Black is back
For the third time this season, Mason Black was recalled by the Kansas City Royals from the Omaha Storm Chasers on Aug. 7.
He has appeared in two games since the callup – Aug. 7 against the Chicago Cubs and Aug. 12 against the Los Angeles Dodgers – and allowed a combined three runs, six hits, five walks and three strikeouts in eight innings of relief.
Overall with the Royals, in 14 games he is 0-0 with a 3.51 earned-run average and 18 strikeouts in 25.2 innings.
With Omaha, the Valley View grad has appeared in 21 games with five starts. He is 0-2 with one hold, three saves, a 5.92 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 48.2 innings.
Familiar foe
Washington Nationals reliever and Valley View grad Max Kranick got to face his former team, the New York Mets, twice last weekend at Citi Field and had two scoreless outings. He gave up three hits, no walks and struck out four in 2.1 innings.
Kranick is 0-0 with one hold in 11 appearances with the Nationals. He has a 6.94 ERA and seven strikeouts in 11.2 innings.
Retzbach released
Lakeland graduate Adam Retzbach was released by the Chesapeake BaySox, Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, on Aug. 9.
Retzbach batted just .178 (38 for 214) this season in 68 games with nine doubles, one triple, four home runs, 31 RBIs and 30 runs. He also appeared in one game for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, going 0 for 2 with a walk and a strikeout, June 11 against the Memphis Redbirds. He also was on the Norfolk roster against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on July 3 at PNC Field, but did not get in the game.
Retzbach was drafted by the Orioles in the 14th round (407 overall) of the 2022 MLB Draft. He spent time with three teams in the Orioles organization in 2022, played at Single-A Delmarva and High-A Aberdeen in 2023 and Abderdeen and Double-A Bowie in 2024. He played all of the 2025 campaign at Double-A Chesapeake and had 19 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs and 57 RBIs while batting .221 in 117 games.