NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Altoona Curve

Akron Series Preview

May 21, 2004 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


This weekend, the Altoona Curve will continue its week-long road trip with a three-game series against the Akron Aeros (AA-Indians) at Canal Park in Akron, OH. Altoona is currently 1-3 on the trip, having dropped the final three games of a four-game series at Trenton (AA-Yankees). Entering Friday’s action, the Curve is 21-19 and is tied for second in the E.L. South, 4 ½ games behind first-place Erie (AA-Tigers)

Last weekend, the Curve swept a three-game series from Akron (20-19) at Blair County Ballpark, outscoring the Aeros 22-6 in the series. Friday’s 7:05 p.m. game will mark Altoona’s first visit to Canal Park since the first two games of last year’s Eastern League Southern Division playoff series.

Probable starting pitching match-ups for the series are as follows:

Friday (7:05 p.m.)… Curve RHP Bryan Bullington (2-1, 3.51) vs. Akron RHP Francisco Cruceta (3-3, 3.83)

***Re-match of last Sunday’s pitching matchup at Blair County Ballpark… Bullington earned 2nd win in 6-2 Curve victory

Saturday (7:05 p.m.)… Curve RHP Ian Snell (3-3, 3.16) vs. Akron RHP Jeremy Guthrie (3-1, 4.63)

***Snell looks to earn team-leading fourth win… Guthrie was the Pirates’ 2nd pick in the ’01 draft out of Stanford, but did not sign

Sunday (2:05 p.m.)… Curve RHP Landon Jacobsen (1-2, 6.19) vs. Akron RHP Andrew Brown (1-3, 4.02 w/AA Jacksonville)

***Jacobsen has lasted past the fifth inning in just one of his first eight starts… Brown makes Akron debut after coming to Indians from Dodgers as the player-to-be-named later in the Milton Bradley deal

SERIES NOTES/STORYLINES

***Curve leads season series, 3-0… Including the 2003 E.L. playoffs, Akron owns a 60-49 lead in the all-time series and is 31-21 against the Curve in games played at Canal Park

***Entering Friday, Curve 2B Jeff Keppinger is just three plate appearance shy of officially leading the Eastern League in batting. Keppinger, who is 7-for-14 since returning Monday from a 14-game absence due to a lower back strain, is batting .417 on the season and currently owns a team-high 10-game hitting streak.

***Altoona has lost six of its last seven road games and is 9-12 away from Blair County Ballpark.

***RHP Bobby Bradley, who missed his scheduled start Wednesday night with a strained muscle in his upper chest, will also miss his next scheduled start Tuesday vs. Reading. Bradley is in Pittsburgh being evaluated by Pirates’ doctor Patrick DeMeo and is expected to be ready to start next Saturday (May 29) against New Britain at Blair County Ballpark.

***The Curve has scored first in just 12 of its 40 games, but is 11-1 in the games when it does score first.

***C Ryan Doumit had his team season-high 13-game hitting streak snapped Thursday night at Trenton, but did draw a walk to extend his on-base streak to a team-best 14 straight games

***1B/OF Josh Bonifay has reached base via a hit or walk in 25 of his last 26 games and has a season-high eight-game hitting streak

***Curve reliever Jeff Miller, the only pitcher in the Curve bullpen without Double-A experience prior to the season, has tossed a team-high 10 consecutive scoreless innings

Check out the Altoona Curve Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Eastern League message board...

Eastern League Stories from May 21, 2004


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Altoona Curve Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central