EL1 Altoona Curve

Boone, Dorta enjoy huge nights, but Curve fall 13-4 to Erie

Published on April 18, 2008 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


ALTOONA - The Altoona Curve's top two hitters had explosive nights, but it wasn't enough to get past the Erie SeaWolves, as they trounced Altoona, 13-4, Friday night at Blair County Ballpark.

James Boone provided a majority of Altoona's offense hitting a pair of solo home runs as part of a 3-for-4 evening. Boone hit his first of the night over the right-field wall in the third inning, cutting the Curve deficit at the time to 4-1. His second home run was an inside the park homer, which he peppered off the center field wall in the fifth. The ball bounced off the wall after an attempted catcher by Erie center fielder Deik Scram and bounded into deep right-center field, allowing Boone to race around the bases for his fourth home run in the Curve's past six games.

Melvin Dorta finished the night 5-for-5, becoming just the ninth player in Curve history to post a five-hit game. Overall, Altoona pounded out 13 hits and outhit the SeaWolves despite losing by nine runs.

The SeaWolves scored four times off Corey Hamman (0-3), who made his first start of the season. Hamman lasted just 2 2/3 innings, walking a pair of batters and giving up four hits.

Derek Antelo, making his Double-A debut, came on in relief in the third and pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing a three-run home run to Erie's Ryan Roberson, his first of two longballs on the evening.

Curve reliever Dave Davidson pitched the seventh and eighth innings and walked three batters, allowing four runs.

In addition to the two homers hit by Boone, Altoona also got a longball from third baseman Brian Finegan, who drilled a seventh-inning solo shot for his first hit in a Curve uniform.

Erie countered with back-to-back home runs off reliever Kyle Bloom in the top of the ninth. Roberson hit his second home run of the night while Scram followed with a solo shot to extend the SeaWolves' lead to 13-4.

The Curve and SeaWolves will lock horns Saturday at 5:05 p.m. for the third game of the four-game stanza. Right-hander Josh Hill (1-1, 2.70) will toe the rubber for the Curve while lefty Danny Christensen (0-2, 6.10) throws for Erie.

Fans coming to the ballpark Saturday will enjoy a spectacular post-game fireworks display in conjunction with the club's Salute to the 2000 Curve team. Former Curve players Derrick Lankford and Darren Burton from the 2000 club will be on hand to meet with fans and sign autographs. Gates will open at 3:30. Great seats for Saturday's game and the remaining five games of the Curve's current homestand are still available and can be obtained in person at the BCB box office, online at AltoonaCurve.com, or by calling toll-free, 877-99-CURVE.

NOTES - The Curve had their modest winning streak stopped at two games. Altoona has not won more than two consecutive games this year... Dorta is 7-for-8 in his last two games... Pacheco had his eight-game hitting streak snapped with an 0-for-4 performance. Also snapped was Pacheco's 12-game on-base streak... Boone's inside-the-park home run is the fourth in club history. Andrew McCutchen accomplished the feat twice last year.

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Eastern League Stories from April 18, 2008


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