Curve Game Notes for June 27
June 27, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
Bowie Baysox (39-33) at Altoona Curve (26-47)
Saturday, June 27 - 5:05 p.m. - Double-Header
Blair County Ballpark - Altoona, PA
Games #74, 75; Home Games #35, 36
CURVE/BOWIE SERIES: The Altoona Curve and the Bowie Baysox (AA-Baltimore Orioles) continue a four day, five game, series tonight at Blair County Ballpark. This will be the 7th time this season the teams have faced one another with Bowie holding a 4-2 advantage overall with the teams splitting two games at BCB earlier this season...In the season series Curve OF Jonel Pacheco has 9 hits in 17 at-bats (.368) against the Baysox.
FOR ALTOONA: IN GM. 1: RHP Tyler Herron will make his first start of the season tonight for the Altoona Curve. The former St. Louis Cardinals' supplementary first round draft choice in 2005 out of Wellington H.S. (the same high school that produced former Pirates' first-rounders and Curve hurlers Bobby Bradley and Sean Burnett) was signed by the Pirates as a minor league free agent on 6/12 and has proceeded to toss 10.2 innings of scoreless relief in four relief appearances. Before signing with Pittsburgh, Herron sported a mark of 2-4 with a 4.34 ERA in nine starts with the Springfield Cardinals (AA - Texas League).
IN GM. 2: RHP Sean Smith will make his third start of the season and his 12th appearance overall. This will be the third time this season Smith has tossed in the nightcap of a doubleheader. The last time he did so, Smith tossed a complete game shutout limiting Akron to just four hits over seven scoreless frames, striking out a season-high seven batters on 6/6 at BCB. Smith, 25, was signed by the Pirates as a minor league free agent this past offseason.
FOR BOWIE: IN GM. 1: The Baysox will send third third-best prospect to the mound tonight as left-hander Brian Matusz will make his second start in Double-A. Matusz, 22, is 1-0 with no earned run average, tossing 6.0 scoreless innings in his Baysox debut versus Reading on 6/17. With the Frederick Keys (A), Matusz was 4-2 with a 2.16 ERA in 11 starts, striking out 75 batters in just 66.2 innings of work. Matusz was selected in the first round (fourth overall) of last year's draft by Baltimore out of San Diego State University.
IN GM. 2: RHP Fredy Deza, 26, will start for the third time this year and make his 15th appearance overall. Deza is 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA. Originally signed by Baltimore in September of 1999 as a non-drafted free agent out of La Romana, DR, Deza also has made three appearances for the Norfolk Tide (AAA) this season, going 1-0 with a 6.14 ERA this year.
PEDRO PUNCHED OUT: While newcomer Pedro Alvarez has shown flashes of greatness with his power (all three hits are extra base hits: two home runs and a double), the Pirates No. 1 prospect has also seen his share of early obstacles. Alvarez has struck out eight times in 18 at-bats.
FUTURES ALL-STAR GAME SELECTS ALVAREZ, LINCOLN: 3B Pedro Alvarez and RHP Brad Lincoln have been selected to represent the Pirates' organization in the MLB Futures All-Star Game in St. Louis on July 12th. Alvarez currently leads the entire Pirate Organization in home runs with 16, while Lincoln continued to show his promise in his first AAA start for Indianapolis on Wednesday, tossing 6.2 innings and allowing one run on just two hits for his first AAA win.
GOTTA LOVE GORKYS: After a slow Curve debut, CF Gorkys Hernandez made strides at the plate of late. In his last five games Gorkys is hitting .444 (8x18) raising his average with the Curve from .180 to .250.
E.L. ALL STAR GAME VOTING UNDERWAY: Fans can vote for their favorite Curve players to represent the city of Altoona at the Eastern League All Star game on July 15 at Waterfront Park in Trenton, NJ. Fans can log on to AltoonaCurve.com and click on the All Star Game voting button on the left hand side of the website to cast their web ballot.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS: JUNE 26: 1B Miles Durham promoted from Lynchburg (A)...1B Jamie Romak placed on Lynchburg (A) roster...JUNE 23: INF Pedro Alvarez promoted from Lynchburg (A)...RHP Dustin Molleken promoted from Lynchburg (A)...RHP Mike Dubee promoted from Lynchburg (A)...LHP Sean Nottingham placed on the Disabled List retroactive to 6/21 with a left ankle sprain.
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