Ninth-Inning Rally Not Enough to Stop Curve Slide
Published on August 6, 2012 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
CURVE, Pa. - Altoona nearly came back after squandering a four-run lead on Monday night but it wasn't meant to be with the Bowie Baysox hanging on for an, 8-7, win in front of 4,044 at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Curve righty Phil Irwin continued his streak of solid pitching in the loss, going five innings while allowing one run on two hits.
The Curve entered the ninth down two after leading by as many as four on Monday night. Ramon Cabrera worked a one-out walk off Baysox closer Kyler Newby before Adalberto Santos came to the plate. Santos flew out to left but Matt Curry blasted a triple to left-center that centerfielder Antoan Richardson crashed into the wall to try and field but wasn't able to hang on. Cabrera scored from first and Curry ended up at third representing the tying run. Oscar Tejeda nearly beat out an infield grounder following Curry's triple but was retired for the final out of the game.
Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Juan Cruz started for Altoona in a rehab appearance as he tries to make his way back from right shoulder inflammation. The righty struck out the first batter he faced in the first before giving up two runs on four straight hits that followed.
Altoona trailed 2-0 entering the bottom of the first but erupted for six runs on six hits off Baysox starter Mike Wright. Drew Maggi, Cabrera and Santos all singled to start the game with Satnos' single putting the Curve on the board to trail 2-1. A two-run double by Curry followed and the Curve had flipped a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead four batters into the inning.
The inning continued when Tejeda reached on a fielding error by E.L. Player of the Week Manny Machado. With Curry at third and Tejeda at first, Stefan Welch doubled Curry home to put Altoona up two, 4-2. Wright settled down to retire Jarek Cunningham and Jeremy Farrell by strikeouts but then gave up a two-run single to Quincy Latimore for the inning's final two runs.
It appeared that the four-run lead would hold up with Irwin continuing his stretch of solid pitching performances. The Germantown, Tenn. native retired the first 11 he faced before walking Jai Miller in the fifth. His only run allowed came in the sixth when Machado drove a one-out single through the left side to score Robbie Widlansky.
Irwin finished his day by inducing a double play off the bat of Zelous Wheeler to end the sixth. Over his last eight starts, Irwin has allowed just six earned runs in 52.0 innings pitched.
Bowie continued to chip away at the Curve lead, scoring once in the seventh off reliever Kyle Kaminska but the lead remained at two heading to the eighth.
The eighth is where the scoreboard flipped in favor of Bowie for good with Bowie scoring four times to take the lead. Bowie pulled within one after a triple by Rhyne Hughes to right to score Buck Britton. Kaminska left the game following the RBI triple in favor of closer Vic Black (2-3), who was coming off a tough outing in New Britain.
Black spun a wild pitch during Machado's at bat that allowed Hughes to score the tying run from third. Machado ended up working a walk and then moving two bases on another wild pitch by Black. With Machado at third, Wheeler lifted a sac fly to right to bring him home and place Bowie back in front.
Ronnie Welty followed the sac fly with his second home run of the year, which turned out to be the difference in the game on Monday.
The tough loss for the Curve is their seventh in a row, which is now a new season high. Curry, Cabrera and Welch each had two hits in the loss while Curry drove in three in the loss for Altoona.
Hoping to stop the skid, Altoona (54-60) takes on the second-place Baysox (59-55) at 7 p.m. on Tuesday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The Curve's second-to-last Two-for-Tuesday presented by Atlantic Broadband comes complete with two-for-one tickets, hot dogs, and regular popcorns throughout the night. Senior Night at the Ballpark presented by Senior Life is also on tap for the second contest against Bowie on Tuesday night.
Taking the mound for Altoona on Tuesday will be RHP Brandon Cumpton (10-9, 3.65), who searches for his third win since the All-Star Break. He'll be opposed on the hill by Baysox southpaw Jake Pettit (8-3, 4.24), who will make his first start and second appearance against Altoona this season.
Gates for Tuesday night's contest swing open at 6 p.m. while airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. For tickets and more information, call 877.99.CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the box office windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
Eastern League Stories from August 6, 2012
- Ninth-Inning Rally Not Enough to Stop Curve Slide - Altoona Curve
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- Jenkins Earns Promotion to Major Leagues - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Mike Kickham Named EL Pitcher of the Week - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Machado Named Player of the Week - Chesapeake Baysox
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