Taillon Stars in Home Debut as Curve Blank Squirrels
Published on August 26, 2012 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
CURVE, Pa. - Jameson Taillon dominated the Richmond Flying Squirrels in his Double-A home debut, allowing just an infield through six shutout innings, and the Curve earned a series victory over Richmond with their second consecutive shutout win, 7-0 over the Squirrels on Sunday.
Taillon's much-anticipated first outing in Curve, Pa. didn't disappoint in any fashion at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The second pick in the 2010 MLB draft dazzled from the start, retiring the first 12 men he faced, two via strikeouts. By the time Richmond registered its first hit in the fifth inning, the Curve were already well in control.
A trio of two-spots put Altoona ahead early and for good. Jarek Cunningham batted in a pair of runs with a triple in the second, Matt Curry added two more with a two-run homer in the third, and the Curve tacked on another pair in the fourth on RBIs from Cunningham and Ramon Cabrera to take a 6-0 lead. All six runs went charged as earned to Richmond starter Chris Gloor (4-5) who was unable to make it through four innings in his eventual loss.
With a big lead, Taillon (2-0) saw his perfect start broken up by Mark Minicozzi's infield single leading off the fifth, but the 20-year-old right-hander buckled down immediately to allow no more. He retired the next six Squirrels he faced, the final five via strikeouts, to close out his night. Taillon faced just one over the minimum and ended his evening by catching top Giants prospect Gary Brown looking at a vicious curveball for a called strike three that concluded the sixth.
Taillon has now kicked off his Double-A career with 11 consecutive scoreless innings, over the course of which he's permitted just five hits, no runs, and has struck out 13 batters without issuing a walk. The Flying Squirrels, after being blanked on Saturday night as well, have failed to score in 21 straight innings.
The Curve added a run in the seventh on an RBI single by Adalberto Santos, and reliever Hunter Strickland (S,2) held the line, polishing off the final three innings on the mound for Altoona.
With the series win in this four-game set, the Curve bid farewell to the Flying Squirrels for the final time in 2012 and welcome in the division-leading Akron Aeros for a five-game, four-day series beginning with a Monday doubleheader. The Curve will send top Pirates prospect Gerrit Cole (3-5, 3.25) against Akron righty Danny Salazar (3-0, 2.45) with first pitch for the twinbill opener set for 5:30 p.m. Pittsburgh Penguins forward James Neal will be in attendance for Monday night, greeting fans and signing autographs thanks to Altoona Trackers, Advanced Chiropractic, and WTAJ-TV. The Curve will sport special hockey-themed jerseys on Monday and auction them off with the proceeds benefitting the family of Denise Arpino, and the evening's twinbill is also a Mirror Monday with Curve fans able to get $2 off Grandstand tickets when they clip the special coupon from the front page of Monday's Altoona Mirror sports section.
For tickets and more information on the current Curve homestand, call 877.99.CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the box office windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
Eastern League Stories from August 26, 2012
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- Flying Squirrels Game Notes at Altoona - Richmond Flying Squirrels
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