Altoona Curve Game Information: May 19, 2013
Published on May 19, 2013 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
ABOUT YESTERDAY...: A trio of unearned runs caused by two errors was too much for the Curve to overcome on Saturday night in a, 5-3, loss to the Richmond Flying Squirrels. Altoona gave its rehabbing starter Jeff Karstens an early, 2-0, lead in the top of the first inning when Adalberto Santos drew a two-out walk only to be driven in by a two- run homer from Andrew Lambo. Karstens, who was scheduled to pitch four innings or reach 65 pitches, needed 30 pitches to get through the first inning on Saturday. An error by Alex Dickerson, his first this season, in right allowed Joe Panik to reach and eventually score two batters later when Mark Minicozzi drove in the first of his three runs on the day. Karstens walked in a run later in the inning before finally getting out of the frame. The righty only needed 32 more pitches to get through his next three innings combined as he did not allow a run the rest of the way. Gift Ngoepe put the Curve back in front in the fifth with his second homer of the season but the lead was short lived. Richmond scored another unearned run in the sixth, this time off Ethan Hollingsworth (1-3) and then Minicozzi ham- mered home two more runs in the seventh to put Richmond ahead for good. Dickerson had three hits in the game, his first three-hit day of the season, and Carlos Paulino also extended his hitting streak to seven games with a 2-for-3 day.
CURVE/SQUIRRELS SERIES: These two teams meet up once again this weekend after squaring off for a three-game set last weekend at Peoples Natural Gas Field. In fact it is the second of three straight weekend series that the two teams play against one another in the month of May. Last time the Curve visited the River City, they went 1-2 at The Diamond. This is the second of three total trips the Curve make to Richmond in 2013 with the final one coming in late August.
FOR ALTOONA: Taking the mound in the Sunday afternoon finale for the Curve will be RHP Jameson Taillon, who matches up with the Squirrels for a fourth time in the first eight weeks of the season. The Woodlands, Texas native dealt six shutout innings against Richmond last Sunday at home in an eventual, 2-1, walk-off win for the Curve. He wasn't as successful in his only start of the year in Richmond, allowing a season-worst five runs on seven hits in six innings of work. Despite the rough outing that day, Taillon still led with a lead and in line for a win before Richmond later came back to take the ballgame. All things considered, Taillon is 1-0 with a 2.37 ERA in his three prior starts versus the Squirrels. It will be the first time this year, however, that he is not matched up with Richmond lefty Chris Gloor, who started yesterday. For more on Taillon, see page two.
FOR RICHMOND: Returning from the disabled list to make the start for the Squirrels in the series finale will be LHP Jack Snodgrass, who hasn't started a game since May 6 vs. Bowie due to a hamstring issue. The lefty out of Bowling Green, Ky. was cruising through the Eastern League through his first six starts, amassing a 3-0 record and a 2.60 ERA in 27.2 IP. He and Daryl Maday combined on the first-ever no-hitter in the Squirrels short history in his first start of the season back on April 5 vs. New Britain. He threw six innings of that no-hit bid while walking one and striking out two. In his only prior start this year vs. the Curve, Snodgrass permitted just two hits in seven innings while not allowing a run on April 15.
THE RETURN OF THE HOMER: The Curve have spent two days away from Peoples Natural Gas Field and have hit three homers on the current road trip to break a seven-game home run drought that occurred during the last homes- tand. Jarek Cunningham, Andrew Lambo and Gift Ngoepe have all hit homers in this series. As a team, the Curve's 29 home runs as a team rank them fourth in the 12-team league.
HE EATS HIS WHEATIES: OF/1B Andrew Lambo homered for the eighth time this season in the loss on Saturday night. Lambo leads the team in home runs, RBI, hits and is second on the team in walks. His eight home runs are second-most in the EL entering play this afternoon.
THE THRILL OF THE CHASE: 2010 Curve SS Chase d'Arnaud joined the Curve on Saturday night to continue his ML rehab assignment as he is recovering from a partially torn ligament in his left thumb that he suffered in Spring Train- ing. He played in two games with High-A Bradenton earlier this week (Thursday and Friday) and went a combined 2-for-6 with a triple, RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base.
CHARLIE AND THE HIT FACTORY: Catcher Charlie Cutler has been a steady force to be reckoned with in the Curve offense this season. He was 3-for-3 in the win over Trenton on Thursday to raise his average to .340 in his 18 games played. He's been especially happy hitting at Peoples Natural Gas Field, batting a blistering .387 (12-for-31) in 11 games. He's also had the flair for dramatics in some big victories for the Curve this season. His hit in the bottom of the ninth vs. Richmond on April 16 tied the game and forced extra innings. The Curve later won that game with Cutler scoring the winning run. He also won the second game of a doubleheader in Harrisburg with an 11th-inning double. Lastly, he ended the game on Sunday with Richmond when he sailed a ball deep to center that Squirrels centerfielder Jarrett Parker dropped to allow Andrew Lambo to score and secure a walk-off win.
DON'T FORGET YOUR TOOTHBRUSH: The Curve are now two games in to one of the tougher stretches on their 2013 schedule. Altoona is in a period of the season where they are playing 13-of-17 games away from home without the benefit of a day off. After this series in Richmond, the Curve embark on a trip to Reading, Pa. for four games beginning on Monday night. Then it's back home on Friday for a Memorial Day weekend series with Richmond before the team takes back to the bus on its way through Binghamton and Portland.
BIG LEAGUE CHEW: The Curve have had their share of Major League rehabilitation assignments or former Major Leaguers in their ranks for a few weeks now. Francisco Liriano made one rehab start for the Curve on Saturday, April 20 while reliever Jose Contreras also pitched for the Curve that weekend in Harrisburg on his way to Pittsburgh. Charlie Morton joined the Curve the following week for a pair of rehab starts on April 23 and 28 and was followed by Neil Walker's rehab appearance this past weekend vs. Richmond. Morton returned this week to start Thursday morning's game and Jeff Karstens tossed four innings in Saturday night's game in Rich- mond.
Eastern League Stories from May 19, 2013
- Finale Goes to the Squirrels, 3-0 - Altoona Curve
- SeaWolves Use Big Inning to Sink Aeros, 6-4 - Akron RubberDucks
- Thunder Drop Sunday Matinee, 3-2 - Trenton Thunder
- Squirrels Hurl Collective Gem to Down Curve, 3-0 - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Homers Power Fisher Cats to Sweep 7-4 - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- New Hampshire Sweeps as Late Rock Cats Rally Falls Short - New Britain Rock Cats
- SeaWolves Take Series with 6-4 Win - Erie SeaWolves
- Baysox Pitch Their Way to Series Win - Chesapeake Baysox
- No walk-off today, Mets beat Sea Dogs 8-5 - Portland Sea Dogs
- Bonfe, B-Mets Bash Past Sea Dogs, 8-5 - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Squirrels Overtake Curve to Level Series, 5-3 - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Sea Dogs Game Notes May 19 vs. Binghamton - Portland Sea Dogs
- Erie SeaWolves at Akron Aeros - Game Notes - Erie SeaWolves
- Altoona Curve Game Information: May 19, 2013 - Altoona Curve
- B-Mets Game Notes: Game #44 Binghamton Mets (23-19) at Portland Sea Dogs (24-16) - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
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.
