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Altoona Curve

Altoona Curve Game Information: April 16, 2014

April 16, 2014 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


ABOUT MONDAY: After leading by three heading into the bottom of the eighth, things went drastically awry for the Curve as they fell to the Harrisburg Senators, 4-3, in 10 innings on Monday night. A pair of close plays at the plate in the ninth and 10th innings didn't swing in favor of the Curve and resulted in the Senators' staking claim to a game one victory. Lost in the commotion was a solid start from Zack Dodson, who tossed 5.2 innings of scoreless ball while striking out five. He left with a, 1-0, lead before it was extended to 3-0 in the seventh inning by a Willy Garcia home run and a Keon Broxton infield single that scored a heads up Elias Diaz from second base. Brandon Mann (0-1) suffered the loss on Monday while Harrisburg's Tyler Herron (1-0) grabbed the win. The play that sank the ship on Monday was a single off the bat of Matt Skole to center in the 10th inning with Sean Nicol on second. Nicol was breaking for the plate as Broxton's throw came home on target and appeared in time to get the runner and when the dust settled Nicol was ruled safe and the game was over.

CURVE/SENATORS SERIES: This is the second of 14 meetings between the Curve and their closest geographical ri- val the Harrisburg Senators. Seven games will be played here at Metro Bank Park and the other seven will take place at Peoples Natural Gas Field in Curve, Pa. FOR ALTOONA: Taking the ball for Carlos Garcia on Wednesday morning in what is expected to be a cool, damp Harrisburg will be righty Adrian Sampson, who has been part of the team's 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation to start the season. Last time out, Sampson mystified the Squirrels over five innings and allowed one run while whiffing four and scattering three hits. It'll be the first start for the Redmond, Wash. native against a Washington Nationals affiliate since he made four straight starts against the Auburn Doubledays (NYPL short-season) when he was with the State College Spikes back in 2012. For more on Sampson, see page two

FOR HARRISBURG: On the center of the diamond for the Senators on Wednesday morning will be southpaw Felipe Rivero, who is in his first season at the Double-A level and also his first season with the Nationals organization. Rivero was part of the return in the offseason trade that sent Nate Karns to Tampa Bay and also brought OF Drew Vettleson and catcher Jose Lobaton. Last season with High-A Charlotte in the Florida State League, Rivero went 9-7 with a 3.40 ERA in 25 games (23 starts) and really put himself on the map with a terrific August to close the season. Rivero was 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in five August starts to close his season on a high note. So far this season, Rivero has had one rough start (3.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R) and one good one (5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R) for the 'Sens.

SO CLOSE BUT YET SO FAR...: Monday night's one-run defeat at the hands of the Harrisburg Senators was the third of road trip so far and the second time that they've been on the wrong side of a walk off on this road trip. In all three of the one-run losses, the Curve commanded leads at some point or another in the game with the lead being three runs in the seventh inning or later in two of the three setbacks. NOT SO MOTHERLY: The Curve and Senators were not the only ones rained out on Monday. In fact, all games in the Eastern League were postponed due to rain.

A GIFT FOR YOU: Second baseman Gift Ngoepe has gotten out of the gate well for the Curve in his second go around at the Double-A level here in 2014. Through the first 10 games, Ngoepe is hitting .303 with three extra base hits, three RBI and eight walks. Ngoepe drew five of those walks in the four-game series with the Squirrels over the week- end and had multiple at bats that went seven pitches or more. He was 1-for-4 with a walk in the loss on Monday. 7TH HEAVEN: Second baseman Gift Ngoepe and center fielder Mel Rojas, Jr. are currently riding team-best seven game hitting streaks into today's game with the Senators on City Island.

PITCH ON THE PITCH: Despite the struggles over the final few games in Richmond, the Curve pitching staff still checks in with the second-best ERA in the 12-team Eastern League. Nick Kingham has the fourth-best ERA (0.75) and the second-best batting average against (.158) for any pitcher in the league. Today's starter Adrian Sampson has the third-best WHIP of anyone in the league at 0.91.

KING'S RANSOM: Nick Kingham gave up his first run of the 2014 season in his final inning of work on Friday night versus the Squirrels and now has a 0.75 ERA through his first two starts. He began the season with 11 scoreless innings and fanned 10 batters in 12 innings of work. He is scheduled to throw in the series finale with Harrisburg on Wednesday morning.

PROSPECTOR: The 2014 Altoona Curve Opening Day roster contains seven of the Top-30 prospects in the Pirates system according to Baseball America. Nick Kingham (No. 5), Alen Hanson (No. 6), Willy Garcia (No. 14), Stetson Allie (No. 23), Adrian Sampson (No. 27), Gift Ngoepe (No. 29), and Joely Rodriguez (No. 30) make up the seven players on the list. Kingham also is listed as having the system's best changeup and best control, Ngoepe the system's best defensive infielder and Garcia the best outfield arm. Hanson also found himself on some additional prospect lists entering the 2014 season, checking in as the 67th-best prospect entering 2014 according to MLB.com and the 76th-best in the Baseball America Top-100. Kingham joined Hanson on the BA list and is slotted as the 64th- best prospect in MiLB.

HE MUST WORKOUT: Outfielder Willy Garcia (No. 14 - Baseball America) joins the Curve to start the season, which will be his first in Double-A. Garcia led the entire Pirates minor league system and Florida State League in outfield assists in 2013, throwing out 20 runners. The Curve record for outfield assists in a season is 18, which was set by Starling Marte in 2011.

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