Sampsonite Keeps Sens Way off in Curve Win on Wednesday
April 16, 2014 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
HARRISBURG - Adrian Sampson (2-1) mystified the Senators over his six shutout innings and the offense scored insurance runs late that proved to be crucial in a, 5-2, downing of the Harrisburg Senators on Wednesday morning. Sampson turned in his second quality start of the season in the win and fanned six over his six innings. Through his first three starts, Sampson is 2-1 with a 1.59 ERA to go with 16 strikeouts in 17 innings.
The Redmond, Wash. native went to work with a lead in the bottom of the first thanks to a one-out, two-run single by Mel Rojas, Jr. in the top half of the first. Rojas drove in Gift Ngoepe, who walked, and Stetson Allie, who had doubled earlier in the inning.
It was all Sampson from there as he went on to retire 10 in a row from the second until there was one down in the fifth. He scattered his three hits and three walks across his six innings but the Senators never really threatened against the Curve righty after the first inning.
Altoona went to work again offensively in its favorite scoring inning of the season, the eighth, which proved to be crucial on Wednesday. Ngoepe and Allie worked back-to-back walks off the new Senators pitcher Matt Grace to start the inning. Rojas put down a sacrifice bunt which catcher Brandon Bantz tried to throw to third to get Ngoepe but his throw was offline. With the bases loaded, Willy Garcia roped a double into left-center field to score both Ngoepe and Allie and put the Curve up, 4-0.
Jarek Cunningham followed later in the inning with a sac fly to put the Curve up, 5-0.
Those runs proved to be vital as the Senators tried to mount a last stand in the ninth by scoring a run and loading up the bases with no one out. Ryan Beckman settled in and got the double play ball off the bat of Matt Skole to put two outs on the board while it also added a run to the board for the Senators. Beckman got Jason Martinson to ground out to end the ballgame.
The Curve finish their first road trip 2-4 but lost three of the four games by a run and were leading late or tied after the seventh inning in all three of the losses. Rojas finished today 1-for-4 and extended his hitting streak to eight games while Ngoepe's seven-game streak was halted.
Done with their first road trip of the season, the Curve (4-7) now return home at 6:30 p.m. Thursday night to take on the Richmond Flying Squirrels (AA - Giants) at Peoples Natural Gas Field. It'll be College Night at the ballpark with $5 Grandstand tickets with a valid college ID. Thursday also serves as a Thirsty ThursdayTM with $2 16oz. Miller Lite drafts and $2 22oz. sodas on special thanks to Rocky 104.9.
On the hill for the Curve on Thursday will be RHP Nick Kingham (1-0, 0.75), who faces Richmond for a second straight game. He'll be opposed by Clayton Blackburn (0-1, 3.00) in the lid lifter on Thursday.
Gates swing open at 5:30 p.m. while airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the box office windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
• Discuss this story on the Eastern League message board...
Eastern League Stories from April 16, 2014
- Nuding Brilliant in Trenton's Game 2 Win - Trenton Thunder
- Akron wins game one, but Trenton fights back to earn split - Akron RubberDucks
- Nolan, Murphy Move Revised - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Fightin Phils Lose 4-1 in Richmond Matinee - Reading Fightin Phils
- Baysox Bat Through Cold - Bowie Baysox
- Wednesday's Sea Dogs Game Postponed - Portland Sea Dogs
- B-Mets-Sea Dogs Postponed Again - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Squirrels Beat Back Elements, Fightins, 4-1 - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- B-Mets Game Notes: Game #12 - B-Mets (7-4) at Portland Sea Dogs (7-4) - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Sampsonite Keeps Sens Way off in Curve Win on Wednesday - Altoona Curve
- Kevin Nolan Promoted to Buffalo, Today's Game Postponed - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Baysox Host 1K Beer Runs - Bowie Baysox
- Cam Heyward, Fireworks, and Two Thirsty Thursday's to Entertain Fans when Curve Return Home Tomorrow - Altoona Curve
- Sea Dogs Game Notes April 16 vs. Binghamton (Game 12) - Portland Sea Dogs
- "Dunkin' Dugout" Program Returns to Hadlock in 2014 - Portland Sea Dogs
- Nuding Back to Trenton; Probable Starter for Game 2 - Trenton Thunder
- Altoona Curve Game Information: April 16, 2014 - Altoona Curve
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.
