Winning Ways Come to An Abrupt End on Tuesday
May 26, 2015 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - The Curve's two-game win streak came to a screeching halt on Tuesday night in New Britain amidst two ejections, four errors and strange plays in a, 6-4, loss to the Rock Cats. Max Moroff and Jacob Stallings each collected three hits while Keon Broxton homered for the second straight game in the loss.
New Britain scored first in the first off Zack Dodson thanks to an RBI single from Tom Murphy. Altoona, though, had an answer when Broxton strolled to the plate in the third and crushed a homer to straightaway center to tie it.
The game remained tied at one until the fifth when Pat Valaika hit his second home run of the season with a two-run homer to left-center. That put New Britain in front, 3-1.
Altoona's bats stayed hot through most of the game but couldn't string hits together until the late innings. After stranding six runners through the first four innings the Curve tried to rally again in the sixth. Stallings singled for the third time in the game and was on first with two down for Gift Ngoepe. With two strikes, Ngoepe moved out of the way of a two-strike pitch and then was subsequently called out on strikes for having broken the plane while getting out of the way.
Ngoepe and manager Tom Prince were both ejected for arguing the call after the inning's conclusion.
Still, the Curve would battle to take a lead.
Pinch hitter Edward Salcedo walked to start the inning off new pitcher Tyler Ybarra. Broxton flew out but then Salcedo was able to move from first to third as he stole second and the throw from Murphy went into center field. Moroff singled Salcedo in to bring the Curve within one. Josh Bell smacked a double with Moroff running on the play and Moroff scored to tie the game at three. New Britain went back into the bullpen to get Kraig Sitton to face Willy Garcia. Garcia roped a single into right to put the Curve in front, 4-3.
Things then went completely askew in the bottom of the inning. Jhondaniel Medina (1-1) came in for Dodson, who left in line with a win, and walked Jayson Langfels to start the inning. Pinch hitter Mike Tauchman hit a ball back to Medina that he threw high to Bell at first and everyone was safe.
Valaika came to the plate and bunted out in front of the plate quickly to Stallings, who rifled a throw to Eric Wood at third to get the lead runner. Wood tried to throw back to first for a potential double play until he realized that the umpire had ruled he'd taken his foot off the bag before he had the ball and everyone was safe.
Noel Cuevas followed and cleared the bases with a double to left-center that ended up being enough for the 'Cats.
Also lost on Tuesday was the 12-game hitting streak by Dan Gamache, who had to be used as a pinch hitter in the ninth. Gamache grounded out to the right side to start the inning.
Bell finished the game 2-for-4 to run his hitting streak to eight games while Garcia also had two hits.
Still with a winning road trip in sight, the Curve (25-18) and Rock Cats (29-15) will play the second game of the series at 6:35 p.m. Wednesday night. RHP Chad Kuhl (2-1, 3.09) will make the start for the Curve on Wednesday night while RHP Shane Carle (5-2, 3.65) gets the ball for the Rock Cats.
Airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6:20 p.m.
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Eastern League Stories from May 26, 2015
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