Rock Cats Beat Curve 9-5, Become First Eastern League Team to 30 Wins
May 28, 2015 - Eastern League (EL1)
New Britain Rock Cats News Release
New Britain, CT - The New Britain Rock Cats defeated the Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate) 9-5 on Thursday afternoon in the rubber game of a 3-game series in front of a capacity 8,059 fans at New Britain Stadium. The Rock Cats smashed three home runs to win their first series in four tries and became the first club in the Eastern League to record 30 victories. New Britain is now 30-16 and has been in first place for more than a month.
The Rock Cats scored a pair of runs in the second and third innings to take a 4-0 lead. C Yan Vasquez smashed a two-out 2-run home run in the second inning off Curve starter Matt Benedict (LP 0-2) SS Trevor Story belted a solo shot to start the third followed by a two-out RBI single by 2B Juan Ciriaco, who had three hits in the contest.
Curve OF Willie Garcia cracked a 3-run homer in the 5th to make it a one-run game 4-3. However, the Rock Cats added two more runs in the bottom of the 5th on a two-out RBI single by Ciriano and runs scoring triple by Vasquez giving New Britain a 6-3 edge.
Bryan Evans pitched the first five innings of the game for New Britain, allowing three runs on five hits. Altoona scored twice in the 6th off reliever Jason Gurka to pull the Pirates affiliate to within a run at 6-5. The runs came home on back-to-back two-out hits by OF Stetson Allie and 2B Max Moroff.
The Rock Cats scored three insurance runs in the 8th inning to make it 9-5. 1B Dean Espy led off the inning with a solo home run and two runs scored after pitcher John Kuchno dropped an infield popup with two-outs.
NOTES: Rock Cats OF David Dahl, the Rockies top prospect, left the game in the top of the 6th inning after colliding with INF Juan Ciriaco. He is being checked for a concussion. Rock Cats starting pitcher Bryan Evans won his second straight start since joining the Rock Cats last week.
The Rock Cats continue the homestand on Friday night (6:35 PM) and play the first of three against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto-AL). A fireworks show will follow the ballgame. RHP Devin Burke will start for the Rock Cats against RHP Casey Lawrence for the Fisher Cats.
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