Ninth-Inning Lead, Series Slip Away for Curve in Road Trip Finale
Published on August 2, 2018 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Altoona Curve let a ninth-inning lead slip away and lost to the Harrisburg Senators, 4-3, on a walk-off single by Daniel Johnson on Thursday night at FNB Field.
The Curve (57-49) dropped two of the three games in the series against the Senators (56-52).
The Curve entered the bottom of the ninth inning with a 3-2 lead, but Harrisburg loaded the bases with no outs against Tate Scioneaux (Loss, 2-2) before a rain shower delayed play for ten minutes.
When play resumed, Dan Gamache tied the game with a groundout and Johnson followed with his walk-off single.
Bryan Reynolds gave the Curve an early 2-0 lead with a two-run homer against Harrisburg starter Tyler Mapes in the top of the third inning, his fifth of the season.
Harrisburg tied the score with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Jake Noll reached out a fielding error by Cole Tucker that allowed Daniel Johnson to score. Later in the inning, Austin Davidson drove an RBI double to tie the score at 2-2.
Reynolds reached with a two-out double in the fifth inning and moved to third on a wild pitch, setting up an RBI infield single by Will Craig to put the Curve ahead, 3-2.
Craig picked up his 86th RBI of the season, moving him into a tie with Matt Hague (2010) for the fourth-most in a season in franchise history.
The Curve did not pick up a single hit after the fifth inning. Relievers Ronald Pena and Jordan Mills (Win, 1-1) each threw two scoreless innings for the Senators.
Altoona starter Scooter Hightower worked four inning and allowed two unearned runs in his third Double-A start. Logan Sendelbach entered in the fifth and struck out two batters over two scoreless innings.
With the win, the Senators pulled within two games of the Curve in the Western Division wild card chase. The Curve remain in second place in the division, six games behind first-place Akron.
The Curve return home to open a three-game series against the division-leading Akron RubberDucks on Friday night. Right-hander Eduardo Vera (4-3, 4.60) will start for Altoona, opposed by Akron right-hander Kyle Dowdy (3-4, 5.09). First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
Friday is PA Heritage Night, and the first 1,000 fans will take home an exclusive 20th Season Curve Slinky, presented by Alex Brands. The team will be wearing a special Three Deer Moon jersey, presented by Alex Brands, and the on-field jerseys will be auctioned off during the game. Plus, the game will be followed by a spectacular fireworks show.
For tickets or more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office.
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