EL1 Altoona Curve

Altoona Curve Game Information: July 14, 2014 at Harrisburg

Published on July 14, 2014 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


ABOUT YESTERDAY: Zack Dodson got off to a slow start and allowed seven runs in the first inning to the Harrisburg Senators and the Curve couldn't come back in their 9-5 loss on Sunday afternoon at Metro Bank Park. Altoona began to mount a comeback when they plated two in the second inning on an RBI double by Keon Broxton followed by a run-scoring single from Gift Ngoepe. In the third, the Curve drew a pair of walks and Dan Gamache continued his hot start with the bat when he clubbed his first career Double-A home run, a three-run blast that brought the Curve to within two. However, Harrisburg scored twice in the sixth and hung on to win, serving Altoona its 60th loss of the year. Dodson suffered his sixth loss of the season and only allowed two hits after the rough first inning.

CURVE/SENATORS SERIES: The Curve will play the Senators for the final time this season this afternoon at Metro Bank Park. Altoona has had phenomenal success against the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals this season. The Curve are 10-3 against them which includes an undefeated record (seven wins) at Peoples Natural Gas Field but have split the six games played in Harrisburg. The Curve also lead the all-time series against the Senators 158-130. As a team, the Curve are batting .305 against Harrisburg and are averaging 6.7 runs against the Senators this season. On the flip side, the 'Sens are batting .260 against the Curve while tallying 4.1 runs per game.

FOR ALTOONA: LHP Thomas Harlan gets the nod for the Curve in the series finale against the Harrisburg Senators. Harlan made his first career start in the Eastern League in game two of the doubleheader against the Erie SeaWolves on July 8. The southpaw held his own in the start when he kept Erie to two runs (one earned) over five innings pitched and left in line for the victory. However, the Curve bullpen gave up nine runs after Harlan left and the south- paw did not factor into the decision. The 24-year-old began the year with the Bradenton Marauders and went 3-3 with a 2.49 ERA in 21 games out of the bullpen prior to his recent promotion to Altoona. Harlan was drafted by the Pirates in the 13th round of the 2012 MLB Draft from Fresno State. For more on Harlan, see page two.

FOR HARRISBURG: RHP Scott McGregor will start the series finale for the Senators. The right hander began the year as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals organization and was released by the Cardinals after a 1-6 record and a 6.34 ERA in 13 starts with Triple-A Memphis. Shortly after his release, he was signed by the Washington Nationals and made his debut with the 'Sens on June 23. In that outing at Richmond, he walked five batters and gave up six runs without retiring a batter. After a couple relief outings where he gave up at least a run in each of the outings, he went four innings in his last start on July 9 against Bowie and gave up only one hit. McGregor was originally drafted by the Cardinals in the 15th round of the 2008 MLB Draft from the University of Memphis.

ALL-STARS ANNOUNCED: Seven players from the Altoona Curve have been named to the Eastern League All-Star team. Starting pitcher Adrian Sampson and relievers Ryan Beckman and Kenn Kasparek are the three pitchers who will represent the Curve at the Eastern League All-Star Stop presented by UPMC Health Plan. They are joined by catcher Elias Diaz, outfielder Willy Garcia, shortstop Alen Hanson, and utility player Drew Maggi. Sampson has been the staff ace this season and ranks fourth in the league with a 2.79 ERA, though he will not play in the mid-summer classic. Beckman has allowed only five earned runs since June 1. Diaz has a .305 average which is the best among active catchers in the league, Garcia has 34 extra-base hits this season, and Maggi leads the Curve with 23 steals and has consistently reached base (.399 OBP). All the aforementioned players are participating in their first career All-Star game while Hanson and Kasparek gets the nod for his third All-Star nomination. The Curve shortstop is bat- ting .281 this year with an Eastern League best seven triples. Kasparek has been incredible with the Curve and holds a 0.96 ERA. The Eastern League All-Star Stop will be July 15-16 at Peoples Natural Gas Field with the All-Star Clash between the East and West occuring on July 16 at 7 p.m. The seven All-Stars are the most in Curve franchise history, surpassing the 2006 and 2007 teams.

JUST WATCH IT FLY: Curve outfielder and All-Star Willy Garcia will represent the Western Division as a part of the Ghostman Games and Hitting Challenge on Tuesday night during the All-Star festivities at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Garcia leads Altoona in slugging (.469) and is second on the team in home runs (12). The 21-year-old will be joined by Michael Taylor from the Harrisburg Senators and Christian Walker from the Bowie Baysox to represent the Western Division. From the East, a pair of Trenton players will help lead their team in the challenge. Peter O'Brien and Gary Sanchez who have a combined 25 home runs plus Kennys Vargas from New Britain who has clubbed 15 long balls will partake in the Ghostman Games and Hitting Challenge tomorrow at 7:45 p.m.

ON THE BUTTON: Altoona center fielder Keon Broxton has been able to get on-base with a lot of consistency lately. Broxton has reached base safely in 16 straight games, which surpassed the previous high of 14 that was held by Mel Rojas, Jr. Broxton's streak began on June 30 and during that time is batting .327 during that time.

LEVEL COMPLETED: Adrian Sampson and Joely Rodriguez spun back-to-back complete games in Saturday's doubleheader against the Harrisburg Senators. The back-to-back doubleheaders was the first time that the Curve have accomplished this feat during the 2014 season. As a whole, Altoona has only thrown three complete games this year with all three coming in a double header. Rodriguez' also owns the third complete game and did it in a losing effort on June 21 in Portland.

BASH BROS: The Curve hit six home runs in their win over Harrisburg on Friday night. Drew Maggi, Andy Vasquez, Stetson Allie, Keon Broxton, Alen Hanson, and Jarek Cunningham each hit a solo blast in that game that Altoona won 13-12. The six home runs are the most in franchse history, surpassing the previous record of five that was set four times and most recently on June 2, 2013 in Portland.

SIZZLIN' IN JULY: Newcomer Dan Gamache along with Andy Vasquez have put together a great stretch for Altoona recently. Gamache has hit safely in five consecutive games and has reached base safely in all seven games he's played since being activated off the Curve disabled list on July 7. The Newport, Rhode Island native is batting .375 and hit his first Double-A home run, a three-run shot, in Sunday's loss. Vasquez has also hit safely in a season-best seven straight games and has an eight-game on-base streak as well. This month, Vasquez is batting .344 with one home run and eight RBIs, the most in any month for the native of the Dominican Republic.

RECORD, OVERLOAD: Friday's victory saw the Curve establish several team offensive highs for the season. Those include runs (13), hits (19), home runs (6), extra-base hits (7), and game time (4:35). Individually, Drew Maggi matched career highs in runs (3) and hits (4).

IT'S A LONG WAY BACK: Through 15 games this month, the Curve are 8-7 and are batting .296 as a team. Altoona is just two wins shy of matching the most wins in any month this season. The last time Altoona had a month where they finished above .500 was last July where the 2013 Curve finished 15-11.

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Eastern League Stories from July 14, 2014


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