EL1 Altoona Curve

Altoona Curve Game Information: June 4, 2014 vs. Binghamton

Published on June 4, 2014 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


ABOUT YESTERDAY: The Curve lost their tenth straight game thanks to a 15-6 loss at the hands of the Binghamton Mets on Tuesday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The Curve got off to a hot start offensively by driving in three runs thanks to RBI hits by Keon Broxton and a two-RBI double by Willy Garcia. After that inning, the Curve bats were held silent until the eighth when Garcia blasted a three-run home run off reliever Hamilton Bennett to give him five RBI in the game. Zack Dodson started for Altoona and worked out of trouble early in the game but Binghamton's offense exploded in the fifth by scoring seven runs on seven hits. The bullpen didn't fare too much better by allowing eight more runs spread between every inning between the fifth and ninth.

CURVE/B-METS SERIES: Tonight's game marks the fifth time that the Altoona Curve have played the Binghamton Mets in the 2014 campaign and the second of seven to be played at Peoples Natural Gas Field. These two teams pre- viously met from May 13-15 at NYSEG Stadium in Binghamton with the B-Mets taking two out of three games. The Curve won the first game of that series 10-3 thanks to a seven-run third inning. The two teams have met 133 total times since they started play in 1999 with Binghamton leading by the season series by just one win (67-66).

FOR ALTOONA: The Curve will try to snap their ten-game losing streak when they send LHP Joely Rodriguez to the hill in game two of the series against the B-Mets. The 22-year-old is 2-4 with a 4.21 ERA in ten starts. In Rodriguez' last start, he surrendered three runs over 5.1 innings in Richmond but left with a no-decision in a game the Curve lost 6-3. Despite inconsistent numbers from Rodriguez, Altoona has had some success when Rodriguez pitches. Among all starting pitchers, the Curve have won the most games when Rodriguez has started. The native of Santo Domingo was acquired by the Pirates as a non-drafted free agent in March 2009 and is currently on the Pittsburgh Pirates 40-Man Roster. For more on Rodriguez, see page two.

FOR BINGHAMTON: The B-Mets will try to win their fourth straight game against the Curve when they send up RHP Hansel Robles to the hill. The native of Bonao in the Dominican Republic is 3-2 with a 4.63 ERA in nine starts. Robles squared off against the Curve in the first meeting between the two clubs on May 13 and was hit hard by the Curve for seven runs over 2.2 innings. He rebounded after that tough outing with six shutout frames in Portland and in his last start, allowed only one run over 6.2 innings in a win at home against New Hampshire. Robles was acquired by the New York Mets as a non-drafted free agent in August 2008.

BREAKING THE HABIT: With the loss on Tuesday, Altoona lost its tenth consecutive game. During the current skid, Altoona has lost seven of the ten games by two runs or less. The offense has been stagnant after a great first couple weeks of May. Curve bats during the losing streak hold a .201 batting average (67-for-333) and are batting .197 (15- for-76) with runners in scoring position. The team is approaching dangerous water with this losing streak and are only one loss away from tying the longest losing streak in franchise history set in 2000 when the Curve lost 11 straight from April 15-26. The 2000 Curve team finished the season 74-68 that season.

HIGH FIVE: In Tuesday's loss against Binghamton, Curve right fielder Willy Garcia went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run which gave him five RBI in the game, tying his career-high. Garcia's only other five-RBI game in his career came two years ago when he was with the West Virginia Power on July 1. Garcia has been an extra-base machine for Altoona this season. The native of Santo Domingo has bashed 23 extra base hits of the 40 total base knocks this sea- son. At the pace Garcia is on, he could be in the discussion for most extra base hits all-time in Curve history. Adam Hyzdu belted 72 extra base hits in 2000 as part of his MVP season and is the franchise leader in extra base hits. Behind him are Starling Marte (58, 2011), Alex Dickerson (56, 2013), and Tony Alvarez (53, 2002).

KEYS TO THE CITY: Curve outfielder Keon Broxton looks good through his first couple games in June and is carrying over his hot bat from May into the new month. Broxton has hit safely in six consecutive games and is batting .391 (9-for-23) in that span. Last month, Broxton batted .374 with eight doubles, four triples, and four homers to go with his 18 total runs scored. His 18 runs are 14 more than he had in all of April (17 games). The former Diamondbacks farmhand had the third-best average during May in the Eastern League and the sixth-best in all of Double-A. The Florida native was acquired by the Pirates in a trade on March 27.

HOLD THE FORT: With the Curve trailing Binghamton late on Tuesday, position player Andy Vasquez entered the game as a relief pitcher, marking the first time this season the Curve have opted to save a bullpen arm in that fash- ion. Vasquez induced an inning ending popout in the eighth but then surrendered two home runs in the ninth. The Santo Domingo native struck out Dustin Lawley for his first career punchout. It was Vasquez' fifth career appearance after he made one with the Curve last year and three with Bradenton in 2012.

DROUGHT SEASON: When the Curve scored a run with one out in the eighth inning of Sunday's loss, it was the club's first run in the last 33.1 innings, the longest such skid in franchise history. The previous high was 33.0 innings that came from the 2011 club from June 19-24. The 2011 Curve team failed to score a run for three consecutive games, with the second shutout falling in game one of a doubleheader against New Hampshire followed by a ten in- ning shutout loss at the hands of Harrisburg. As a team, Altoona has plated 237 runs this season, which ranks eighth in the Eastern League.

KING(S) OF THE HILL: Sunday's starting pitcher A.J. Morris allowed one run over six innings and still leads the league in ERA at 1.64, just ahead of Richmond's Jack Snodgrass. Morris, 27, also commands the second- best batting average against for any starter in the league behind Portland's Henry Owens and the third-best WHIP in the circuit (1.05). Friday's starting pitcher Adrian Sampson tossed eight shutout innings and saw his ERA reach under 2.00 for the first time since May 2 (1.98). Sampson enters today ranked third in the league in ERA. Saturday's starter Nick Kingham cracked the leaderboard with his seven-inning performance and holds a 2.95 ERA which is good for tenth in the league.

MAY-DAY: The Curve look to turn a new page in June after going 10-23 in the month of May, which is tied for the second-fewest wins in the month of May in team history (10-20 in 2013). The 2009 Curve had the fewest wins in the month (nine) while the 2010 team had the most (19). However, the 23 losses sets a new franchise record for losses in any month in franchise history. It surpasses the 21-loss record from last August.

YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE (LEADER)BOARD: The following Curve players rank among the league leaders entering today's game: Alen Hanson (5 3B,T- 1st), Willy Garcia and Keon Broxton (4 3B, T-2nd), Nick Kingham (2.95 ERA, 10th), A.J. Morris (1.64 ERA, 1st | 1.05 WHIP, 3rd | .208 BAA, 2nd | 5 wins, T-2nd) and Adrian Sampson (1.98 ERA, 3rd | 1.08 WHIP, 4th).

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