Altoona Curve Game Information: May 17, 2013
Published on May 17, 2013 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
ABOUT YESTERDAY...: The Curve were able to close out a strong homestand with a, 6-2, win over the Trenton Thun- der on Thursday afternoon at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Altoona was led by a pair of Charlie's in Charlie Morton and catcher Charlie Cutler. Morton made his rehab start for the Curve, lasting four innings and throwing 61 pitches while giving up a pair of hits (both solo homers). Cutler led the offense with three RBI and went 3-for-3 at the plate to continue his hot hitting at the plate. David Bromberg (2-4), who came out of the bullpen behind Morton, was unhit- table, literally, with five no-hit innings to end the game. Bromberg allowed just one base runner via a walk, which came after he retired the first 12 men he faced on the day. Altoona's offense was able to break a 2-2 tie in the fifth when they scored four runs on four hits with RBI in the inning coming from Alex Dickerson (RBI triple), Cutler (RBI single) and Adalberto Santos (RBI single). Drew Maggi, who was celebrating his 24th birthday on Thursday, also had three hits and scored two runs in the win.
CURVE/SQUIRRELS SERIES: These two teams meet up once again this weekend after squaring off for a three-game set last weekend at Peoples Natural Gas Field. In fact it is the second of three straight weekend series that the two teams play against one another in the month of May. Last time the Curve visited the River City, they went 1-2 at The Diamond. This is the second of three total trips the Curve make to Richmond in 2013 with the final one coming in late August.
FOR ALTOONA: Oklahoma native Casey Sadler will get the ball to open the road trip for the Curve in Richmond on Thursday night looking to avenge a loss he suffered at the hands of the Squirrels last weekend in Curve, Pa. Sadler tossed a seven-inning complete game in the first game of a twinbill Saturday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. He allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits while the offense fell into a slumber in a, 5-0, shutout. The 2010 draftee has been dynamite on the road this season, boasting a 0.90 ERA in his road starts this season. Last time out on the road, Sadler spun a career-high eight innings of two-hit ball on May 6 in Harrisburg. He allowed one unearned run and also drove in two runs at the plate. For more on Sadler, see page two.
FOR RICHMOND: Opposing Sadler for the second time in less than a week will be RHP Craig Westcott, who turned in his best outing of the season last time out vs. the Curve. The Louisiana native dealt six scoreless innings, his second scoreless outing of the season, while striking out seven and not walking a batter in his win in Game 1 last Saturday night. Altoona now has to face Westcott in the confines of The Diamond where he's been more successful (1-1, 2.18 ERA, .233 BAA) than he has been on the road (1-2, 6.23 ERA, .333 BAA). The right hander is in his third season (second straight) with Richmond and will be facing the Curve for a fifth time in his career but for the first time at home.
STREAKS AND VALLEYS: With Thursday afternoon's win over the Thunder, the Curve have now won four-of-five, six- of-eight and seven-of-10 games. They finished their best homestand of the season, going 5-2. This all comes on the heels of a six-game losing streak that stifled the Curve to start the month of May.
CHARLIE AND THE HIT FACTORY: Catcher Charlie Cutler has been a steady force to be reckoned with in the Curve offense this season. He was 3-for-3 in the win over Trenton on Thursday to raise his average to .340 in his 18 games played. He's been especially happy hitting at Peoples Natural Gas Field, batting a blistering .387 (12-for-31) in 11 games. He's also had the flair for dramatics in some big victories for the Curve this season. His hit in the bottom of the ninth vs. Richmond on April 16 tied the game and forced extra innings. The Curve later won that game with Cutler scoring the winning run. He also won the second game of a doubleheader in Harrisburg with an 11th-inning double. Lastly, he ended the game on Sunday with Richmond when he sailed a ball deep to center that Squirrels centerfielder Jarrett Parker dropped to allow Andrew Lambo to score and secure a walk-off win.
DON'T FORGET YOUR TOOTHBRUSH: Today's road game is the first in a rough stretch of road games for the Curve over the next two weeks. Altoona is starting a seven-game road trip tonight in Richmond and then heads to Reading before returning home for Memorial Day Weekend. After those four games, it's right back to the road for six more through Binghamton and Portland. All told, 13 of the next 17 games for the Curve will be away from Peoples Natu- ral Gas Field and all will be played in succession without a day off.
DROUGHT SEASON?: Altoona was held without a homer for the seventh straight game on Thursday in the win over Trenton, which is uncommon for a team that has hit its fair share of homers to start the season. The Curve went homer-less in the series with Richmond, which was only the second time that it had happened this year. Altoona began the year homering in seven straight games and also ran off a six-game homer streak from 5/3-5/8.
BIG LEAGUE CHEW: The Curve have had their fair share of Major League rehabilitation assignments or former Major Leaguers in their ranks for a few weeks now. Francisco Liriano made one rehab start for the Curve on Saturday, April 20 while reliever Jose Contreras also pitched for the Curve that weekend in Harrisburg on his way to Pittsburgh. Charlie Morton joined the Curve the following week for a pair of rehab starts on April 23 and 28 and was followed by Neil Walker's rehab appearance this past weekend vs. Richmond. Morton returned this week to start Thursday morning's game and now Jeff Karstens will make a rehab start for the Curve on Saturday night at The Diamond.
HE EATS HIS WHEATIES: OF/1B Andrew Lambo walked in his first at bat on Wednesday night and has reached base safely in all but three of his 38 games this season and leads the team in home runs, RBI, hits and is second on the team in walks. His seven home runs are second-most in the EL entering play on Friday. He had the Thursday finale off.
Eastern League Stories from May 17, 2013
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