Altoona Curve Game Information: May 24, 2013
Published on May 24, 2013 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
ABOUT YESTERDAY...: The Curve and Reading Fightins were unable to finish their series at FirstEnergy Stadium due to a rainstorm that came through with the Curve batting in the top of the eighth inning and the game tied at two. Adalberto Santos was at the plate when a downpour began and did not let up for 1:35. After the tarp was taken off the field, the infield was deemed too soggy to continue play and the game was suspended. Casey Sadler started the game on Thursday morning and turned in his sixth quality start of the season. The Oklahoma native allowed just two runs in six innings before leaving the game before the seventh inning. Kenn Kasparek pitched the seventh before the game was put into a delay. Justin Howard was also having a good day in the series finale, going 3-for-3 with an RBI in his third start of the season. Andrew Lambo continued to hit, mashing a triple while going 1-for-3.
CURVE/SQUIRRELS SERIES: Altoona and Richmond will meet for the third straight weekend and the last time this season at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The Curve own a slight edge in the series thus far, winning seven of the 13 games played. Of the seven wins the Curve have accumulated, five have come here at home. The two teams will not meet again after this series until Aug. 22-25 in Richmond at The Diamond.
FOR ALTOONA: Once again starting for the Curve against the Richmond Flying Squirrels will be RHP Jameson Tail- lon. Tonight's start will be his fifth of the year against the Squirrels and his 10th overall start of the season. There has been a night and day difference in Taillon's numbers versus the Giants' Double-A affiliate at home and on the road this season. At home in Peoples Natural Gas Field, Taillon is 1-0 and has not allowed a Squirrels run in 13 in- nings pitched. On the road in Richmond, Taillon has given up eight runs in 12 innings of work. Overall, Taillon has a 2.05 ERA in five starts at home and a 4.50 ERA in four starts on the road. In his most recent start, which came in Richmond on Sunday, he allowed three runs (all in the sixth inning) while tying his season and career-high with 10 strikeouts. For more on Taillon, see page two.
FOR RICHMOND: On the bump for the Squirrels in the first game of the series will be RHP Craig Westcott, who makes his third start against the Curve and his ninth overall. Each of his last two starts have come against the Curve and he's allowed just one run in 13.1 IP for a 0.68 ERA. Westcott battled the flu and has been pushed back a few days to make his start today versus the Curve. Last time out vs. Altoona on May 17, Westcott permitted just one run in a season-high 7.1 innings pitched only to suffer a loss. He was out-dueled in the game by the Curve's Casey Sadler, who did not allow a run in his seven innings.
SUSPENSION BRIDGE: The Curve and Fightins were suspended with the game tied at two on Thursday. Per the rule book, the game must be finished before any other game between the two clubs begins. Therefore, the two teams will resume the suspended game on Tuesday, June 4 at Peoples Natural Gas Field. They'll pick up the game at 6 p.m. with the regularly-scheduled nine-inning game to follow 30 minutes after its completion. When the game is re- sumed, the Curve must still retain its status as the visiting team even though it will be played in their home ballpark.
TAKING AWAY THE RUNNING GAME: Catcher Carlos Paulino has been a force to be reckoned with behind the plate this season, throwing out 39.5 percent (17-of-43) of base stealers entering play today. That's third-best in the circuit behind Portland's Christian Vazquez, who has thrown out 47.8 percent of base stealers, and Trenton's J.R. Murphy (42.5%).
A HECKUVA SALES PITCH: The Curve pitching staff ranks second in the Eastern League entering play today with its 3.83 team ERA. Despite going 1-5 on the road trip, the pitching staff had an ERA of 3.20 through the first six games. Casey Sadler has the sixth-best ERA in the league at 2.81 while teammate Jameson Taillon checks in eighth with his 3.02 ERA. Taillon's 57 strikeouts are fourth-most in the circuit while Sadler has 64.0 innings logged this season to pace the circuit.
THE RETURN OF THE HOMER: The Curve spent seven days away from Peoples Natural Gas Field and hit nine homers on the road trip to break a seven-game home run drought that occurred during the last homestand. Jarek Cunningham, Charlie Cutler, Justin Howard, Andrew Lambo, Gift Ngoepe and Adalberto Santos have all went deep with Cunningham mashing three homers to lead the team during the roadie. However, the Curve went 5-2 on the homerless homestand and were 1-5 on the road trip.
HE EATS HIS WHEATIES: OF/1B Andrew Lambo tripled on Thursday and continued his impressive streak of reaching base in all but three games to start the season (42-of-45). Lambo leads the team in home runs, RBI, hits and is tied for the team lead in walks. His nine home runs are tied for third-most in the EL entering play today.
DON'T FORGET YOUR TOOTHBRUSH: The Curve are now seven games into one of the tougher stretches on their 2013 schedule. Altoona is in a period of the season where they are playing 13-of-17 games away from home without the benefit of a day off. Done with the first seven games on the road, the Curve now play a four-game set at home versus the Flying Squirrels over Memorial Day weekend. The Curve then get back on the bus and head out through Binghamton and Portland for a six-game roadie beginning Tuesday.
#THATPOWER: Altoona hit a season-high four home runs in the loss on Wednesday night in Reading to run their season total as a team to 35. Andrew Lambo and Charlie Cutler went back-to-back in the fourth inning to become the first duo to go back-to-back this season for the Curve. The last time a pair of Curve batters went back-to-back? July 23, 2012 in Reading when Adalberto Santos and Matt Curry dialed long distance in succession. The three home runs in the fourth inning also was the first time the Curve hit more than one home run as a team in the same inning this season.
Eastern League Stories from May 24, 2013
- Late Offensive Charge Not Enough in 10-9 Loss - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
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- Cooper Strong in Erie Loss - Erie SeaWolves
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- Sea Dogs Game Notes - Portland Sea Dogs
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- B-Mets vs. Sea Dogs - Game Notes - May 24, 2013 - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
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