Altoona Curve Game Information: May 7, 2013
Published on May 7, 2013 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
ABOUT LAST NIGHT..: Starter Casey Sadler (4-2) took the Curve on his back and led them to a, 3-1, victory on Mon- day night at Metro Bank Park in the series opener with the Senators. Sadler did not allow a baserunner through the first three and a hit through the first 4.2 innings of the day before a two-out single by Sandy Leon. He did it with the bat as well, driving home the game's first two runs in the last of the fifth after Harrisburg elected to intentionally walk No. 8 hitter Mel Rojas, Jr. to force Sadler to hit with runners at the corners. The Stillwater, Okla. native responded with a shot single to right-center that scored Jarek Cunningham and Rojas, Jr. to put the Curve ahead. Harrisburg's lone run on the day was unearned to Sadler, who finished a career-best eight innings in the win. Reliever Tim Alder- son notched his second save in as many tries in his first work since May 1. Adalberto Santos walked to lead off the ninth and in doing so ran his on-base streak to 16 games.
CURVE/SENATORS SERIES: This is the third series between the Curve and Senators in the season's first six weeks and the second time that Altoona will visit Metro Bank Park. The Curve were 2-2 here on their last road trip before heading down to Richmond, Va. This is the second of three visits that Altoona makes to City Island and will not return after this series until the middle of August. Andrew Lambo has driven in seven of the 15 runs scored by the Curve in the season series.
FOR ALTOONA: Looking to guide the Curve to back-to-back victories will be RHP Jameson Taillon, who is facing the Senators for the second time this season. In his only other stat against the Nationals Double-A affiliate, Taillon worked six innings and struck out a career-high 10 batters on April 12. Despite his career-day, Taillon was still saddled with a loss as the Curve offense went silent in a, 4-0, defeat. In his most recent start, the talented right hander allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings in what turned out to be another loss (this time, 4-1). He permitted two runs and four hits in the first inning but then scattered an unearned run and three hits across his final five frames. Opponents haven't hit him well, batting .222 through 135 at bats and he has allowed more than three runs in a start only once this season. For more on Taillon, see page two.
FOR HARRISBURG: Altoona will have its hands full with today's Senators starter in Nathan Karns. Karns befuddled the Curve bats in his last outing against them, striking out a career-high 13 batters across seven innings where he allowed just one run. He is one of three pitchers this season to establish a new career-high in strikeouts when facing the Curve (Toru Murata and Danny Salazar of Akron are the other two). Since his 13-strikeout performance, Karns has gone 1-0 and allowed a total of three runs in 12.0 IP with eight strikeouts and six walks total over two outings. Tonight's start will be just his third of the season at home, where he is currently 1-1.
NO CASE OF THE MONDAYS: Curve starter Casey Sadler was superb on Monday, dealing a career-high eight in- nings to lead the Curve to a win and end a six-game losing streak. The eight innings pitched were not only a career high for Sadler but a season-high for a Curve pitching staff that had seen five separate seven-inning performances. Sadler, 22, has lasted at least five innings in all but one of his seven starts this season and has gone at least six in five of seven. If you take it further, more than half of Sadler's starts have been seven innings or more. Entering play today, Sadler leads the league in innings pitched (44.0).
POWERFUL PIMENTEL: Starter Stolmy Pimentel took a no decision on Saturday night after giving up two runs in six innings to Erie to raise his ERA from 0.30 to 0.74, which still leads the Eastern League. Of his six trips to the hill this season, five of them have been quality starts.
CHICKS DIG THE LONG BALL: The Curve hit their 23rd home run as a team on Monday in the win over Harrisburg, which ranks them second in the league. Only the New Hampshire Fisher Cats have more home runs with 25. The 2012 Curve team had 72 home runs during the 142-game season.
TAKING AWAY THE RUNNING GAME: Catcher Carlos Paulino has been a force to be reckoned with behind the plate this season, throwing out 46.7 % (14-of-30) base stealers in 2013 entering play on Tuesday. That's tied for the best mark of any catcher in the league with Portland's Christian Vazquez, who has thrown out 46.7% of base stealers as well.
TAKE TO THE PITCH: Altoona enters play today with the best team ERA in the Eastern League at 3.63 after Casey Sadler's brilliant performance on Monday night. The Curve have allowed the fewest runs (121) in the league and the third-fewest amount of hits.
I GOT MY SWAGGER BACK: Third baseman Adalberto Santos returned off the Altoona disabled list last Tuesday night and drew a pair of walks in his first game action since April 15. The Bronx, N.Y. native had been sidelined with a left hip strain and is the first member of the Curve team to return from the DL this season. With his walk in his last at bat of the day on Monday, Santos now has a 16-game on-base streak.
WELL, MR. ALDERSON...: Reliever Tim Alderson pitched a scoreless inning on Monday night and lowered his season ERA to 1.32. In his seven ap- pearances this season, opponents have hit just .091 off him in 44 at bats. He's allowed an earned run in just one of seven relief outings this season while striking out 17 in 13.2 innings pitched. Opponents have hit .091 off Alderson, which is second-best for any reliever in the league behind New Hampshire's Joel Carreno.
WILL I BE GETTING AN INHERITANCE?: Reliever Nate Baker came in to the game in the eighth inning on Tuesday night and was able to strand the bases loaded after inheriting three runners from Kenn Kasparek. This season, Baker has inherited six total baserunners and stranded all six. As a staff, the bullpen has inherited 26 baserunners so far this season and only three have been allowed to score (11.5%).
Eastern League Stories from May 7, 2013
- Senators Pound out 13 Runs on 16 Hits to Defeat Curve - Altoona Curve
- Lobstein Goes the Distance as 'Wolves Win Seventh Straight - Erie SeaWolves
- SeaWolves Lefty Goes Distance to Sink Aeros, 4-3 - Akron RubberDucks
- Heathcott's Single Provides Difference, 5-1 Win - Trenton Thunder
- Montero Falters Late, Offense Fizzles, 5-1 - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Portland falls to the Fightin Phils 5-1 - Portland Sea Dogs
- Baysox and Squirrels Rained Out - Chesapeake Baysox
- Hits Keep Coming for Pillar in 8-5 Loss - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Altoona Curve Game Information: May 7, 2013 - Altoona Curve
- Squirrels and Baysox Postponed Tuesday - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Franklin Morales to Rehab with the Sea Dogs on Wednesday - Portland Sea Dogs
- Erie SeaWolves at Akron Aeros - Game Notes - Erie SeaWolves
- Rock Cats New Management Team Named - New Britain Rock Cats
- B-Mets Game Notes: Game #33 Binghamton Mets (16-15) at Trenton - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Sea Dogs Game Notes May 7 vs. Reading - Portland Sea Dogs
- Akron Aeros Offer Rita's Italian Ice for the 2013 Season - Akron RubberDucks
- Baysox Host 1K Beer Runs - Chesapeake Baysox
- Fisher Cats Foundation, CCSNH Award $5,000 to Local Schools - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Fightin Phils Biddle Takes Eastern League Player of the Month Honors - Reading Fightin Phils
- Reading's Biddle Named April Player of the Month - EL1
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