Altoona Curve Game Notes
Published on April 16, 2009 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
Erie SeaWolves (4-3) at Altoona Curve (0-6)
Thursday, April 16 - 6:35 p.m.
Blair County Ballpark- Altoona, PA
Game #7 Home Game #1
YESTERDAY: The Altoona Curve dropped their sixth consecutive game yesterday morning at Canal Park against the Akron Aeros (AA - Cleveland) by the score of 4-1. A first inning grand slam off Curve starter Tony Watson (0-1) was all the Aeros needed...Brian Friday tripled home the only run of the contest for the Curve.
TODAY'S GAME AT A GLANCE: The Altoona Curve will look for their first win of the 2009 season tonight as they open their 2009 home schedule against the Erie SeaWolves (AA - Detroit) at Blair County Ballpark...This is the first time in franchise history that Altoona has started a season 0-6...The Curve are currently the only team in all of Double-A without a victory.
TODAY'S STARTING PITCHERS: Altoona's Brad Lincoln will make his second start of the 2009 season. Lincoln made his Double-A debut against the SeaWolves at Jerry Uht Park last Thursday. He did not factor in the decision, tossing 4.0 innings and allowing three runs. Lincoln was the Pirates' first round selection in the 2006 June Draft (fourth overall) from the University of Houston.
The SeaWolves will send righty Alfredo Figaro (0-0) to the stump for his second start of the season. Figaro tossed 5.2 innings of shutout baseball against Altoona on Friday, permitting just five hits, but he did not factor in the decision.
HISTORY ON THEIR SIDE: With the Curve still searching for their first win of the 2009 season, history tells that tonight may be a good chance to notch that first 'W.' The Altoona Curve have an all-time mark of 8-2 on home openers. However, the last home opener victory was three years ago in 2006. Last season, Altoona dropped it's home opener to Reading, 8-3.
FIRST ROUND OPENERS: When Brad Lincoln takes the hill tonight as the pitcher for Altoona's home opener, he will be the third first-round draft pick to pitch for Altoona on a home opener. Sean Burnett (2002) and Paul Maholm (2005) are the others.
MAYBE IT'S A GOOD THING: Though the Altoona Curve have lost six straight games, matching their longest losing streak from a year ago, (the Curve lost six games in a row twice) looking back in history will shed many positive facts regarding the team being able to overcome long stretches without a victory. In fact...In 2000, the Curve lost a franchise record 11-straight games, but finished with a winning record. In 2007, Altoona lost 10 consecutive games and still finished above .500...Additionally, the Trenton Thunder started their 2006 campaign 0-10, but were able to overcome the slow start to make the playoffs.
CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR: Though Altoona is off to an 0-6 start, the team has played close baseball. In their opening six games, Altoona's largest margin of defeat was by three runs, which has happened twice. Three of Altoona's losses have been by one run.
T.G.I.F: Curve leadoff man Brian Friday continues to tear the cover off the ball. Friday has recorded four multi-hit games in the five contests he has played in (including three, three-hit games). Friday leads the Eastern League with a .611 average (11-for-18).
Eastern League Stories from April 16, 2009
- Patton Dominates As Baysox Take Home Opener - Chesapeake Baysox
- Sens win 7-2 in home opener over Reading - Harrisburg Senators
- B-Mets Sneak by Portland in Home Opener - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Aeros Can't Solve Patton, Fall to Baysox 2-0 - Akron RubberDucks
- Curve Nearly No-Hit in Home Opener - Altoona Curve
- "Dogs can't spoil Mets home opener, lose 4-3 - Portland Sea Dogs
- Defenders Win 3-1 - Connecticut Defenders
- Thunder fall to Connecticut, 3-1 - Trenton Thunder
- Perez throws seven scoreless innings in 2-0 win - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Opening Night at New Britain Stadium - New Britain Rock Cats
- Aeros Notes - Akron RubberDucks
- Mendoza Activated from DL, Transferred to AAA - Trenton Thunder
- Aeros Receive Catcher Armando Camacaro From AAA Columbus - Akron RubberDucks
- Erie SeaWolves at Altoona Curve Game Notes - Erie SeaWolves
- Beazley And Lentz Placed On The Disabled List, Latimer And Plummer Added To Roster - Portland Sea Dogs
- Altoona Curve Game Notes - Altoona Curve
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