Altoona Wins Division for the First Time Since '04
August 31, 2010 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
BOWIE, Md. - Rudy Owens (12-6) tossed six shutout innings and Matt Hague homered twice for the first time in his career as the Curve clinched its first division title since 2004 with a, 9-1, win over the Bowie Baysox at Prince George's Stadium on Tuesday night. It is the second regular-season division title in franchise history.
Altoona jumped on to the scoreboard in the second inning and never looked back after Anthony Norman tripled in Miles Durham with one down. It would be the first of seven unanswered runs the Curve would score off Baysox pitching.
Owens, who gave up two hits in the first inning, found the zone in the bottom of the second inning as he went on to retire 11 straight batters from the second inning and on into the fifth. In the fifth, Owens allowed a pair of two-out singles before striking out Danny Figueroa to end the inning. He worked a perfect sixth and wound up retiring the last four batters he faced.
The Mesa, Ariz. native allowed a total of four hits in his six innings while striking out nine.
Hague hit the first of his two home runs in the fifth, a solo shot to left field off the starter Steven Johnson (7-8) to make it, 4-0, Curve. The Bellevue, Wash. native's second home run came in the eighth inning off reliever Sean Gleason and put Altoona in front by eight. He finished the game 2-for-4 with three RBI and four runs scored.
Derek Hankins worked the final three innings in the division-clinching win and earned his seventh save of the year for Altoona.
Jim Negrych was 2-for-5 in the win for the Curve and drove in a pair of runs while Hector Gimenez, Jordy Mercer and Josh Harrison all had two hits and drove in a run as well.
With the win, Altoona has now won 80 games for just the second time in franchise history behind the 2004 Curve, who won a franchise-best 85 games.
Division winners Altoona (80-56) will be back in action at 7:05 p.m. on Wednesday night at Prince George's Stadium against the Baysox (72-64). LHP Tony Watson (6-2, 2.54) will start for Altoona while LHP Pedro Viola (3-3, 3.35) throws for the Baysox.
Pregame radio coverage begins at 6:35 p.m. on flagship ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network. You can pick up your playoff tickets for the 2010 Eastern League Playoffs by calling 877.99.CURVE, visiting www.AltoonaCurve.com or by stopping into the box office at BCB during normal business hours.
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