Chaves saves day for Curve in 3-2 win
May 4, 2007 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
ALTOONA- 6,734 watched Brandon Chaves turn in the defensive play of the year for the Curve, diving to his right to rob a hit from Rodney Choy Foo, stranding the tying run at third base in the ninth inning, as Altoona held off Akron 3-2 in the opener of a three-game series.
Wardell Starling (1-2) put it all together in his fifth start of the season, holding the Aeros to a lone run on three hits. The run Akron pushed across against Starling was the first of the ballgame, as the Aeros took a 1-0 lead in third inning. Argenis Reyes singled off of Starling to start the inning and promptly stole second base. Trevor Crowe bounced out to second, advancing Reyes to third. He scored on a sacrifice fly to center-field off the bat of Asdrubal Cabrera.
The Curve finally got to Aeros' starter J.D. Martin in the fifth, using three consecutive hits to fuel a two-run rally. Neil Walker led-off the inning with a single, which was followed by a double for Adam Boeve that left runners at second and third base. Steven Pearce continued his torrid offensive streak with a single that scored both runners to give the Curve the lead at 2-1.
Altoona added a run in the sixth and led 3-1 as Randy Ruiz doubled home Jason Bowers who had walked to lead off the inning.
Dave Davidson entered in relief and pitched a scoreless eighth inning. Davidson returned to begin the ninth, but walked Asdrubal Cabrera prompting Tim Leiper to bring in closer Matt Peterson.
Peterson promptly gave up a broken-bat single to Brian Barton which pushed Cabrera to third. With runners on the corners, Peterson picked off Barton from first base. Altoona allowed Cabrera to score on the play to make it a one-run game at 3-2.
Jordan Brown followed with a triple on one hop off the wall in center-field and the tying run was represented at third with one out. The Curve drew the infield in and Peterson induced a ground ball to Chaves for the second out of the inning.
The next batter, Rodney Choy Foo, sent a liner that appeared to be heading into left-field to tie the ballgame, but at the last instant Chaves snared it with a head-long dive to end the game. Peterson earned his fourth save of the season.
The win pulls the Curve back to the .500 mark at (12-12) and also to within a game of the Southern Division lead.
First pitch for game two tomorrow night is scheduled for 5:05 PM. RHP Yoslan Herrera (0-2, 8.05) will make the start for Altoona against LHP Aaron Laffey for Akron.
Curve Notes: Tomorrow night the Curve celebrate Cinco de Mayo with "Cinco de Estrada" at the ballpark. Erik Estrada, who played 'Ponch' on the popular television show CHiPS will visit Blair County Ballpark to sign autographs and mingle with fans throughout the game. Estrada's appearance will kick-off the Curve's Retro-Celebrity Series for 2007.
Eastern League Stories from May 4, 2007
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- Thunder Fall, 2-1, To New Britain - Trenton Thunder
- Jackson beats Jackson - Sea Dogs lose to the B-Mets, 6-3 - Portland Sea Dogs
- Reading defeats Connecticut - Reading Fightin Phils
- Chaves saves day for Curve in 3-2 win - Altoona Curve
- Fisher Cats beat Baysox 6-4 Friday night - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Rock Cats defeat first-place Trenton - New Britain Rock Cats
- Gin Blossoms To Perform Concert At Blair County Ballpark June 10th - Altoona Curve
- Jacoby Ellsbury Named Eastern League Player of the Month - Portland Sea Dogs
- Ellsbury Named April Player of the Month - EL1
- Jacoby Ellsbury Promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket - Portland Sea Dogs
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