Cole Leads Curve by Rock Cats in Debut
Published on June 20, 2012 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
CURVE, Pa. - Top prospect Gerrit Cole dealt across his five innings of work while the Curve offense used a pair of four-run frames to propel themselves to a fourth straight victory, knocking off the New Britain Rock Cats 9-4 in front of 4,807 on Wednesday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Cole (1-0) retired the first nine men he faced in order and all told permitted two runs on five hits with six strikeouts and no walks in his first Double-A start.
The UCLA product didn't wait long to record his first Double-A strikeout, fanning the second batter of the game in Rock Cats' catcher Chris Herrmann. His first three innings were spotless with the first nine men up to see him summarily dismissed in order. Cole struck out the middle man in each of his first three innings before surrendering his first two hits and first run in the fourth. By that time, the Curve were already in control.
Altoona posted four tallies in the bottom of the first inning against a wild Brett Jacobson who got the starting nod opposite Cole for New Britain. Jacobson hit two men and issued a walk and a wild pitch in the first, adding up to the Curve's initial run, and the first hit for the home side was Quincy Latimore's two-out, three-run homer to stake Cole and Altoona to a 4-0 advantage.
Following New Britain's tally in the fourth, Jacobson (0-2) ran into more trouble, not recording an out in the fourth, his final inning of work. After a leadoff Stefan Welch walk and Drew Maggi single, Robbie Grossman tattooed the second Curve homer of the night out to right-center to extend Altoona's lead to 7-1. The Curve would tack on another in the inning against reliever Luis Perdomo, and the rout was on. Jacobson ended his day with seven runs charged to him on four hits with an ugly line of five walks, four wild pitches, and two hit batsmen to accompany it.
Cole finished off his night while allowing a run on three hits in the fifth, his final inning of work. In that frame, he also struck out two, both looking. The right-hander's final tally was 74 pitches with 52 thrown for strikes.
Curve relievers Nate Baker, Tim Alderson, and Vic Black combined to close the door behind Cole. Alderson surrendered two runs in the eighth for the night's final margin.
With wins in four straight, the Curve can pick up a series sweep of the Rock Cats on Thursday in the finale of this three-game set. Altoona sends right-hander Kyle McPherson (1-0, 1.80) to the mound for his second start of the year against New Britain southpaw Aaron Thompson (0-2, 6.14). First pitch for the finale is set for 7 p.m. with gates opening at 6. Airtime on ESPN 1430 and the Curve Radio Network is slated for 6:30. For tickets and more information on the current Curve homestand, call 877.99.CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the box office windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
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