EL1 Altoona Curve

Curve Breaks out the Brooms for Sweep Over Aeros

Published on August 5, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


CURVE, Pa. - Another solid pitching performance combined with a four-run fourth inning helped lead the Altoona Curve to a, 6-1, win and a four-game sweep over the Akron Aeros at Blair County Ballpark on Thursday night. Tony Watson (4-1) retired the first 13 men he faced and allowed just two hits over six shutout innings for his fourth win of the year and his first as a starter.

Aeros starter Kelvin de la Cruz (4-6) matched Watson punch for punch in the first three innings, seeing nine Curve batters and setting down nine Curve batters, but Altoona broke through in the fourth. With one down, Josh Harrison was hit by a pitch and became the first baserunner of the game for either team.

The Cincinnati, Ohio-native Harrison then proceeded to steal second and third on back-to-back pitches to move himself into scoring position with less than two down and Andrew Lambo at the plate. Lambo ended up striking out but Matt Hague delivered a two-out RBI single into left field that brought Harrison home and put Altoona in front, 1-0.

Jordy Mercer followed and reached on a throwing error off a broken-bat ground ball back to the mound to place runners at first and third with two away. Hector Gimenez cashed in on the run-scoring opportunity and drove Hague in from third with a single through the left side. After a walk to Miles Durham to load the bases, Yung-Chi-Chen brought home two more runs to extend Altoona's lead to, 4-0. All told, the Curve sent nine men to the plate in the frame and plated four runs on three hits.

Watson retired the first batter in the fifth before allowing a single to John Drennen to break his streak of 13 retired hitters in a row. He would get out of the inning with no runs coming across and then finish his outing with a perfect sixth. Watson set down the Aeros in order in five of his six innings of work.

Reliever Ramon Aguero came on to pitch the seventh and eighth innings and allowed Akron to score its only run of the game in the eighth. A two-out RBI hit by Lonnie Chisenhall brought home the only run of the game for the Aeros. The Curve answered with two in the bottom of the eighth off reliever Nick Hagadone for its final runs of the game.

Altoona has now won five straight games heading into its weekend series with Harrisburg after dropping 12-of-17 to finish July. Chase d'Arnaud finished the game 2-for-4 to run his hitting streak to nine games while Chen finished the game with three RBI and two hits.

The Curve (65-46) travels to Metro Bank Park at 7 p.m. on Friday to begin its final series with the Harrisburg Senators (AA - Washington Nationals). LHP Jeff Locke (1-0, 1.96) will make the start for Altoona while Harrisburg sends out newly acquired right hadner Ryan Tatusko, who was acquired by the Nationals in a trade with the Texas Rangers.

Pregame radio coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on flagship ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network.

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Eastern League Stories from August 5, 2010


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