Curve Collapse in Ninth as Streak Hits Seven Games
June 28, 2011 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
CURVE, Pa. - The Altoona Curve carried a three-run lead into the ninth inning before the Reading Phillies scored six times off closer Noah Krol (3-3) and sent 10 men to the plate to steal a win, 9-7, on Tuesday night at Blair County Ballpark. The R-Phils took the lead for good in the ninth when Derrick Mitchell hit a three-run homer to break the six-all deadlock.
Leading 6-3 entering the ninth, Krol issued a leadoff double to Niuman Romero to start the inning before retiring Tuffy Gosewisch for the first out. Joe Savery, who was used as a reliever on Monday night, was called upon to pinch hit, grounded out to place the second out on the scoreboard.
One out away from their first win since June 19th, Krol then walked Freddy Galvis to bring the tying run to the plate in Terry Evans. Evans, who homered earlier in the game off reliever Matt McSwain, doubled deep to the gap in right center to bring Romero and Galvis around to cut Altoona's lead to one.
Carlos Rivero followed with a single of his own that brought Evans home to tie the game at six. With Rivero on a second after moving there on the throw home, Krol intentionally walked lefty first baseman Matt Rizzotti to pitch to the right-handed hitting Mitchell. Mitchell put the R-Phils in front with his 13th home run of the season as it cleared the bases to make it, 9-6.
Altoona tried to muster a comeback in the ninth off reliever Jake Diekman and did plate a run to pull within two. Diekman settled in though and was able to hang on to the lead and struck out Matt Curry to end the ballgame.
Starling Marte got things going in the first for Altoona as he wasted in no time in extending his hitting streak to 11 games with a double to begin the game. Brock Holt followed with a single and then Andrew Lambo drove a ball through the right side to bring Marte in and place Altoona in front, 1-0.
Curve starter Kyle McPherson allowed two baserunners in his first two innings but each of his first six outs were recorded by way of a strikeout. He'd allow a free pass to Galvis in the third that eventually came back to bite him as Galvis came around on a Rivero double to cut the Curve lead to one. Reading tied it an inning later when R-Phils starter Tyler Cloyd grounded out to bring home Romero, who had reached on a walk.
With the game tied at two in the fifth, Altoona broke out for a four-run inning to open up a four-run advantage. It was once again Marte who started things off, this time with another double to lead off the inning. After Holt lined out, Lambo delivered with a double that ate up first baseman Rizzotti and scored Marte from third to put the Curve back ahead, 3-2.
Jeremy Farrell got in on the scoring three batters later as he drove in Tony Sanchez to make it a 4-2 game. Curry followed with a bases-clearing double that scored a pair, and when it was all said and done, the Curve were up by four at, 6-2.
McPherson completed five innings and struck out seven while walking a career-high four in an eventual no decision. McSwain pitched two innings and retired the first five men he faced before giving up the solo home run to Evans that pulled the R-Phils within three. Michael Dubee pitched a clean eighth before turning it over to Krol in the ninth.
Marte and Rodriguez each finished the game with three hits while Holt, Lambo and Farrell all had two hits apiece.
With the losing streak now at seven games, Altoona (34-42) will try and salvage the finale with the R-Phils (38-39) on Wednesday night beginning at 7 p.m. It will be a Ponderosa Four-Pack Wednesday in Curve, Pa. thanks to Ponderosa Steakhouses. Fans can get four tickets, four hot dogs and four regular sodas all for $30 during Wednesday night's contest. It's also Tyrone/Bellwood Community Night and the fourth What We're Watching Wednesday of the season with this week's theme being: Glenn's Kitchen.
A winner in the Glenn's Kitchen Recipe Contest will be selected during Wednesday night's game as Manager of Concessions Glenn McComas will sample the nine semifinalists' dishes during the game to select a winner. The winner will receive two season tickets for all remaining 2011 Curve home games plus at $10 food voucher for each game.
The Curve send LHP Jeff Locke (5-6, 4.29) to the mound in the series finale hoping that he can bring the losing streak to an end on Wednesday night. Reading counters with RHP Austin Hyatt (6-5, 4.38) in the finale. Gates will open up at 6 p.m. while airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
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