Curve Drop Finale on Biggio Walk-Off Homer
August 16, 2018 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
MANCHESTER, N.H. - An early 4-0 lead for the Altoona Curve evaporated in the series finale as the New Hampshire Fisher Cats clawed back and won, 7-6, on a walk-off home run by Cavan Biggio on Thursday at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium.
Biggio led the comeback charge for the Fisher Cats (68-50) with two homers, a double and scored four runs after starting the series 0-for-10. The Curve (65-54) were seeking the sweep and had not trailed in the three-game set until Biggio's game-winning blast.
Tyler Gaffney started the scoring when he connected on an opposite-field, three-run homer to right for the Curve's first hit in the second inning. The homer made T.J. Zeuch pay for a lead-off walk to Jin-De Jhang and for hitting Logan Hill with a two-strike pitch.
Jhang came back with an RBI double the next inning to extend the lead. The inning ended on that play when Will Craig was thrown out at home in an attempt to score behind Ke'Bryan Hayes and Jhang was also thrown out trying to move up to third.
Cole Tucker put Altoona on the board for the third straight inning in the fourth with a two-out, RBI single that scored Jordan George. Tucker started the seventh with his sixth triple of the season and scored on a sacrifice fly by Bryan Reynolds.
Eduardo Vera tossed six innings and allowed three runs to New Hampshire and was in line for his fifth straight win when he departed the game with a 6-3 lead.
Biggio contributed to all three runs for the Fisher Cats against Vera. He got New Hampshire on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third with a two-run homer to right, his league-best 25th of the campaign. Biggio doubled to start the sixth and moved over twice on two fly outs to score the Fisher Cats' third run.
Yeudy Garcia retired the first four batters he faced out of the bullpen, including three strikeouts, before the Curve lead slipped away. Max Pentecost plugged the left-center gap that scored two runners that Garcia walked to pull the Fisher Cats within one run.
New Hampshire tied the game on a two-out throwing error by Tucker. Tate Scioneaux (Loss, 2-3) took over with runners on the corners and struck out his first batter faced an induced a ground ball to shortstop but the throw got away from Craig to allow the tying run to come home. Scioneaux had locked down the first two outs in the ninth inning prior to surrendering the game-ending homer.
Hayes went 0-for-5 to end his hitting streak at 16 games, the longest by any Curve hitter this season. Craig (2-for-4) and Tucker (2-for-4) each recorded multi-hit games in the loss.
Altoona claimed the season series over the Eastern Division leading-Fisher Cats, four games to two. With a loss by Akron on Thursday, the Curve remain 1.5 games behind the RubberDucks atop the Western Division standings.
The Curve continue their eight-game trip in Portland and begin a three-game set with the Sea Dogs, the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, on Friday. Right-hander Luis Escobar (3-0, 5.33) will take the mound for Altoona against Portland right-hander Teddy Stankiewicz (7-10, 4.38).
After the current road trip, the Curve return to open the final homestand of the regular season against the Harrisburg Senators, Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, for two games beginning on Wednesday, August 22. For tickets or more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office.
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Eastern League Stories from August 16, 2018
- Baysox Settle for Series Split in Finale, 6-3 - Bowie Baysox
- Curve Drop Finale on Biggio Walk-Off Homer - Altoona Curve
- Biggio's Second HR Walks It off for New Hampshire - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
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- McGrath with Season-High Six Innings, 'Dogs Complete Sweep, 3-2 - Portland Sea Dogs
- Sea Dogs Complete Sweep with 3-2 Win Thursday - Trenton Thunder
- Rumble Ponies Game Notes: Game #122 - Rumble Ponies (56-65) vs. RubberDucks (68-53) - 6:35 PM - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Senators Homestand Preview - August 17 to 21 - Harrisburg Senators
- Sea Dogs Game Notes August 16th vs. Trenton - Portland Sea Dogs
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