EL1 Altoona Curve

Curve End Skid with Win in Rain-Soaked Finale

Published on July 18, 2012 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


RICHMOND, Va. - A rain-soaked finale at The Diamond in Richmond on Wednesday turned out to be just what the Curve offense needed as they amassed eight runs on 10 hits in an, 8-3 win over the Flying Squirrels. The win ends a five-game losing streak and also puts a win in the pocket of 2011 Pirates' Minor League Pitcher of the Year Kyle McPherson (2-4), who tossed five innings on Wednesday night.

McPherson and the Curve spotted Richmond a run early as the Squirrels scored a run in the first inning. From there Altoona went on to score five straight before Richmond was able to find its way back on the board. It was a RBI groundout by Quincy Latimore that tied up the game at one in the second and then a two-out RBI single by Brock Holt gave the Curve the lead at 2-1 in the third.

The Curve bats then came to life for three runs in the fifth off Richmond starter Justin Fitzgerald (5-7), sending seven men to the dish. Drew Maggi led off the inning with his second hit of the game but then sat at first as Fitzgerald fanned McPherson and Robbie Grossman for two straight outs. The Squirrels righty followed with a walk to Holt before Oscar Tejeda came up with the big blow, a two-out double that scored both Holt and Maggi to widen Altoona's lead to three.

An even stranger play followed when Stefan Welch struck out on a ball in the dirt to end the inning but the ball got by Squirrels catcher Joel Weeks. The ball scooted back to the backstop and allowed Tejeda to come home from third to make it a 5-1 game. Jeremy Farrell, who had walked earlier in the inning, was out trying to advance to third as Weeks threw him out. Tejeda's run counted and the Curve led 5-1 going to the bottom of the fifth.

McPherson, who had cruised since the first, ran into a little trouble in the bottom of the fifth inning when he permitted a two-run homer to Gary Brown that pulled the Squirrels back within two.

Altoona immediately came to McPherson's side in the very next half inning by scoring two runs, one on Latimore's 11th homer of the season. The other run came on an RBI single by the pitcher himself in McPherson.

A rain delay of 1 hour and one minute ended the day for McPherson, who grabs his second win of the campaign. The righty finished five innings while allowing three runs on five hits with a season-best eight strikeouts. Hunter Strickland came in and pitched another perfect inning following up his perfect three innings from Akron a few nights ago.

The second and game-ending rain delay came just as the teams were about to start the bottom of the seventh inning and lasted roughly 40 minutes before the game was called.

Altoona (45-50) now returns home to open up a weekend homestand in Curve, Pa. with the Erie SeaWolves beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday night from Peoples Natural Gas Field. The third night in the Nittany Travel Summer Cruise Series takes place on Thursday night as we pay tribute to the film Days of Thunder with a Toy Car Giveaway to the first 500 fans 21+ thanks to Furrer Beverage. Thursday night's series opener also serves as a Thirsty ThursdsayTM presented by Rocky 104.9 with $2 16oz. Bud Lights and half-priced regular sodas during the game.

Taking to the mound in the lid lifter will be Curve RHP Gerrit Cole (2-2, 5.17), who will be making just his second start at home since being promoted to Double-A. Cole will be opposed by Erie RHP James Avery (9-7, 4.25) in the first tilt of the series.

Gates are slated to swing open at 6 p.m. while airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. For tickets and more information on the upcoming homestand in Curve, Pa., call 877.99.CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the box office windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

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Eastern League Stories from July 18, 2012


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