Curve Hangs on for Win Over R-Phils
Published on September 5, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
CURVE, Pa. - Team MVP Hector Gimenez struck two hits on Sunday night and drove in what would be the game-winning run for Altoona as they topped the Reading Phillies, 3-2, at Blair County Ballpark. Gimenez's RBI double in the sixth proved to be the difference maker in the win for the Curve.
Altoona entered the ninth inning up 3-1 and had closer Daniel Moskos on the hill ready to start his second inning of work. He struck out leadoff man Tuffy Gosewisch but then lost Kevin Nelson to a walk to bring the tying run to the plate for Reading. Moskos fanned Freddy Galvis for the second out but then issued a walk to Gabriel Suarez to put the tying run on base and bring a potential winning run to the plate.
The R-Phils sent pinch hitter Michael Spidale to the plate against Moskos and he singled through the right side to bring home Nelson and bring Reading within one. Moskos rebounded and got Keoni De Renne to ground into a force play and end the game. It was the 21st save of the year for Moskos, which ties him with Todd Ozias for fourth place for saves in one season by a Curve pitcher. Ozias saved 21 games in 2003.
Another two-out rally in the third is what initially put Altoona in front of the R-Phils against starter Mike Cisco (4-11). With two down, Jordy Mercer singled back through the middle to bring home pitcher Derek Hankins for the first run of the game. Matt Hague followed with a double to bring in Chase d'Arnaud and run the lead to, 2-0. The double extended Hague's consecutive games-on-base-streak to 20 games, which is now second best on the team behind Alex Presley's 24-gamer earlier this year.
Hankins came out to start the fourth inning but before throwing the first pitch of the inning was removed from the game after his warm up tosses. Michael Colla (2-0) replaced Hankins and went on to throw four innings of one-run ball for his second Double-A win.
All of Altoona's runs in the game scored with two away as the Gimenez double in the sixth came with two down. Andrew Lambo singled into left field and came all the way around from first on the two-bagger by the Curve backstop.
The Curve (82-59) will try for the series win over Reading (68-72) at 12 p.m. in the regular-season finale at Blair County Ballpark on Monday. Southpaw Tony Watson (6-3, 2.65) gets the nod for Altoona while Reading counters with RHP Drew Naylor (11-10, 4.90) in the afternoon tilt.
Monday will be a Mirror Monday where fans can get UPMC Health Plan Outfield Reserve tickets for just a $1 with the coupon from the front page of the sports section in the Mirror. All tickets to Monday afternoon's finale with Reading will be buy-one, get-one free and it's also Field of Dreams Day at the park. The Curve will be introduced through the cornfield in center field beginning at approximately 11:10 a.m. Kids will run the bases after the game.
Pregame coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. on flagship ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network. Great seats for the regular-season finale and the playoffs are still available by calling 877.99.CURVE, visiting www.AltoonaCurve.com or by stopping into the box office at BCB.
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