Curve Offense Quieted in Loss to Senators
Published on June 26, 2012 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
HARRISBURG - A combination of five Senators pitchers cooled the hot Curve offense in an, 8-3, road trip-opening loss at Metro Bank Park on Tuesday night. Robbie Grossman was 1-for-3 with his sixth homer of the year to extend his hitting streak to 10 games in the loss while Brock Holt also had two hits to run his consecutive games on base streak to 22 games.
Things looked promising from the get-go- for the Curve as Grossman led off the contest with his home run. It was the second time in two weeks for the Curve centerfielder as he led off the game in Binghamton back on June 17th with a home run as well.
Leading 1-0, Gerrit Cole (1-1) took to the mound for his first road start in Double-A and retired the first two men he faced before giving up back-to-back singles to Jesus Valdez and Tim Pahuta. Still looking to get out of the inning unscathed, Cole induced a chopper toward short off the bat of Justin Bloxom but Bloxom beat out the throw to first while Valdez scored from third to tie the game at one.
The inning progressed when Destin Hoot hit a line drive back toward the mound that deflected off the starter Cole and out toward second base, allowing the go-ahead run to score and make it, 2-1. Cole was examined on the field by Curve trainer Mike Zalno and then stayed in the game to finish out the inning.
Sean Nicol followed two batters later with another comebacker, this time off the glove of Cole, that deflected towards third while also bringing in another run. Cole ended the inning with a strikeout of his mound opponent Austin Bibens-Dirkx. The right-handed starter had thrown 33 pitches in the first inning and due to pitch count did not come back out to start the second.
Nathan Baker took over in the second and went on to pitch four innings of relief while allowing just one run to keep the Curve in the game. Altoona pulled to within one run in the sixth off 'Sens reliever Rob Gilliam. Stefan Welch doubled in Holt for the inning's first run and ended up at third on the play thanks to a fielding error by the right fielder Hood. Matt Curry followed Welch's double with a solid triple to the right of center to cut the lead to one.
With one down and Curry at third, the Curve offense failed to get him in to tie the game. Harrisburg responded in its half of the sixth with three runs off reliever Hunter Strickland and carried a 7-3 lead to an eventual, 8-3, victory.
Altoona (35-40) and Harrisburg (39-37) will have a quick turnaround as they'll meet Wednesday beginning at 12 p.m. from Metro Bank Park on City Island. Taking the bump for the Curve in the second game of the series will be RHP Kyle McPherson (1-1, 4.91), who is making his third start of the 2012 season after starting the campaign on the Indianapolis DL. Harrisburg has elected to send RHP Paul Demny (5-4, 5.62) to the bump in the second of four.
Airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. For tickets and more information on Ballpark Block Party 2012 and the upcoming Curve homestand, call 877.99.CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the box office windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
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