EL1 Altoona Curve

Curve Rally and Down Fightins

Published on June 13, 2014 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


Curve, Pa. - A late-innings rally gave the Altoona Curve a 5-4 win over the Reading Fightin Phils on Friday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The Curve at one point in the game trailed 4-0 before tallying five unanswered runs including a walkoff in the ninth thanks to an error on a sacrifice bunt off the bat of Alen Hanson.

The Fightins took a big lead in the third inning off Curve starter Zack Dodson. After the southpaw struck out the first two batters of the game, he surrendered four straight hits including a two-run double and a two-run blast by Jake Fox which gave Reading a 4-0 lead after three.

After the four-run third, Altoona started to battle back by getting a run in the fifth. Jarek Cunningham led off the frame with his third home run of the year over the left field wall to make the score 4-1 Reading.

After a quiet sixth, the Curve offense rallied for three runs in the seventh to tie the game. Gift Ngoepe worked an eight-pitch at bat and hit a leadoff triple, then scored two batters later on a pinch hit RBI single by Matt Curry. Curry then came across the plate when Hanson hit his league-leading seventh triple of the season. The Curve tied the game after Reading brought the infield in and Andy Vasquez hit a groundball past the diving shortstop.

In the ninth, the Curve capped off their come-from-behind victory over the Fightins. After a leadoff single by Cunningham, the Curve third baseman advanced to second on a wild pitch by Reading pitcher Ryan O'Sullivan. After Junior Sosa walked, Hanson laid down a sacrifice bunt and a throwing error by Carlos Alonso provided the fourth walkoff when Cunningham scored from second.

Dodson earned a no-decision for Altoona after he hurled six innings and allowed four runs on seven hits and didn't walk a batter. Kenn Kasparek (1-0) earned the win in relief in his first game back with the Curve after spending his five-game-stint in Triple-A. O'Sullivan (2-3) suffered the loss.

Altoona (25-39) will continue their series with Reading (31-33) on Saturday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The first 1,500 fans to the ballpark for Saturday's 6 p.m. game will receive an Andrew McCutchen MVP Bobblehead presented by Unifirst. Additionally, it will be Allegany County, Md. Night and Scout Night with a campout for all registered scouts after the game. At the conclusion of Saturday's game, all kids will run the bases.

Gates open at 5 p.m. while pregame on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM, and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit AltoonaCuve.com, call 877.99.CURVE, or stop by the box office at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

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Eastern League Stories from June 13, 2014


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