Curve stay hot with win
July 17, 2008 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
ALTOONA - The Altoona Curve were able to electrify their Thursday night crowd of 5,199 at Blair County Ballpark with a late-inning rally to overtake the Harrisburg Senators 4-3.
Luis Cruz proved to be the offensive hero to lift the Curve to victory for the third straight game, and the fourth time in the last five contests.
Cruz enjoyed a 2-for-4 night and knocked in three runs.
The Curve fell behind early after starter Derek Hankins allowed four consecutive hits in the bottom of the second inning Back-to-back RBI singles by Javi Herrera and Seth Bynum gave the Senators a 2-0 lead.
Altoona tied the game shortly thereafter. With a man aboard in the bottom of the second, Cruz smashed his sixth home run of the year to knot the score, 2-2.
Harrisburg would grab the edge, though, in the top of the sixth. An RBI double by Bill Rhinehart put the Senators in front, 3-2.
Hankins received a no-decision in the contest, but turned in one of his finer outings of the season. Hankins tossed seven solid innings and allowed three runs over that span on eight hits. Hankins did not walk a batter and struck out three.
In the bottom of the eighth, Brad Corley led off the frame with a walk. Jason Delaney then doubled, which put runners at second and third with no one out. Steve Lerud's sacrifice fly brought home Corley to tie the score, 3-3. Cruz then stepped to the plate and knocked home Delaney with what proved to be the winning and give the Curve a 4-3 lead.
Juan Mateo (3-1) tossed a pair of scoreless innings in relief of Hankins to earn his third win of the year. Mateo struck out four batters and allowed just one hit.
The Curve return to action to on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. Altoona will send right-hander Luis Munoz (1-3, 7.65) to the mound in search of their third straight win. Harrisburg lefty Justin Jones (1-0, 6.35) will get call for the Senators.
Great seats for Friday's contest still remain. Highlighting the Curve's Friday night festivities will be a spectacular post-game fireworks show presented by Chrysler-Jeep.
NOTES - After Thursday's game, Chris Duffy left the game with mild dehydration and was taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons...The win for Altoona against Harrisburg is just the second win for the Curve against the Senators this season. The Curve are 2-7 against Harrisburg in 2008.
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