Curve Sweeps B-Mets with 9-5 Win
Published on August 22, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - Curve catcher Hector Gimenez was 4-for-5 with 5 RBI and fell a triple shy of the cycle as the Curve was able to complete the three-game sweep of the Binghamton Mets with a, 9-5, win on Sunday night at NYSEG Stadium. The five-RBI night for Gimenez ties a career high and is the second time this season that he's reached the 5 RBI plateau.
Altoona opened the scoring in the second when Gimenez notched the first of his four hits in the game with a solo home run to right field off spot starter Dylan Owen (4-3). After 1.5 innings, the Curve had secured a, 1-0, lead.
The one-run lead would have been more than enough for starter Tony Watson (5-2) on Sunday night as the Iowa native had his best start of the season. Watson tossed six shutout innings while striking out a season-best eight, which fell one shy of his career high of nine. He permitted only four hits and walked just one over his six scoreless innings.
He'd get some more run support in the fifth when Altoona opened up the game with a five-run inning. Anthony Norman led off the inning with a home run, his fourth, and Altoona led, 2-0. Watson, Chase d'Arnaud and Josh Harrison all reached off Owen following the Norman home run and Binghamton was forced to turn to the bullpen and reliever Eric Niesen, who suffered the loss on Friday night.
Niesen got Jim Negrych to line out but Matt Hague beat out a double play ball that scored Watson from third and moved d'Arnaud up 90 feet with two away. Jordy Mercer struck a two-out hit to bring d'Arnaud home to run the score to, 4-0. With runners at the corners, Gimenez drove in both Hague and Mercer with a double to make it 6-0 Curve.
The Curve scored its final three runs in the top of the seventh with two of them coming in on Gimenez's second double of the game. The backstop later came around to score on a sac fly by Norman and that would be the final run that Altoona would score in the contest.
Derek Hankins pitched the final three innings for Altoona and surrendered all five Binghamton runs. With the three innings pitched, Hankins did record his sixth save of the season.
The sweep of Binghamton by Altoona is the first since 2006.
After a 5-1 road trip, the Curve (74-52) returns home to Blair County Ballpark on Monday night to open a seven-game homestand with the first of three games against the Erie SeaWolves (58-69) beginning at 7 p.m. LHP Jeff Locke (2-1, 3.07), who was dominant in his last outing against Portland, takes the hill in the lid lifter for Altoona while RHP Brooks Brown (11-8, 4.09) throws for Erie.
It will be Ticket Amnesty Night at Blair County Ballpark thanks to the Altoona Mirror on Monday night. Fans can bring in any old or unused ticket stub from a sporting or entertainment event and receive $1 Grandstand tickets to Monday night's game with Erie.
Airtime for Monday night's game with Erie on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and Curve Radio Network affiliates is slated for 6:30 p.m. Great seats are still available for the series with the SeaWolves by calling 877.99.CURVE, visiting www.AltoonaCurve.com or by stopping in to the box office at BCB.
Eastern League Stories from August 22, 2010
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- Squirrels Shut out Baysox - Chesapeake Baysox
- Curve Sweeps B-Mets with 9-5 Win - Altoona Curve
- Squirrels Blank Baysox to Claim Series, 4-0 - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- OF Lucas Montero Placed on DL; LHP Eric Berger Joins Aeros - Akron RubberDucks
- Sens Complete Sweep of Aeros - Harrisburg Senators
- Senators Sweep Aeros with Pair of Wins - Akron RubberDucks
- Fisher Cats Convert 6-3 Comeback Win - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Sea Dogs Walk-Off With 7-6 Win - Portland Sea Dogs
- Thunder Slip in Extras - Trenton Thunder
- Richmond Flying Squirrels Game Notes - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Senators Win Game 1 of Doubleheader - Harrisburg Senators
- Aeros Notes - Akron RubberDucks
- Baysox Rally Falls Short - Chesapeake Baysox
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