Curve Swept by 'Ducks in High-Scoring Double-Header
April 13, 2019 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
CURVE, Pa. -- The Altoona Curve dropped both games of a double-header with the Akron RubberDucks on Saturday at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The 'Ducks blanked Altoona, 7-0, in the first game before the Curve blew a late lead to fall, 10-7, in game two.
With two losses on Saturday, the Curve (6-4) have lost four of their last five games after starting the season 5-0. The RubberDucks (3-7) have won back-to-back games for the first time in 2019. Additionally, Saturday's double-header sweep for Akron is the first by a Curve opponent since July 31, 2016 at Trenton.
Game One
Win: Zach Plesac (1-0)
Loss: Scooter Hightower (0-1)
Save: --
TOG: 1:55
Akron starter Zach Plesac (Win, 1-0) shut down the Curve and came one out shy of a complete-game shutouts. The right-hander retired 12 batters in a row from the last out of the second through the second out of the sixth, holding the Curve to four hits.
The 'Ducks jumped on Curve starter Scooter Hightower (Loss, 0-1) with two in the first inning. Andrew Calica connected on a two-out, two-RBI double down the right field line to give Plesac all the run support he needed.
Hightower worked 4.1 innings, allowing just the two first-inning runs, before the bullpen took over.
Akron added five more runs in the fifth off Altoona reliever Sean Keselica. Connor Marabell extended the lead to 4-0 with a two-RBI double to left field and Wilson Garcia capped off the scoring with a three-run double to right-center field, making it 7-0 'Ducks.
All five runs in the fifth came with two outs and were unearned due to a one-out error on second baseman Brett Pope earlier in the frame.
Game Two
Win: Luke Eubank (1-1)
Loss: Tate Scioneaux (1-1)
Save: James Karinchak (1)
TOG: 2:38
Attendance: 5,014
Dressed as the Allegheny Yinzers in the nightcap, the Curve traded leads with Akron in the middle before the 'Ducks pulled away against the bullpen.
The Curve jumped ahead, 1-0, in the second inning on Robbie Glendinning's two-out, RBI single to right field off 'Ducks spot-starter David Speer.
Akron answered in the third when Daniel Johnson belted a two-out, two-run homer to right field off Curve starter Pedro Vasquez.
The see-saw action continued in the fourth when Hunter Owen launched a two-run blast to left off 'Ducks reliever Luke Eubank, giving the lead again, 3-2.
Altoona built their lead to four with three more scores in the fifth inning. Logan Hill ripped a two-run double down the left field line before Owen drove in his third RBI of the game on a single to center.
In the sixth, the 'Ducks rallied for eight runs and sent 14 hitters to the plate. Altoona reliever Tate Scioneaux (Loss, 1-1) failed to record an out and allowed a pair of two-run homers to Tyler Krieger and Ka'ai Tom to tie the game, 6-6. Scioneaux allowed to more hits before he was lifted for Angel German, who walked his first batter and allowed the go-ahead, two-run single to Mitch Longo. Johnson followed with a two-run single of his own to push his RBI total to four for the game and put Akron ahead, 10-6.
Despite allowing five runs in two and two-third innings, Eubank (1-1) earned the win.
The Curve threatened in the seventh, scoring one more run on a wild pitch, but James Karinchak (Save, 1) closed out the 10-7 win for the 'Ducks and sweep the double-header for Akron.
Eastern League Stories from April 13, 2019
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