EL1 Altoona Curve

Curve Thumped by Thunder, 8-3, on Independence Day

Published on July 4, 2018 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


CURVE, Pa. - Combined with a three-run homer by Gosuke Katoh in the first and a nine-strikeout performance over six innings by Ryan Bollinger, the Trenton Thunder jumped out to an early and rode on to an 8-3 win over the Altoona Curve on Independence Day at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

The Curve (42-38) faced a critical moment after the fifth pitch of the game when Eduardo Vera (Loss, 1-3) was hit on the arm by a line drive off the bat of Abiatal Avelino. Vera exited the game and recorded one out after he allowed two singles. Tate Scioneaux inherited two runners prior and surrendered Katoh's three-run blast, a 3-2 pitch to right field with two outs.

The Thunder (48-36) added three more against Scioneaux in the third on three separate RBI hits. Trey Amburgey started the inning with a triple and scored on an RBI single from Mandy Alvarez. Wendell Rijo doubled in Alvarez and Ryan Lidge delivered a run-scoring single to plate Rijo.

Altoona answered Trenton's three-run first with one of their own but could not deliver the big hit against Bollinger (Win, 4-3). Curve batters went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners on base.

In the first, Cole Tucker started with a walk, moved up to second on his 19th stolen base of the season before he scored on an RBI single from Bryan Reynolds. The Curve loaded the bases in the second and failed to score. In the third, Altoona left two more on the bases while Bollinger proceeded to strike out nine Curve batters and issued four walks.

Tucker awoke the offense in the seventh with a lead-off, solo homer off reliever David Sosebee. Ke'Bryan Hayes connected on the first of his two hits and came around on a Logan Hill triple to narrow Trenton's lead to three runs.

The Thunder opened the game back up with single runs in the eighth and ninth. Devyn Bolasky bunted home one score against Geoff Hartlieb, and Matt Eckelman walked in one in the ninth before infielder Logan Ratledge recorded the final out in the visitor's half of the ninth.

Logan Sendelbach matched a season-high three scoreless innings of relief from the fourth through the sixth and held Trenton to two hits, walked one and struck out one.

Tucker reached base four times with two walks, a hit-by-pitch and hits second homer of the season. Reynolds collected three hits, including a double, while Hayes racked up two more hits for his 25th multi-hit game of the season.

With the loss, the Curve drop back to 4.5 games behind first-place Akron in the Eastern League Western Division, who defeated Richmond 8-0.

The Curve and Thunder will continue their five-game series on Thursday with right-hander Bret Helton (3-3, 3.72) on the hill for the Curve and right-hander Dillon Tate (4-2, 3.48) pitching for the Thunder. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at PNG Field.

Thursday is Celebrate Altoona Night featuring a bobblehead giveaway of Altoona Mayor Matt Pacifico to the first 500 fans, presented by Burgmeier Hauling. Each Thursday in Curve, Pa. is Thirstday, presented by Q94, with two-dollar Bud Light's and regular-sized sodas along with dollar Juniata-brand hot dogs. The ballpark gates open at 6 p.m. prior to Thursday's game. For tickets or more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office.

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Eastern League Stories from July 4, 2018


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