Curve Win Shootout with Squirrels, 9-8
Published on May 9, 2013 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
CURVE, Pa. - The Curve pounded out nine runs on 15 hits on Thursday night to defeat the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 9-8, at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Neil Walker, who began his rehab assignment on Thursday night with the Curve, was 1-for-4 with a double and played six innings in his first game since suffering his hand laceration on April 26. Andrew Lambo, Mel Rojas, Jr. and Adalberto Santos all had three hits apiece to lead the Curve.
It was a battle of who would score last on Thursday night with the Curve claiming the victory. Trailing 8-7 after Richmond scored two runs in the top half of the eighth inning off Jason Townsend, who was activated off the DL today, the Curve responded with two of their own to seal it.
Gift Ngoepe struck out to start the inning but Alex Dickerson was able to reach on an error by Squirrels shortstop Ehire Adrianza and that set fire to the Curve rally. With Dickerson at first, Stefan Welch and Andrew Lambo both singled to load up the bases with one out. Richmond brought in their closer Daryl Maday to face Jarek Cunningham and he blasted one to left that clanged off the top of the wall, narrowly missing a grand slam. It went down as a long single but it scored Dickerson from third and tied the game at eight.
Santos followed Cunningham at the plate and hit a ball out to second baseman Joe Panik, who flipped it to Adrianza covering at second to try and start two, but a great slide at second by Cunningham prevented a double play and Welch scored the go-ahead run from third.
In the top of the ninth, Townsend (1-1) pitched a perfect inning to seal the Curve's 14th win.
Altoona led most of the game, 7-6, after a majority of the game's runs were scored in the early innings. All told, four Curve players had multi-hit games in the game while six of the nine starters had at least one RBI in the win. Eight of the nine position players that played on Thursday had at least one hit.
Neither starter factored in the decision with Curve starter Stolmy Pimentel allowing a season-high six runs on six hits in 4.1 innings. Quinton Miller made his Double-A debut in relief of Pimentel on Thursday and pitched 2.2 scoreless innings before bridging the gap to Townsend.
With his three hits in the game, Santos extended his on-base streak to 19 games, which is now two shy of Lambo's mark of 21 straight games on base to start the season.
Winners of two straight, the Curve (14-20) look to make it three-in-a-row when they take on the Flying Squirrels (16-16) at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Postgame fireworks will follow the game on Friday on a Community Collection Day. The Curve are asking that fans bring in all their old computer equipment (printers, fax machines, keyboards, etc.) to the game on this collection day to help benefit Skills of Central Pa., Inc. Kids can run the bases on Friday after the contest has concluded.
Friday also serves as a T.G.I. Friday's Mug Club Night with the first 250 fans 21 and up that exit the ballpark receiving a Mug Club Mug. After the game, fans can head to T.G.I. Friday's on Plank Rd. for the Extra Innings Party where Curve players Casey Sadler and Jason Townsend will sign autographs for one hour after the game on Friday (players subject to change).
Taking the hill for the Curve in the second game of the series will be RHP David Bromberg (0-4, 5.57), who has pitched well in each of his last two trips to the hill. He'll be opposed by Squirrels starter Craig Westcott (1-3, 4.55) on Friday.
Gates swing open at 5:30 p.m. while airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6 p.m. For tickets and more information on the current Curve homestand, call 877.99.CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the box office windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
Eastern League Stories from May 9, 2013
- Thunder Strand 14 Runners in 8-3 Loss - Trenton Thunder
- Akron Sneaks by Reading in Ninth Inning - Reading Fightin Phils
- Aguilar Lifts Aeros to Comeback Win over Phils - Akron RubberDucks
- Fisher Cats Take Series Opener 8-3 in Trenton - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Curve Win Shootout with Squirrels, 9-8 - Altoona Curve
- Saupold Shuts Down Baysox - Chesapeake Baysox
- Demny, Krol No-Hit B-Mets, 6-1 - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Curve Claim Topsy-Turvy Opener, 9-8 - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- B-Mets Game Notes: Game #35 Binghamton Mets (17-16) vs. Harrisburg Senators (15-18) - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Rock Cats Game Postponed - New Britain Rock Cats
- Three Pitchers Join Thunder from Tampa - Trenton Thunder
- Sea Dogs and Rock Cats postponed due to rain - Portland Sea Dogs
- Erie SeaWolves at Bowie Baysox - Game Notes - Erie SeaWolves
- Sea Dogs Game Notes May 9 at New Britain - Portland Sea Dogs
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
