EL1 Altoona Curve

Early Deficit Too Steep for Curve in Loss to Trenton

July 5, 2018 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


CURVE, Pa. - The Trenton Thunder blanketed the bases early and scored eight times during the first four innings to bury the Altoona Curve, 8-2, on Thursday at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli began his Major League rehab assignment with the Curve (42-39) and walked twice on an 0-for-3 night and served as the Altoona designated hitter.

The Thunder (49-36) mimicked their first inning from Wednesday and struck for three runs in the first inning. Trey Amburgey totaled three RBIs in the contest and started the scoring with an RBI double against Bret Helton (Loss, 3-4), who was in a starting role for the Curve. Billy Fleming's sacrifice fly and a run-scoring single from Gosuke Katoh completed the three-run start for Trenton while Helton labored through 36 pitches.

Trenton knocked Helton out of the game in the second and added two more runs with RBI singles from Kyle Holder and Devyn Bolasky. Helton gave way to right-hander Scooter Hightower for his Double-A debut and the newest member of the Curve left both inherited runners stranded to end the inning.

Hightower retired the Thunder in order in the third but Trenton added three more in the fourth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Amburgey knocked home a pair on a single and a wild pitch by Hightower allowed an eighth run to pass for the Thunder. Hightower allowed three runs in his debut but gave the Curve 3.2 innings and struck out six.

For the second game in a row, the Curve left double figures on bases and loaded the bases three times. Cole Tucker brought in Altoona's first run during the second on a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded. In the seventh, Christian Kelley drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in their second run. During the fifth inning, the Curve filled the bases against Trenton starter Dillon Tate (Win, 5-2) but the Yankees' No. 9 prospect held the Curve off the board with a walk fly out and an inning-ending ground out.

Will Craig reached base four times on two walks and two singles. Kelley delivered two hits with a double while Ke'Bryan Hayes put together another multi-hit performance with three hits and a double.

Sean Keselica and Yeudy Garcia locked down the last half of the game out of the Altoona bullpen with two scoreless frame apiece. The Curve bullpen has shoulders 16.1 innings in the last two games without including 1.1 innings from Helton, who has pitched in relief in every appearance prior to Thursday's start. Altoona has used a total of 10 pitchers in their last two games.

With wins by Akron and Harrisburg, Altoona topples back to third place in the Western Division. The Curve are 5.5 games behind the first-place RubberDucks and a half game behind the Senators in second.

The Curve and Thunder continue their five-game series on Friday with first pitch set for 7 p.m. Eastern League All-Star Taylor Hearn (3-5, 3.50) will start for the Curve opposite of right-hander Michael King (2-1, 1.91) for Trenton.

There will be fireworks after Friday's game, presented by the Altoona Mirror. The ballpark gates open at 6 p.m. prior to the 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 5, 2018


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