Eighth Inning Sinks Curve on Wednesday
August 7, 2024 - Eastern League (EL)
Altoona Curve News Release
PORTLAND, Maine - Tsung-Che Cheng banged a go-ahead Grand Slam in the sixth inning, but Portland rallied for seven runs in the eighth inning and secured a 13-8 comeback win over the Curve on Wednesday night at Hadlock Field.
Trailing 5-4 in the sixth inning, Altoona loaded the bases with singles from Jase Bowen and Carter Bins and a walk from Yoyner Fajardo. Tsung-Che Cheng stepped up with two outs in the inning and slammed the first pitch from righty Alex Hoppe into the right field bleachers to take an 8-6 lead for the Curve. Cheng's Grand Slam was the third hit by Altoona this season after Joe Perez and Brenden Dixon each knocked one earlier in the campaign.
Po-Yu Chen was touched for five runs on seven hits and one walk in a four-inning start for the Curve. Chen worked around significant trouble in the first three innings but wrapped up his outing with a 1-2-3 fourth inning. Jaden Woods was the first out of the Curve bullpen and allowed one run in 1.2 innings before Cy Nielson stranded the bases loaded to end the sixth. Nielson worked through a clean seventh inning before running into trouble to start the eighth.
Portland began the game-winning inning with a second homer from catcher Elih Marrero and then loaded the bases with two walks and a single. Eddy Yean relieved Nielson and struck out the first two batters he faced before Blaze Jordan doubled to right field, a ball that Siani nearly caught in the alley, that plated three runs. Alex Binelas added a run-scoring single and Marrero put the cherry on top of the inning for Portland with a two-run double. Marrero had two homers, two doubles and four RBI's in the game. The seven-run inning marked a season-high in runs allowed in an inning for Curve pitching.
Offensively, the Curve got early offense with a single run in the second and three runs in the third before breaking out for a big inning in the sixth. Abrahan Gutierrez doubled home a run in the third inning before Sammy Siani plated a run on a fielder's choice. Nick Cimillo earned an RBI on a groundout to cap-off the three-run frame.
Cimillo extended his on-base streak to 10 games with a single in the seventh, while Siani has recorded five-consecutive multi-hit games. Fajardo set a new career-high with four walks, reaching base five times in total by adding a single.
Altoona continues their six-game series against the Sea Dogs, Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, on Thursday afternoon at 12:05 p.m. The Curve's starter is to be announced with RHP Hunter Dobbins on the bump for the Sea Dogs.
For tickets and more information on the 2024 Altoona Curve Season, presented by Stuckey Automotive, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office. Additionally, the Stockyard Team Store is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., during every home game and online 24/7/365.
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