EL Altoona Curve

Gorski Gallops to Extra-Inning Win

May 12, 2023 - Eastern League (EL)
Altoona Curve News Release


CURVE, Pa. - With the bases loaded in the bottom half of the tenth inning and the game tied 2-2, Matt Gorski came through for the Curve with a hard-hit ball to the shortstop Angel Martinez that resulted in an RBI-Fielder's Choice to snap a four-game losing streak and lift Altoona passed Akron, 3-2, in front of 6,595 fans at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

Oliver Garcia took the ball for the Curve in the top of the tenth inning and worked out of an early jam. With Joe Naranjo serving as the placed runner at second base, Connor Kokx was hit by a pitch to put two on with no outs. Garcia settled in to strike out Julian Escobedo before working a pair of fly outs to get out of the frame without allowing a run or hit.

In the bottom of the frame, Liover Peguero singled on the first pitch thrown by Davis Sharpe in the inning, moving pinch-runner Lolo Sanchez to third base. Matt Fraizer then struck out before Henry Davis was intentionally walked to set up the bases-loaded scenario for Gorski. His ball ripped at Martinez at an estimated 99 mph popped in and out of his mitt at short, resulting in a force out at second but Gorski beating out the double-play attempt to win the game for Altoona.

Gorski added a base hit in the second inning off Akron starter Hunter Stanley. He has picked up a hit in 10 straight games, the longest hitting streak of the season for a Curve batter. In the month of May, Gorski is batting .333/.372/.597 with one double, three home runs, and seven runs batted in.

Altoona's starting pitcher Aaron Shortridge rolled through the first six innings of his start, only allowing four hits, no runs and striking out three batters on just 81 pitches. It was the second time that Shortridge completed 6.0 innings in a start this season, matching the longest outing by a Curve pitcher.

Altoona took its first lead of the game thanks in part to an RBI single from Jacob Gonzalez in the bottom of the fourth inning. Davis led off the frame with a single and advanced to second on a Gorski groundout. Gonzalez then scored Davis on a single to left field. It was one of two hits in the game for Gonzalez, while Davis finished the game 2-for-3 with a double and two walks in the win.

The RubberDucks would respond later in the top of the eighth inning. Kokx would wake up Akron's bats with a two-out single off Matt Eckelman. It was soon followed by an RBI-double by Escobedo, tying the game at one run a piece. Eckelman allowed one run on two hits in 1.2 innings. Juan Minaya spun just over an inning of relief, including a scoreless top of the 9th, allowing no runs on one hit and a walk in 1.1 innings.

Dylan Shockley gunned down four out of the five runners that attempted to steal a base in Friday night's contest. Shockley has now thrown out eight runners on the base paths this season. The Curve snapped it's four-game losing streak and are now 14-15 on the season, while the RubberDucks fall to a .500 record of 15-15.

Altoona continues its series with the Akron RubberDucks, Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, on Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. Akron will send LHP Jaime Arias to the mound with Altoona starting RHP Kyle Nicolas.

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Eastern League Stories from May 12, 2023


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