Gorzelanny sharp in first start, Curve hold on to beat Phils, 7-6
Published on May 4, 2005 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
(ALTOONA,PA)- Tom Gorzelanny struck out seven batters over six scoreless innings in his season debut and the Altoona Curve held off a late rally by the Reading Phillies to earn a 7-6 victory Wednesday night at Blair County Ballpark.
The win, the Curve's third straight win to open the series against Reading, improved the club's record to 13-10 on the season. Altoona has now won six of its last seven games and 14 of 16 against the Phillies at Blair County Ballpark. Reading dropped to an Eastern League-worst 9-17 with the loss.
Gorzelanny, the Pirates' 5th-rated prospect entering the 2005 season by Baseball America, was added to the Curve's roster earlier in the day after missing most of spring training and the first month of the season with soreness in his left elbow. The 22-year old left-hander looked very sharp, setting the Phillies down in order in three of his first four innings. Overall, Gorzelanny (1-0) yielded just two hits and two walks in earning his first win.
Offensively, the Curve was aided by a two-homer game from Ronny Paulino, who belted a two-run longball in the sixth inning and a leadoff solo shot in the eighth. Paulino's two longballs marked the third consecutive game in which a Curve player has hit two home runs to set a new club record. Brad Eldred and Josh Bonifay turned the feat in the first two games of the series.
Paulino's two-run blast in the sixth gave the Curve what seemed to be a comfortable 6-0 lead, but the R-Phils rallied by scoring four runs in the eighth off relievers Jeremy Harts and Ben Shaffar, and two more in the ninth against closer Justin Kaye. However, Kaye struck out Ryan Fleming with the tying run at second base to end the game and notch his fifth save of the season.
Reading starter Chris Rojas (1-4), a former Pirates' farmhand, struck out seven Curve batters, but gave up five runs in 5 2/3 innings of work to suffer the defeat.
Paulino, Rajai Davis, Vic Buttler and Brandon Chaves each had two hits for the Curve, who will attempt to complete a four-game sweep of Reading Thursday morning at Blair County Ballpark at 10:35 AM. Mike Connolly (1-2, 3.86) will take the mound for the Curve against Reading southpaw Allen Davis (2-2, 2.90).
Eastern League Stories from May 4, 2005
- Gorzelanny sharp in first start, Curve hold on to beat Phils, 7-6 - Altoona Curve
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- Fisher Cats edge Norwich 3-1 Wednesday afternoon - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
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