Herrera Returns, Tabata Debuts, Curve Fall, 6-2
August 8, 2008 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
HARRISBURG- The return of Yoslan Herrera from Pittsburgh and the debut of 19-year old prospect Jose Tabata wasn't enough to spark the Curve on to victory Friday, as the Harrisburg Senators claimed a 6-2 win at Commerce Bank Park.
Herrera (5-9), who was optioned to Altoona after his fifth major league start for the Pirates on Monday at Arizona, was handed the loss after allowing six runs -- five earned -- on six hits over just four innings. The right-hander dealt two strong innings at the start of the contest, but touched up for four runs in the third and two more in the fourth before exiting the contest.
In the third, a key error against shortstop Angel Gonzalez kept the inning alive and was followed by a three-run home run by second baseman Seth Bynum, which gave the Senators a 4-1 lead.
Tabata, who was added to the Curve roster prior to the game after completing a successful four-game injury rehab stint with rookie-level Bradenton, made his highly-anticipated debut with Altoona and went 0-for-3 with a walk and runs scored. Tabata started in center field and batted second.
Harrisburg starter Zack Segovia (2-1) tossed seven strong innings to earn the victory. The right-hander, who started the season pitching for the Eastern League's Reading Phillies, gave up only four hits, walked one and struck out seven.
Altoona managed only four hits in the contest, but three came off the bat of catcher Steve Lerud, who snapped out of a 2-for-28 slide over his previous 10 games. Gonzalez added the Curve's only other hit, a seventh-inning single.
The Curve and Senators will continue their five-game series Saturday evening at Commerce Bank Park. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. Altoona will send left-hander Kyle Bloom (2-7, 4.71) to the mound against fellow lefty Cory Van Allen (3-1, 4.55). Fans can hear all the action on the Curve Radio Network and on-line at AltoonaCurve.com starting at 5:50 with the Curve GameDay Show presented by the Hotel Belmar and Budget Beverage.
CURVE CUTS - Tabata becomes only the second teenager to ever play for the Curve. Andrew McCutchen was also 19 years old when he joined Altoona in August 2006... Herrera matched a career-high with six strikeouts over his four innings of work... 3B Jim Negrych, who entered Friday's game with the fourth-best batting average among all minor league players (.366), went 0-for-4... OF Anthony Webster was placed on the Disabled List to clear room for Tabata on the Curve's 24-man roster... Altoona must go 18-3 in its final 21 games to avoid the franchise's first losing season since 2001.
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