Home Runs Power Curve to Victory over Senators on BOpening Night
April 11, 2013 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
CURVE, Pa.- The Altoona Curve used a pair of home runs to down the Harrisburg Senators, 5-4, on BOpening Night in front of 3,647 fans at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The win pushed the Curve back over the .500 mark on the young season. During the Curve's home opener, silent auction sale items on BOpening Night raised $3,734 for the American Heart Association.
Andrew Lambo continued to swing one of the hottest bats in the Eastern League, driving in a pair of runs in the bottom half of the first inning to put the Curve in front, 2-0, just four batters into the game. Jarek Cunningham tacked on a pair of runs with his second home run of the season in the bottom of the third inning to make it a 4-0 game.
Casey Sadler (2-0) was brilliant again in his second career Double-A outing. The right-hander tossed six innings, scattering six hits and allowing three runs while walking one and striking out a pair. Sadler turned in the second quality start of the young season for the Curve pitching staff joining Stolmy Pimentel's quality start from last Sunday in Erie.
Harrisburg cut into the Curve lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth and another in the top of the fifth to make it a 4-3 contest. Gift Ngoepe answered back with his first career Double-A home run in the bottom half of the sixth inning. The Ngoepe blast that hooked inside the foul pole down the right-field line proved to be the difference maker on Thursday night.
Ethan Hollingsworth worked two scoreless innings in relief of Sadler to bridge the gap to Luis Sanz, who recorded the final three outs to earn his second save of the season. Sanz allowed a pair of hits and walked one but induced a double-play to end the game and preserve the victory.
Altoona's early scoring trends continued on Thursday night with the club having scored first in each of its seven games. The Curve have also scored at least one run prior to the end of the second inning in each of their first seven contests.
Cunningham finished the day 3-for-4 and a triple shy of the cycle while Ngoepe and Mel Rojas, Jr. added multi-hit efforts in the win.
The Curve (4-3) and Senators (3-5) will play their second of four beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Steelers Pro-Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey will drop by Curve, Pa. thanks to Holiday Inn Express and WTAJ-TV and be available for autographs for two hours during the game. It's also a T.G.I. Friday's Mug Club Night with the first 250 fans 21+ that exit the park receiving a Mug Club Mug. Kids can run the bases in Curve, Pa. after the game and fans can head over to T.G.I. Friday's postgame as well for the Extra Innings Party where two Curve players will sign autographs for one hour.
Jameson Taillon (1-0, 0.00) toes the rubber for the Curve in his second start of the year and his second overall at Peoples Natural Gas Field. He will be opposed by right-hander Caleb Clay (0-0, 7.20) for the Senators.
Airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6 p.m. For tickets and more information on the current Curve homestand, call 877-99-CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the ticket windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
Eastern League Stories from April 11, 2013
- Aeros Fall at Bowie - Akron RubberDucks
- Thrilling Thunder Win in 11, 6-5 - Trenton Thunder
- Deja Vu All over Again, Squirrels Rally to Fall Late - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Baysox, Gausman Win in Home Opener - Chesapeake Baysox
- Britton shines in Portland's 5-2 win over Reading - Portland Sea Dogs
- Home Runs Power Curve to Victory over Senators on BOpening Night - Altoona Curve
- Rock Cats Lose Home Opener 9-3 vs Sea Dogs - New Britain Rock Cats
- Fisher Cats Spoil Home Opener, 3-1 - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- McGuire Decks B-Mets in 3-1 Victory - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Fisher Cats Make Roster Moves - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Sea Dogs Game Notes April 11 at New Britain - Portland Sea Dogs
- B-Mets Game Notes: Binghamton Mets vs. New Hampshire Fisher Cats - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Aeros-Curve to Play Make-Up Game June 28 - Akron RubberDucks
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
