EL1 Altoona Curve

Marte's Ninth-Inning Blast Sends Curve to Win

August 25, 2011 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - Starling Marte took the first pitch he saw in the top of the ninth inning and blasted a home run to right-center that lifted the Altoona Curve to a, 5-4, win over the Binghamton Mets on Thursday night at NYSEG Stadium. Duke Welker (1-0) earned the win in relief while Anthony Claggett picked up his second save of the season with a perfect ninth inning.

Marte's home run came immediately after the B-Mets had tied the game for a second time in the bottom of the eighth. Reese Havens scored from third on a throwing error by Tony Sanchez in the last of the eighth to tie the game at four.

The Curve grabbed an early 1-0 off B-Mets starter Jeurys Familia in the first when Brock Holt doubled into right field and Marte scored from first. That lead was short-lived as Havens homered off Matt McSwain in the bottom of the first to place Binghamton in front, 2-1. Jeremy Farrell's RBI groundout in the second brought in Matt Curry to tie the game at two.

The game stayed that way until the fifth when Holt led off the inning with a single. After Josh Rodriguez flew out, Andrew Lambo smacked a ball well over the wall in right-center field to place Altoona in front, 4-2. It was the seventh home run of the year for Lambo.

Altoona's two-run advantage held up through the fifth as McSwain pitched five innings of two-run ball and did not allow a run after the first inning. The right hander set down 11 in a row from the first through the fourth before Allan Dykstra led off the fifth with a hit. Mike Loree made his Curve debut on Thursday night and gave up a run in his first inning of work when Brahiam Maldonado singled in Havens with two outs in the sixth. He settled down to pitch two total innings before turning it over to Welker for the eighth.

Quincy Latimore, Holt and Sanchez all had two-hit games for the Curve in the win. The victory for the Curve snapped Binghamton's season-best seven-game winning streak and handed them their first loss since August 17th.

Altoona (60-71) and Binghamton (59-72) will meet up for the second game of the four-game set beginning at 7:05 p.m. Friday night at NYSEG Stadium. RHP Mike Colla (5-9, 3.65), who has faced Binghamton twice this season and has 11 scoreless innings against them, will make the start for Altoona. RHP Collin McHugh (6-2, 3.33) makes the start for Binghamton and will face Altoona for the first time this season.

Airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

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