Martin Blasts Brookies to Walk-Off Victory
June 25, 2021 - Eastern League (EL)
Altoona Curve News Release
CURVE, PA - Down to their final strike in the bottom of the ninth inning, Mason Martin swatted a two-run home run to right-center field to give the Altoona Brookies a 4-3 walk-off victory over the Harrisburg Senators on Friday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The Curve are playing under their alternate identity this weekend, the Altoona Brookies, as an homage to the official fish of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Brook Trout.
Trailing 3-2 and facing one of the Double-A Northeast League's top relievers in Frankie Bartow, Canaan Smith-Njigba singled with one out and stood there as Rodolfo Castro went down on strikes. Martin then made his way to the plate and quickly fell behind in the count 0-2 before smashing his ninth home run of the season over the wall in right-center. The walk-off victory was Altoona's second of the season.
Altoona jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Jonah Davis hit a two-run home run, driving in Cal Mitchell who walked. Davis' fifth home run of the season gave Omar Cruz the type of early run support that the Brookies have gotten on a regular basis this season.
Cruz, making his Double-A debut on Friday night, matched the longest outing of his career with 6.0 innings. Cruz induced a pair of double play balls, one to end the first inning and another to end the fifth, before surrendering an unearned run in the sixth inning to the Senators. Jecksson Flores singled to begin the inning and advanced all the way to third when a pick off attempt by Cruz got away from the 1B Brendt Citta. Cole Freeman lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to score the run and Cruz would bounce back to retire the next two batters and finish his outing. Overall, the 22-year-old left-hander allowed five hits, no walks and struck out two on 73 pitches, 53 strikes.
Harrisburg took the lead in the eighth inning against the bullpen combination of Shea Murray and Cam Alldred. Flores singled to begin the inning and advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches by Murray. After a walk by Freeman, Ali Castillo dropped down a bunt and Murray's throw home was just late; allowing the tying run to cross home. Alldred then entered and struck out Corban Joseph but threw a wild pitch later in the inning to score Freeman and take the 3-2 lead.
Cristofer Melendez earned the win with a scoreless ninth inning of relief.
The Curve will continue their six-game series with the Harrisburg Senators on Saturday night. RHP Jeff Passantino (1-3, 2.97) will get the start for Altoona, Harrisburg's starter is to be announced.
Saturday night at PNG Field has post-game fireworks, presented by Morrisons Cove 1st FCU, Investment Savings Bank, Courtyard by Marriott, Microtel by Wyndham and Wingate by Wyndham. For tickets or more information about Curve Baseball, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office. Additionally, the Stockyard Team Store is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., during every home game and online 24/7/365.
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