Ninth-Inning Rally Falls Short in Curve Loss to Sea Dogs
August 20, 2015 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
CURVE, Pa. - In a back-and-forth game, the Altoona Curve had a ninth inning rally hushed by the Portland Sea Dogs in a 9-8 loss at Peoples Natural Gas Field on Wednesday night.
The loss overshadowed a three-hit night by Max Moroff, including a double and a triple. He also drove in three runs and scored twice.
Portland (46-77) scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning and held off Altoona (64-59) to take the second game of the series.
With the Curve and the Sea Dogs tied 6-6 in the top of the inning, reliever Jhondaniel Medina (Loss, 3-5) gave up a two-run homer to Carlos Asuaje and a solo shot to Keury De La Cruz extended the advantage to 9-6.
Altoona trimmed the Portland lead to one in the bottom of the ninth inning with a two-run single by Moroff against Portland reliever Simon Mercedes (Win, 3-2).
After the hit, Mercedes was replaced by Kyle Martin (Save, 4), who worked out of a two-on, no-out jam and stranded both runners in scoring position.
After a three-run third put Portland ahead 4-1, the Curve pilled on four runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-4 lead. After an RBI double by Moroff, Erich Weiss plated a run with a single and Barrett Barnes knocked a two-run single.
In the fifth inning, Portland took a 6-5 lead on a two-run double by De La Cruz, but Jose Osuna evened the score at 6-6 in the seventh with a sacrifice fly.
Barnes drove in three runs while Weiss had two hits and scored twice in the game.
Moroff now has 137 hits this season, bringing him just five shy of the Altoona franchise record for a switch hitter set at 142 by Shawn Garrett in 2002.
The two home runs surrendered by Medina were the first he has allowed in 2015. Entering Wednesday, Medina had allowed just four home runs in 144 career games.
The Curve remain two games behind Akron for second place in the Western Division and 6.5 games behind first-place Bowie.
Altoona is the only team that Portland holds a winning record against this season, posting a 4-1 mark against the Curve.
The start of Wednesday night's game was delayed 51 minutes for rain.
Altoona and Portland play the series finale on Thursday night. First pitch from PNG Field is scheduled for 7 p.m. Southpaw Steven Brault (6-3, 2.63) will start for the Curve, with left-hander Danny Rosenbaum (0-5, 7.04) pitching for the Sea Dogs.
Thursday is a Thirsty Thursday, featuring 16 oz. Miller Lite on special and regular sodas for $2. It is also College Night, and students can bring their college ID to the stadium for a $5 grandstand ticket.
Airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office.
Eastern League Stories from August 20, 2015
- Harrisburg Downs RubberDucks 5-3 - Akron RubberDucks
- Big Second Inning Backs Brault's Strong Start in 7-2 Curve Win - Altoona Curve
- Baysox Beat Thunder and Lightning Thursday - Chesapeake Baysox
- Senators Take Two of Three from Akron - Harrisburg Senators
- Curve with a Big Second, Beat 'Dogs 7-2 - Portland Sea Dogs
- Fightins-Fisher Cats Game Rained Out - Reading Fightin Phils
- Fisher Cats Rained out in Reading Thursday - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Baysox Grounds Crew Honored with Top Eastern League Field Award - Chesapeake Baysox
- Bowie's Parrott Named Diamond Pro Sports Field Manager of the Year - EL1
- B-Mets Rained out Thursday - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Squirrels and Mets Postponed on Thursday - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Family-Friendly Fun for the Final Games of the 2015 Season - Trenton Thunder
- B-Mets Game Notes: Game #122- B-Mets (66-55) vs. Richmond Flying Squirrels (61-61) - 6:35 pm - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- B&B Lightning Protection Selected as OnDeck's Small Business of the Month - Trenton Thunder
- Harrisburg Senators Homestand Preview vs. the Portland Sea Dogs - Harrisburg Senators
- Sea Dogs Game Notes August 20 at Altoona (Game 124) - Portland Sea Dogs
- TD Bank Kids Run the Show Winners Announced - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Flying Squirrels Game Notes at Binghamton - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Baysox Announce 2016 Schedule - Chesapeake Baysox
- SeaWolves T.J. Saunders Named Eastern League Trainer of the Year - Erie SeaWolves
- Ninth-Inning Rally Falls Short in Curve Loss to Sea Dogs - Altoona Curve
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.
