Offense Comes Alive But Streak Still Reaches Nine in 8-6 Loss
June 30, 2011 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
TRENTON, N.J. - Altoona's struggles continued on Thursday night at Waterfront Park as they fell, 8-6, to the Trenton Thunder in the first game of a four-game series. Despite scoring six runs, Altoona's pitching staff allowed seven runs in the first two innings and the offense wasn't able to keep up.
A glimmer of hope occurred in the ninth when Andrew Lambo and Tony Sanchez drew back-to-back walks with two down to bring the go-ahead run to the plate in Josh Rodriguez. Rodriguez, who homered earlier in the game, struck out to end the game.
Altoona opened the scoring in the first when Lambo scored on a Sanchez single that outfielder Melky Mesa misplayed. After Trenton plated four runs off starter Aaron Pribanic (5-6) in the bottom of the inning, the Curve answered immediately in the second when Starling Marte hit a three-run homer to tie the game at four.
Answering once again were the Thunder, who scored three more runs off Pribanic in the last of the second. Ray Kruml, who was 3-for-5, started the rally with a one-out single. After stealing second, Kruml eventually came around on a RBI single by All-Star catcher Austin Romine to put the Thunder back out in front at 5-4. Brad Suttle followed two batters later to drive in Corban Joseph and Romine to extend Trenton's lead to three at, 7-4.
Pribanic wound up finishing five innings and giving up a career-high eight runs (seven earned) on 11 hits to suffer the loss.
Down 8-4, Altoona tried to climb back into the game in the sixth when they plated a pair of runs. Rodriguez led off the inning with his first home run in a Curve uniform to make it, 8-5. Quincy Latimore followed with a walk and then Matt Curry singled to place runners at the corners with no one out. Curry was then caught trying to advance on a ball in the dirt for the first out of the inning and then Jose Hernandez struck out.
With two down, Greg Picart singled to bring home Latimore but Altoona scored no further. Curry and Picart each had multi-hit games in a losing effort for Altoona. The nine-game losing streak is now the third longest in franchise history.
Altoona (34-44) and Trenton (47-32) continue the four-game series beginning at 7:05 p.m. on Friday night from Waterfront Park in Trenton, N.J. RHP Phil Irwin (1-1, 2.45) gets the nod for the Curve to try and stop the steak while RHP Dellin Betances (4-3, 2.37) takes the game ball for the Thunder.
Airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
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