EL1 Altoona Curve

Parrish Blast Seals Curve 6-2 Win Over Connecticut

May 1, 2007 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


NORWICH- With the Curve nursing a one-run lead in the eighth inning, Dave Parrish sent the first pitch he saw from Defenders reliever Osiris Matos over the left-field fence for a three-run home run, finishing off Connecticut as the Curve took the series opener at Dodd Stadium 6-2.

The Curve got another solid start from Kip Bouknight (2-0), who worked six innings and allowed just two earned runs on four hits to collect the win.

After a day off, Altoona got after Connecticut starter Nick Pereira quickly, scoring a run without the benefit of a hit in the top of the first inning. Jason Bowers walked to lead off the ballgame, and advanced to third on throwing error by catcher Todd Jennings while attempting to steal second. Brett Roneberg brought him home with a ground-out to first base.

The Curve added two more runs in the fourth inning. Roneberg led off the inning with a single, and scored on an RBI double by Randy Ruiz off the wall in right-center field to make it 2-0. Neil Walker added a second consecutive double to score Ruiz and up the lead to 3-0.

John Bowker got the Defenders on the board in the bottom of the fourth, when he took advantage of one of the few mistakes Bouknight made, slamming a breaking ball over the right-field wall for a solo home run to cut the lead to 3-1.

Jake Wald's double in the fifth scored Todd Jennings, and cut the Curve lead to one at 3-2.

The game stayed that way until the eighth inning, when the third pitcher of the night for Connecticut, Osiris Matos, walked Neil Walker. Adam Boeve was then awarded first-base on catcher's interference to put men at first and second. The ruling was ironic, because it opened the door for Dave Parrish, who was returning to the lineup days after breaking his nose on a similar play in Binghamton. Parrish delivered a three-run homer on the first pitch to make it 6-2 and the Curve cruised behind the bullpen to the finish line.

Chris Hernandez and Romulo Sanchez were maginificent in relief. Hernandez sat down all six Defenders he faced in the seventh and eighth innings, while Sanchez turned in a 1-2-3 ninth to finish off the victory.

Curve Notes: The Curve welcomed Steven Pearce to the team on Tuesday. Pearce, who compiled 11 home runs in the month of April to lead all of minor league baseball, was promoted by the Pirates from Lynchburg (A). Pearce made his Curve debut in the ninth, pinch-hitting and striking out.

Game two of this series is tomorrow night at 6:35 PM. RHP Luis Munoz (2-0, 2.49) will make the start for Altoona against RHP Ben Cox (0-2, 4.20) for Connecticut.

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