EL1 Altoona Curve

Pribanic, Curve Cool Thunder With Win

Published on May 31, 2011 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


Win: Aaron Pribanic (5-2)

Loss: Craig Heyer (4-3)

Save: Noah Krol (11)

TOG: 2:24

Attendance: 4,650

Box Score

TRENTON, N.J. - Altoona scratched out two runs in the sixth and the pitching staff was once again solid as the Curve squeaked by the Trenton Thunder, 2-1, on Tuesday night at Waterfront Park. Aaron Pribanic (5-2) tossed seven innings of scoreless baseball in the win while scattering five hits en route to his fifth win. With the victory, Altoona moves to three games over .500, which is the highest the Curve have been over .500 all season.

Jordy Mercer kick started Altoona's sixth-inning scoring rally with a one-out base-hit bunt up the third base line off starter Craig Heyer (4-3). Matt Curry, who made his Double-A debut on Monday, recorded his first extra-base hit into the gap in right-center and drove Mercer home from first to place the Curve in front, 1-0. After Jeremy Farrell grounded out, Tony Sanchez delivered a two-out hit through the left side to score Curry from third and Altoona led, 2-0.

Trenton could have taken an early lead in the tilt as they had a chance to score off Pribanic and the Curve in the fourth. Corban Joseph led off the inning with a rare walk off Pribanic and moved to second on a groundout by Austin Romine. Brad Suttle came to the plate and singled back through the middle but Starling Marte came up gunning in center and he threw out Joseph trying to score for his seventh outfield assist of the season.

The Thunder scored its only run of the game off closer Noah Krol in the ninth when back-to-back doubles to start the inning by Suttle and Cody Johnson plated a run. Krol settled in and then got the next three batters in a row to end the game and notch his 11th save of the season. It was the first run that Curve pitching had allowed since the seventh inning on Sunday night in Binghamton.

Brock Holt went 4-for-5 in the win but strangely enough didn't score a run in the game. He doubled twice and singled twice from the leadoff spot.

After a quick turnaround, Altoona (27-24) and Trenton (31-20) will match up in the second game of the three-game series beginning at 10:35 a.m. tomorrow at Waterfront Park. LHP Aaron Thompson (2-4, 4.89) will make the start for Altoona in search of his first road win since his first win of the year on April 9th in Erie. He'll be opposed by Trenton's highly-touted prospect LHP Manny Banuelos (2-0, 2.16) in the morning contest.

Airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is slated for 10:05 a.m.

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Eastern League Stories from May 31, 2011


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