EL1 Altoona Curve

Sampson Guides Curve to Finale Win in Portland

Published on June 22, 2014 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


PORTLAND, Maine - Adrian Sampson battled through seven innings while the Curve offense used a three-run fifth inning to come from behind and claim the final game of the season series with the Portland Sea Dogs, 5-4, on Sunday afternoon. Sampson (5-4) spun seven innings and allowed four runs on eight hits and struck out three for his fifth win of the season. It was the first one-run win on the road for the Curve this season. They'd previously been 0-for-12 in one-run games on the road.

Things didn't start well for the Curve with the Sea Dogs scoring three runs in the second inning off Sampson. Matt Spring had an RBI fielder's choice and Jonathan Roof had a two-run homer to put Portland in front.

Altoona's offense started to come to Sampson's side in the third when Ralph Henriquez ended a streak of eight in a row retired by Sea Dogs starter Mike Augliera (3-6) to start the game. He did it in emphatic fashion with a solo homer to right on the first pitch he saw.

Justin Howard followed with a solo homer in the fourth to pull the Curve within one, 3-2, before they'd take the lead for good in the fifth.

Gift Ngoepe led off the fifth with a single before Henriquez flew out for the inning's first out. Junior Sosa singled to move Ngoepe to second before Drew Maggi snuck a single slowly through the right side. Ngoepe scored easily on the play to tie it before Sosa also came around to score behind him. On the throw in to try and get Ngoepe, no Sea Dogs player went back to cover home and Sosa had a free shot at the bag that resulted in the Curve taking the lead. Howard followed with an RBI single to bring home Maggi, who'd gone to second on the defensive mental lapse a play earlier.

Sampson dug in from there and gave up arun in the bottom of the inning when Willy Garcia let a routine single glance off his glove to allow Derrik Gibson to score. He went scoreless from there and finished seven innings in his fifth win.

Kenn Kasparek took over in the eighth and pitched a scoreless, clean inning before the Sea Dogs put two on in the ninth. With two away and the game on the line, Kasparek struck out Gibson to end it and preserve the win.

Howard and Sosa had the multi-hit games in the victory for the Curve.

Finished with the Sea Dogs for 2014, the Curve (27-47) now travel to the third city in this three-city trip in New Britain, Conn. to meet the Rock Cats (AA - Twins) in the first of three at 6:35 p.m. Monday night. LHP Zack Dodson (1-3, 4.22) makes his second start of the road trip for the Curve while RHP Virgil Vasquez (4-2, 3.50) starts for New Britain

Airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

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Eastern League Stories from June 22, 2014


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