EL1 Altoona Curve

Seesaw Affair Sees Curve Finish on Top

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


New Britain, Conn. - The Altoona Curve squandered an early lead but rallied late to down the New Britain Rock Cats 10-9 on Tuesday night at New Britain Stadium. The Curve had a 5-0 lead but saw the 'Cats score nine unanswered runs before they scored two in the ninth to earn the victory on the road.

Altoona got off to a hot start with the bats by plating five runs in the first inning. Dan Gamache delivered another home run, his second in as many days, that brought home Alen Hanson and gave the Curve a 2-0 lead. Altoona then plated three more in the inning thanks to back-to-back doubles by Willy Garcia and Gift Ngoepe. The first double scored Josh Bell while the second scored both Elias Diaz and Garcia.

New Britain chipped away at Altoona's lead for the next three innings. With two outs, the Rock Cats plated three runs in the third with two outs in the first. In the second, Eddie Rosario blasted a two-run home run that tied the game. In the third, Brandon Waring scored on a groundout and Brad Boyer followed with a run scored on a wild pitch. Rosario then came to the dish later in the third and catapulted his second blast of the game to make it a 9-5 lead for New Britain.

The Curve came to within one in the fifth inning. Stetson Allie led off the inning with an infield single and advanced to third on a double by Andy Vasquez. Diaz followed with a bloop single to center field that brought in Allie to make it a 9-6 ballgame and Garcia followed with his second hit of the game, a single to right, that scored Vasquez. After a walk and a strikeout, Hanson hit a groundout that plated Diaz to make it a one-run ballgame.

In the ninth, the Curve completed the comeback. After a pair of one-out singles by Garcia and Ngoepe put runners on the corners, Jarek Cunningham lined a ball to center field which allowed Garcia to score from third. With two outs, Ngoepe advanced to second on a delayed steal and scored when Alen Hanson lined a single to center field.

Jeff Inman (2-0) picked up his second win of the season after working a scoreless seventh and eighth innings. Matt Summers (2-4) blew the save in the ninth and suffered the loss. Ryan Beckman earned his fifth save of the season after working out of a jam in the ninth. Beckman and Inman, along with reliever Nate Baker combined for six shutout innings in relief.

Altoona will conclude their three-game series with New Britain on Wednesday afternoon. RHP Adrian Sampson (8-5, 2.58) will take the hill for the Curve and is opposed by LHP Pat Dean (7-5, 4.29). First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. while pregame on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM, and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 11:35 a.m.

The Curve will return home on Monday, July 28 for a lengthy homestand against the Erie SeaWolves and the Richmond Flying Squirrels. Altoona will start off the homestand with postgame fireworks on July 28 & 29. For tickets and information about the upcoming homestand, call 877.99.CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com, or stop by the box office at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

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Eastern League Stories from July 22, 2014


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