Somerset Snaps Back to Sour Curve in Series Opener
June 13, 2023 - Eastern League (EL)
Altoona Curve News Release
SOMERSET, N.J. -Abrahan Gutierrez launched his second Double-A home run, a solo shot in the second inning, but the Curve could not hold off the Somerset bats in a bullpen game as Altoona dropped the opener of its series with the Patriots, 8-4, on Tuesday Night at TD Bank Ballpark.
Gutierrez homered for the second at-bat in a row, going back to his game-tying blast in the ninth inning on Sunday in Richmond. The home run came off Somerset starter Gray Fenter to give the Curve the early lead. Gutierrez finished the day with two hits, his second multi-hit effort in as many games for Altoona.
Liover Peguero added to the advantage for Altoona with his seventh home run of the season, a two-run shot off Fenter in the third inning that narrowly avoided the glove of Somerset center fielder Jasson Dominguez to give the Curve a 3-0 lead.
Somerset would go on from that point to outscore the Curve 8-1 to earn the come-from-behind victory. Trey Sweeney knocked an RBI-single off Curve starter Brad Case in the third before a Case pickoff throwing error plated a second run. Case allowed two runs with one earned on four hits in 3.0 innings pitched in the outing.
The Curve turned to Omar Cruz out of the bullpen to follow Case. Cruz would take the loss, allowing three runs in 1.2 innings. Back-to-back wild pitches by Cruz tied the game in the fifth inning, moments before Braeden Ogle entered the contest and allowed an Austin Wells double to right field to score two runs.
The Patriots added three runs in the eighth inning. T.J. Rumfield homered off Juan Minaya to lead-off the inning. Tyler Hardman followed with a double before Minaya worked two quick outs. Aaron Palensky and Eric Wagaman would go on to knock back-to-back RBI-doubles to put the game out of reach. Minaya allowed three runs in the lone inning of work.
Cameron Junker tossed a scoreless inning of relief in the loss for Altoona. Lolo Sanchez added a late run in the sixth when he reached second on a scoring error with two outs to score Mason Martin. Claudio Finol had two hits in the loss. The loss brings Altoona's record to 30-26, which is tied for first place with Erie in the Southwest Division with 12 games remaining in the first half of the season.
Altoona continues a 12-game road trip on Wednesday evening with the Somerset Patriots, Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, at 6:35 p.m. Altoona will send RHP Jared Jones to the mound for the start, opposed by Somerset's RHP Blane Abeyta.
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