EL1 Altoona Curve

Squirrels Take Series With Walk-off Win In 11th

Published on April 23, 2011 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


RICHMOND Va. - Justin Christian scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift the Richmond Flying Squirrels to a, 3-2, win over the Altoona Curve on Saturday night at The Diamond. Altoona took the lead at 2-1 in the top half of the 11th inning before Richmond scored twice in the bottom half to win it.

Leading 2-1 going to the bottom half of the 11th, Altoona turned the ball over to closer Noah Krol (0-1), who had converted on all four save opportunities thus far in 2011. Krol issued a leadoff walk to pinch hitter Joel Weeks and then Christian singled deep in the hole at short to put two on with no one out. Nick Noonan put down a bunt that went back to Krol but his throw to third baseman Jeremy Farrell was wide and Weeks came around to score and tie the game at two.

Charlie Culberson was at the plate when the wild pitch allowed Christian to score from third to win the game.

In the top half of the inning, Altoona got a two-out single off the bat of Jose Hernandez that brought home Jordy Mercer from second base to put the Curve up, 2-1. The inning was kept alive when Justin Dowdy (1-0) dropped a ball while trying to tag Eric Fryer going up the first base line.

Altoona led most of the way early on as Fryer provided a solo home run in the second to back his starter Aaron Pribanic, who was superb on the mound. Pribanic pitched into the eighth inning and was taken out after allowing a leadoff single to Roger Kieschnick to start the frame. Kieschnick came around to score the tying run later in the inning on a pinch-hit single by Johnny Monell. Monell later tried to score on a single by Christian but Quincy Latimore's throw from left field beat Monell to the plate and he was called out to end the inning.

Pribanic allowed just one run on three hits with two strikeouts and no walks in his 7.0+ innings of work on Saturday night. At one point in the game, the Fairfax, Va. native retired 14-men in a row.

Fryer finished the game 2-for-5 with the home run in the loss for the Curve. Starling Marte was 1-for-5 with a bunt single in the ninth inning that extended his hitting streak to 12 games and his consecutive games on base streak to 14 games.

The Curve (7-8) are off on Sunday before heading to Harrisburg on Monday to open up a four-game series with the Harrisburg Senators. First pitch from Metro Bank park is slated for 7 p.m. with an airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

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Eastern League Stories from April 23, 2011


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