Stansberry gives Curve dramatic win over Bowie
August 9, 2005 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
ALTOONA-- Craig Stansberry knocked in Rajai Davis with a game-winning double in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Altoona Curve rallied for a 5-4 win over the Bowie Baysox Monday night in the opener of a three-game series at Blair County Ballpark.
Trailing 4-3 entering the ninth, Jorge Cortes led off the frame with a double into the right-field corner against Baysox' closer Sendy Rleal. After Chris Snusz moved Cortes to third with a sacrifice bunt and Javier Guzman popped up for the second out, Rajai Davis came to the plate as the Curve's last chance to avoid a fourth consecutive victory.
Davis fell behind in the count to Rleal, 0-2, before ripping a high fastball into right-center field, knocking in Cortes with the game-tying run. Davis, who hustled to second on his game-tying hit, then came home when Stansberry drilled 2-2 pitch off the left-field wall, giving the Curve a dramatic 5-4 win.
The victory improved the Curve to 61-53 on the season and helped the club maintain its 2 1/2 game lead over Erie in the race for the second and final playoff spot in the E.L. South. The Baysox (58-57), who entered the game tied with Erie for third place in the division, missed out on an opportunity to move within 1 1/2 games of Altoona with the loss.
Rleal (3-4) was charged with the loss after giving up the two runs to the Curve in the bottom of the ninth. Justin Kaye, who worked a scoreless top of the ninth, picked up the victory to improve to 3-3 on the season.
The Curve's wild ninth inning capped off what was a roller coaster game for both teams. Bowie grabbed a 2-0 lead after single runs in the first and second innings, but the Curve rallied to score the next three runs and took a 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh, when Guzman knocked in Snusz with an RBI double.
Curve starter Jason Roach worked into the eighth inning, but was chased from the game after giving up a game-tying solo home run to Bowie catcher Brandon Marsters to lead off the inning. The Baysox took a 4-3 lead later in the inning after three consecutive singles by Peter Bergeron, Brandon Fahey and Tripper Johnson.
Roach, who was making his Blair County Ballpark debut for Altoona after making two starts during the Curve's most recent road trip, received a no-decision after allowing four runs--three earned--on nine hits in seven innings of work.
Davis, Guzman and Josh Bonifay each posted two hits to lead the Curve's nine-hit effort. Stansberry also plated a run in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly and finished the game with a pair of RBI's.
The Curve and Baysox will continue their three-game series Tuesday night at Blair County Ballpark. Altoona will send right-hander Hansel Izquierdo (3-4, 4.75) to the mound for the 7:05 PM start.
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