EL1 Altoona Curve

Surging Curve Win Fourth Straight Series with One-Run Win

Published on August 2, 2014 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


CURVE, Pa. - Adrian Sampson rattled off his 16th quality start of the season and the Curve offense scored just enough to edge the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 7-6, in front of 5,294 on Saturday night. The win clinches a fourth straight series win for the Curve and they are now 12-5 since the All-Star break. It's the first time since 2012 that the Curve have won four straight series.

The Curve trailed early as the Squirrels used a leadoff homer by Kelby Tomlinson to go ahead, 1-0, after one batter. Sampson (10-5) recovered in the first and danced out of the inning with just the one run coming across.

Gift Ngoepe helped tie the game for the Curve in the second when he hit a sac fly to score Willy Garcia, who'd singled earlier in the inning to extend his hitting streak to 13 games (ties a career-high).

Richmond went back ahead in the third with a pair of unearned runs off Sampson but that would be the last runs on the day that Sampson allowed.

The offense went back to work in the bottom of the third, scoring a run on the second single of the day by Elias Diaz, who finished the day 3-for-3 with three RBI.

It was Diaz again in the fifth as his two-out double inside the bag at third scored both Alen Hanson and Josh Bell to flip the scoreboard to place the Curve in front, 4-3.

A two-run sixth made it a 6-3 game in favor of the Curve with RBI for Hanson and Kelson Brown. Keon Broxton added a RBI single in the seventh and the Curve were cruising up, 7-3.

While the offense was rolling so was Sampson, who set down eight in a row from the fourth to the seventh. He finished seven innings and allowed just the one earned run (three total runs) on five hits with a pair of strikeouts for his 16th quality start of the season in 23 starts.

Richmond made it interesting with three runs off the bullpen in the eighth but in the end the Curve were able to shut it down with Joely Rodriguez picking up the save.

Bell, Diaz and Garcia all had multi-hit games in the win and all extended their respective hitting streaks. Bell's streak is now at eight games while Diaz ran his to nine.

Winners of seven of their last eight games and 10-of-12, the Curve (49-66) will seek to sweep the Squirrels (66-48) at 6 p.m. Sunday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Postgame fireworks will following Sunday night's game with Richmond to close the homestand on what is also Cambria County Night presented by Conemaugh Health System and the Tribune-Democrat. Prior to the game, fans can come down on the field and play catch from 5-5:25 p.m. After the game, kids can run the bases.

RHP Angel Sanchez, who was acquired off waivers by the Pirates on Thursday, is expected to be added to the Curve roster for Sunday night's game and will make the start. He'll be opposed by RHP Clayton Blackburn (3-5, 2.73) for the Squirrels.

Gates will open at 5 p.m. while airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. For tickets and more information, call 877.99.CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the box office windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

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Eastern League Stories from August 2, 2014


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