EL1 Altoona Curve

Vera Makes Ponies' Bats Vanish, Curve Sweep Short Series

Published on August 21, 2018 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release


BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - Eduardo Vera struck out a season-best seven batters and earned his sixth win since the all-star break while the supplied plenty of run support in an 9-2 win for the Altoona Curve over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies on Tuesday at NYSEG Stadium.

The Curve (69-55) jumped out in front of the Rumble Ponies (60-67), 3-0, with four straight hits in the first inning. Will Craig knocked in the first run of the game on his 27th double of the season, which was set up by singles from Stephen Alemais and Bryan Reynolds, his first of four hits in the game. Jin-De Jhang followed Craig with a two-run single, the first two of his three RBIs, to right to make it a three-run opening frame for the Curve.

With early run support, Vera (Win, 7-3) sat down 10 of the first 11 Rumble Ponies that came to the plate. The lone exception was a solo homer off the bat of Tomas Nido in the second inning. Binghamton put just one hitter in scoring position and scattered three hits while Vera threw seven innings for the fifth time with the Curve in 2018. The right-handed pitcher also hit a single in the seventh inning.

The Curve offense built the lead early with five runs over the first four innings and added four more late to put the game away. Alfredo Reyes scored from second base in the second inning when he stole third base and forced a throwing error from the Binghamton catcher. Logan Hill hit the first pitch of the fourth inning over the left field wall for his 16th home run to open up a 5-1 win. Hill got on base three times going 2-for-3 with a walk.

In the eighth, Reynolds added his third hit of the game and Jhang notched his third RBI of the contest to put Altoona in front by five. Reynolds doubled to lead off the frame and scored when Jhang singled him home. Reynolds came back in the ninth for his fourth hit on a solo homer to the left of center.

The Curve added a two more with two outs in the eighth inning after Jordan George walked followed by RBI singles from Reyes and Arden Pabst. The single by Reyes extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

Scooter Hightower tossed a scoreless eighth in relief before Yeudy Garcia allowed one run in the ninth to close out the game.

Altoona won eighth of nine games against Binghamton and finished 5-0 at NYSEG Stadium. The Curve closed the eight-game road trip with a record of 6-2 and are 14 games over .500 for the first time since September 1, 2016 when the club was 75-61.

The Curve open a two-game series with the Harrisburg Senators at Peoples Natural Gas Field on Wednesday with first pitch set for 6 p.m. Altoona will start right-hander Luis Escobar (3-0, 4.91) against Harrisburg right-hander Sterling Sharp (5-2, 3.95).

The last regular season homestand will last through Thursday, August 30 with the Richmond Flying Squirrels and Trenton Thunder visiting Altoona after the Senators. The homestand opener against Harrisburg will be Winning Wednesday, presented by the Pennsylvania Lottery. For tickets or more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office.

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Eastern League Stories from August 21, 2018


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