Wells looks sharp as Curve claim series win over Harrisburg
June 15, 2006 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
ALTOONA- Pittsburgh Pirates' starter Kip Wells worked 7 1/3 strong innings in his second of three minor league injury rehab starts to help the Curve win the rubber match of their three-game series against the Harrisburg Senators, 6-3, Thursday night at Blair County Ballpark.
A large crowd of 7,020 gave the right-hander a standing ovation as he left the field after one out in the eighth inning, having allowed three runs and six hits on 89 pitches. Wells, who has not pitched for the Pirates this season after undergoing surgery in March to repair a blocked artery in his right arm, looked sharp most of the night and finished allowing just one walk, while striking out four.
Wells is expected to move on to Triple-A Indianapolis and make his final minor league start with the Indians next Tuesday before possibly returning to the Bucs' starting rotation next weekend.
Harrisburg struck first in the game with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, but the Curve offense took over as Wells settled in. Javier Guzman led off the third with a solo home run off Senators' starter Oscar Alvarez to get Altoona on the board. The Curve then grabbed the lead for good in the fourth with three runs on an RBI single by Dave Parrish and a two-run knock by Guzman, making it a 4-2 game.
Wells made one of his few mistakes on the night in the top of the sixth when Prentice Redman, the brother of his former Pirates' teammate, Tike, drilled a long solo home run to left to cut the Curve lead to 4-3.
But Altoona answered in the bottom of the frame when Ray Sadler drilled his eighth homer of the season--a two-run shot--to cap the scoring in the contest. Sadler's blast tied him with teammate Simon Pond for the team lead in home runs, despite the fact that he didn't join the club until May 19th after being sent down from Indianapolis.
Blaine Neal replaced Wells in the eighth and recorded the final two outs of the inning before turning the game over to Brandon Knight in the ninth. The right-hander, who picked up the save in Wednesday's 2-1 win over Harrisburg, struck out all three Senators' hitters he faced to earn his team-high 10th save of the season.
Alvarez (3-4) was tagged with the loss for Harrisburg after surrendering all six Curve runs on eight hits in six innings of work.
With the win, Altoona (38-27) earned a series win over the Senators, and regained a three-game lead over Harrisburg for second place in the E.L. South. The Curve also picked up a game on first-place Akron, as the Aeros had their 10-game winning streak snapped Thursday night at Connecticut.
The Curve will remain at Blair County Ballpark for a three-game weekend series against the Reading Phillies beginning Friday night at 7:05 PM. Shane Youman (3-2, 1.84) will take the mound for Altoona against Reading right-hander Tim McClaskey (1-3, 6.14).
Friday will be a busy day at BCB as the Curve will once again be hosting the PIAA State Baseball Championships with games scheduled for 11 AM and 2 PM. Two more title games will take place Saturday at the same times. Also Friday night, the Curve will continue their "Retro Celebrity Series" with an appearance from Jamie Farr, who played Cpl. Max Klinger on the hit TV show M*A*S*H. Farr will meet and greet fans, sign autographs, throw out the ceremonial first pitch and take part in in-game activities.
Eastern League Stories from June 15, 2006
- Portland blanks Baysox, takes series with 2-0 win - Chesapeake Baysox
- Wells looks sharp as Curve claim series win over Harrisburg - Altoona Curve
- Thunder fall in tenth, 4-2 - Trenton Thunder
- Fisher Cats win in extra innings - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- B-Mets miscues lead to Rock Cats win - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Aeros Dynamics - Akron RubberDucks
- Harrisburg Senators game notes - Harrisburg Senators
- Kip Wells slated to make rehab start for Curve tonight - Altoona Curve
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