Box Score

TRENTON, N.J. - Altoona let a late lead slip away for a second straight night on Wednesday and eventually fell, 4-3, to the Trenton Thunder in 11 innings at Waterfront Park.  Altoona carried a 3-1 lead into the eighth before Trenton tied it to force extras.  Phil Irwin takes the tough no decision after hurling five innings of four-hit ball while allowing one unearned run.   

Altoona jumped on the scoreboard first in the second inning for the second straight night, this time getting a one-out, two-run double from Jarek Cunningham to bring home Oscar Tejeda and Stefan Welch. 

The two runs seemed to be enough early on for Irwin, who mowed down eight in a row from the first and into the start of the third.  Trenton didn't score its first run until the fifth when a pair of errors helped the Thunder load up the bases with no one out.  With the bases full, Addison Maruszak hit a sac fly to bring Trenton within one.  Irwin took care of it from there as he eventually struck out Melky Mesa to end the inning. 

Irwin's scoreless inning streak ended at 13 when the run scored in the fifth.  He hadn't allowed a run since the fifth inning of his start versus Erie back on June 21st. 

Cunningham helped the Curve grab the run right back in the sixth with a sac fly to bring in Ramon Cabrera to make it, 3-1.  That lead stuck until the eighth when Kevin Mahoney struck a two-run homer over the wall to right-center to tie the game at three. 

After neither team was able to score again in regulation, Altoona had an opportunity in the 10th when Adalberto Santos walked and stole second to lead off the inning.  Jon Meloan didn't let Santos proceed any further by retiring the next three batters to end the inning and the threat. 

Trenton walked off with the victory in the 11th thanks to a Jose Pirela sac fly. 

Back below .500, Altoona (54-55) will try and salvage the 12:05 p.m. series finale with Trenton (66-44) on Thursday afternoon.  All-Star RHP Brandon Cumpton (10-8, 3.32) gets the starting nod for the Curve in the series finale as they'll look to grab the final game  Highly-touted prospect Dellin Betances (1-1, 4.15) will take to the bump for the Thunder. 

Airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 11:35 a.m.  For tickets and more information on the Curve homestand beginning Monday, call 877.99.CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the box office windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

-CURVE-