Win Streak Thunderstruck on Tuesday

TRENTON, N.J. - The Curve bats fought valiantly on Tuesday night in Trenton but could never fully overtake the Thunder in a, 7-5, road trip-opening loss at Arm & Hammer Park. Josh Bell drove in a pair while Elias Diaz hit his sixth home run of the season and ran his hit streak to 10 games. With the loss, the Curve's five-game win streak also came to an end and the team lost for just the sixth time since the All-Star break.

The Thunder scored single runs in the first and second innings thanks to solo homers from All-Star Gary Sanchez and the newly-promoted Greg Bird. The Curve, like they have during this hot streak, had an answer in the third. With two away, five straight batters reached base with RBIs for Bell and Stetson Allie to tie the game at two.

Trenton took the lead right back off Tom Harlan (2-2) in the bottom of the third and went on to score a single run in every inning but the fourth.

Altoona was kept in check from the third inning through the sixth by Thunder starter and winner Jaron Long, who improved to 5-0 since coming to Double-A. Long retired 10 in a row from the final out of the third until he finished his day with the final out of the sixth.

Dan Gamache doubled to start the seventh off new Thunder reliever Phil Wetherell and eventually came home to score on a Sanchez throwing error with Keon Broxton trying to steal second later in the inning. With Broxton at second, it was Bell delivering again with a single through the right side to score Broxton to pull the Curve within one at, 5-4.

Trenton countered with a run off Nate Baker in the seventh before Diaz hit his solo homer in the eighth to once again make it a one-run game at, 6-5. The home club had the last laugh, scoring their final run in the last of the eighth to seal the win.

The Curve (50-67) and Thunder (57-60) will have a quick turnaround for the second game of the series as they'll play it at 12:05 p.m. Wednesday afternoon in Trenton. LHP Zack Dodson (4-7, 5.12) will make the start for the Curve on Wednesday afternoon. He'll be opposed by Thunder LHP Manny Banuelos (1-3, 4.37).

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

-CURVE-