Espinal, Reyes provide punch in 5-2 Curve win

CURVE, Pa. - The Altoona Curve scored early and topped the Harford Yard Goats, 5-2, on Saturday at Peoples Natural Gas Field in Altoona. 

The Curve (39-32) evened the series against the Yard Goats (32-40) in front of a crowd of 6,601.
Altoona scored three runs in the first inning off one swing of the bat. With two on and one out, Edwin Espinal blasted a three-run home run, his eighth of the season, to give the Curve a 3-0 lead. Espinal leads the team with 49 RBI and has driven in at least one run in six consecutive games, a team season high.
Curve starter Tanner Anderson (Win, 6-6) helped his own cause in the fourth inning, driving in Wyatt Mathisen from second base with a single, the first RBI of his professional career.
Hartford cut the lead to 4-2 with two runs in the fifth, but the Curve quickly got a run back. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Pablo Reyes led off with a solo home run, his second of the season and first since April 8.
Anderson pitched six innings and allowed two earned runs on seven hits, striking out three. Jake Brentz made his Curve debut, and pitched 1.2 scoreless innings.
Brentz loaded the bases with two walks and a hit in the eighth inning, forcing Montana DuRapau (Save, 11) to attempt the four-out save. DuRapau struck out Dillon Thomas to end the bases-loaded threat and then pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to close out the game.
Hartford starter Konner Wade (Loss, 2-5) went four innings and surrendered four earned runs on four hits. Troy Neiman allowed the home run to Reyes in the fifth.
The Curve will conclude their homestand on Sunday with the finale in the three-game series against Hartford. J.T. Brubaker (4-2, 3.75) will get the start for Altoona, while left-hander Jack Wynkoop (5-5, 4.55) will get the nod for the Yard Goats. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
Sunday will be Bike Day, presented by Burgmeier Hauling. The Curve will also be wearing their Sunday Pirates-style Black & Gold Jerseys, presented by Keller Engineers. For tickets and more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office.
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