Altoona Delivers a Dozen to Richmond in Tuesday Night Victory

CURVE, PA – Blake Sabol smacked two home runs in a four-RBI performance as Altoona set a new season-high in runs in a 12-2 win over Richmond on Tuesday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

After a first inning double from Nick Gonzales, Sabol hit a two-run shot off Richmond starter Gray Fenter to center field. The two mimicked the feat in the fifth, when Gonzales hit his second double of the game and Sabol hit a second two-run home run to center field off reliever Solomon Bates. It was the first multi-home run game for a Curve player this season and most in a game for Sabol in his career.

Andres Alvarez hit his team-leading fifth home run of the season to lead-off the sixth inning off Bates. Later in the frame, Gonzales knocked his third home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field. Four home runs marked the most in a game for Altoona this season.

Aaron Shackelford slapped an RBI-double to score Matt Fraizer in the fourth inning. He later scored on a throwing error by first baseman Frankie Tostado. Altoona tacked on three more runs in the eighth on a Gonzales sacrifice fly and Fraizer RBI-groundout. Tucupita Marcano scored on a wild pitch from Tyler Schimpf.

Altoona pitchers struck out 12 in the win. Kyle Nicolas picked up eight strikeouts in four innings of work. He allowed one run on a Mike Gigliotti RBI-single in the second inning. Travis MacGregor surrendered the only other run of the night for Richmond, an RBi-single from Armani Smith in the seventh. He struck out two on four walks and three hits in 2.2 innings to earn the win.

Zach Matson tossed 1.1 scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts before Tahnaj Thomas closed the game in the ninth.

Gonzales finished the day 3-for-4 with three RBI. Connor Scott also recorded two hits in the win for the Curve, who had 11 hits in the contest. It was the third won for Altoona over Richmond this season.

The Curve continue their six-game series with the Richmond Flying Squirrels, Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, on Wednesday morning at 11:00 a.m. LHP Omar Cruz will take the ball for Altoona, while RHP Matt Frisbee will be on the mound for Richmond.

For tickets or more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office. Additionally, the Stockyard Team Store is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., during every home game and online 24/7/365.

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