Curve Drop Series to Reading on Sunday Afternoon

Duce Gourson hit his fifth home run of the season in the loss.

By Altoona Curve

4:15 PM EDT

CURVE, PA. – Duce Gourson hit his fifth home run of the season on Sunday afternoon in a 9-4 loss to Reading. Altoona has dropped four straight games after winning the first two games of the series. After Reading plated a pair of runs in the top of the third,

CURVE, PA. – Duce Gourson hit his fifth home run of the season on Sunday afternoon in a 9-4 loss to Reading. Altoona has dropped four straight games after winning the first two games of the series.

After Reading plated a pair of runs in the top of the third, Altoona responded in the home half of the inning. Matt King walked to begin the inning and moved up to second on P.J. Hilson’s single to left. Samuel Escudero then dropped down a bunt and Kehden Hettiger’s throwing error allowed King to come around and score and make it a 2-1 game. Gourson followed the bunt with his fifth home run of the season which took a 4-2 lead for the Curve.

Reading drew even with two runs in the fifth against starter Matt Ager. Ager allowed four runs on six hits and three walks as he worked into the fifth inning on 66 pitches, 41 strikes.

The Fightin Phils scored five times in the seventh to take a commanding 9-4 lead. Aroon Escobar hit a go-ahead two-run homer and Reading added three runs on a double from Erick Brito, a sac fly from Kehden Hettiger and an RBI single from Bryan Rincon.

Landon Tomkins was charged with the loss after he allowed Escobar’s go-ahead two-run homer. Jaycob Deese allowed three runs on three hits in an inning of relief before Josh Loeschorn tossed two scoreless innings to round out the bullpen for Altoona.

With the four runs scored, Curve fans can get 50% off a regular menu priced pizza at Papa John’s on Sunday with the promo code CURVE50.

Altoona travels to Portland, Maine to begin a six-game series with the Portland Sea Dogs, Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, on Tuesday night. Starters are yet to be announced.

For tickets and more information on the Altoona Curve, 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 4 p.m., during every home game and online 24/7/365.