Curve Drop Seventh-Straight Game in 6-2 Loss

CURVE, Pa. – Braxton Ashcraft tossed five innings, but Altoona dropped their seventh straight game on Friday night at PNG Field, falling 6-2 to the Akron RubberDucks.

Ashcraft struck out five in his longest outing since May of 2021 and scattered six hits and one walk in his start.

Akron held a 4-0 lead after four innings until the Curve offense picked up their first hit in the fifth inning. Jackson Glenn walked with one out against Akron starter Aaron Davenport and advanced to second on a balk. Jase Bowen knocked Glenn in with a solid single to right which made it a 4-1 game.

After Akron added two runs, one earned, off the Curve bullpen in the top of the sixth Altoona got the bats rolling in their half with three straight hits to start the inning. Tsung-Che Cheng and Aaron Shackelford each singled to start the inning and after a pitching change, Abrahan Gutierrez reached on an infield single to plate a run and make a 6-2 game. The Curve stranded a pair of runners on base in the sixth and managed just three baserunners in the final three innings of the game.

Chris Gau tossed two scoreless innings in relief to hold the line for Altoona, permitting just one walk. Cameron Junker was tagged for two runs on one hit and two walks in two innings of relief.

Altoona continues its six-game series with the Akron RubberDucks, Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, on Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. Altoona will send RHP Po-Yu Chen to the mound to face LHP Ryan Web for Akron.

For tickets and more information on the 2024 Altoona Curve Season, presented by Stuckey Automotive, 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.

Check out tonight's highlights!https://t.co/Q3oo5RMmxc

— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) April 27, 2024