CURVE, Pa. - One day after both clubs clinched a trip to the Eastern League playoffs, the Trenton Thunder rolled to a 5-1 win over the Altoona Curve on Monday to begin the last regular-season series at Peoples Natural Gas Field in 2018.
CURVE, Pa. - One day after both clubs clinched a trip to the Eastern League playoffs, the Trenton Thunder rolled to a 5-1 win over the Altoona Curve on Monday to begin the last regular-season series at Peoples Natural Gas Field in 2018.
The Curve (74-57) still hold first place in the Western Division while the Thunder (73-60) are still chasing the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in the Eastern Division standings.
Altoona jumped on Trenton starter Trevor Stephan (Win, 3-8) for one run in the first with a lead-off walk to Cole Tucker set the stage for an RBI double by Bryan Reynolds . Stephen settled in to retire 15 of his last 18 batters with just two hits allowed, both by Reynolds.
Logan Sendelbach (Loss, 4-3) retired all nine batters in his first trip through the Thunder lineup with three strikeouts. In the fourth, Trenton tagged the Curve starter for three runs and broke a stretch of 21.2 consecutive scoreless innings pitched by the Altoona pitching staff.
Trenton filled the bases without using an out on a double, single and walk before Sendelbach walked in the tying run with one out. Jhalan Jackson smacked two-run single to left to break the 1-1 tie to close Sendelbach's spot start at 3.1 innings. Jackson made it a three-RBI game with a solo homer in the ninth off Tate Scioneaux .
Trenton's Jordan Foley (Save, 10) tip-toed around three Curve hits and recorded the last nine outs on the mound for a three-inning save.
Blake Weiman recorded the final two outs of the fourth in relief of Sendelbach in his Double-A debut before pitching two more scoreless frames.
Sean Keselica worked a 1-2-3 seventh and started the eighth with back-to-back walks. He wiped out one with a 6-4-3 double play but allowed an RBI single to Brandon Wagner on a 3-2 pitch that stretched Trenton's lead to 4-1.
The Curve offense worked runners on first and third in each the sixth and seventh innings but failed to score. Will Craig bounced into a double play to cease the threat in the sixth. The Curve stranded six runners total and went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
The Curve and Thunder continue their series on Tuesday at 6 p.m. with left-hander Cam Vieaux (9-4, 3.46) making the start for Altoona and right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga (3-1, 4.15) going for Trenton.
The winner of the Tempurpedic Mattress will be announced on Tuesday night, presented by Park Home. It will also be Two-for-Tuesday with two-for-one specials on tickets, hot dogs and small popcorn, presented by Atlantic Broadband. For tickets or more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office.
-CURVE-
