Late lead slips away as Curve fall to Fisher Cats
Win: Brady Dragmire (4-5)
Loss: Jhondaniel Medina (2-2)
Save: Chris Smith (14)
TOG: 2:07
Attendance: 5,916
MANCHESTER, N.H. - The Altoona Curve were handed a 3-2 loss after the New Hampshire Fisher Cats rallied with a pair of runs in the eighth on Saturday night at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium.
The Curve (68-57) fell on the wrong side of a pitcher's duel with the Fisher Cats (61-65).
The Curve led 2-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, but Derrick Loveless hit a one-out triple and Jason Leblebijian smashed a two-run home run on the next pitch from Jhondaniel Medina (Loss, 2-2) to put the Fisher Cats ahead, 3-2.
Altoona took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on a two-run homer by Elvis Escobar, his first of the season with the Curve.
Making just his second start of the season, John Kuchno allowed one run on two hits with no walks and five strikeouts.
New Hampshire starter Wilmer Font allowed two runs over seven innings, and Brady Dragmore (Win, 4-5) pitched a scoreless eighth. Chris Smith (Save, 14) worked around a leadoff single to close out the Fisher Cats win in the ninth.
The Curve and Fisher Cats wrap up the series on Sunday afternoon at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium. Right-hander Tyler Eppler (7-9, 3.97) will be on the mound for Altoona, with right-hander John Straka (1-0, 4.50) pitching for New Hampshire. First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m.
-CURVE-