Mlodzinski Silences Senators in Stellar Pitching Performance

CURVE, Pa. – Carmen Mlodzinski struck out a season-high eight batters and matched his career-long outing of six innings as Altoona defeated Harrisburg, 8-3, for the second night in a row on Wednesday at PNG Field.

It was one of the best showings from Mlodzinski this season. He struck out the side in the second inning and punched out three in the fourth, working around two hits and a walk on the frame. When exiting after the sixth inning, he had retired seven batters in a row.

The only runs to score on Mlodzinski came on a two-run home run from John Nogowski in the second at-bat of the game after Jake Alu reached on a fielding error by Liover Peguero. He allowed the one earned run with one walk on three hits.

Blake Sabol hit his eighth home run of the season in a two-hit game. Andres Alvarez also tacked on two RBI-singles for a multi-hit affair. Altoona’s first runs came in the third inning, when Matt Gorski launched a two-run triple off the center field wall off starter Jake Irvin. Gorski was injured on the play and had to be removed from the game, as Connor Scott pinch ran and scored on a Jared Triolo sacrifice fly in the next at-bat. Irvin allowed four runs, all in the third inning, on six hits in four innings.

Two runs came across to score on a wild pitch third strike from Richard Guasch to Matt Fraizer in the fifth inning. The wild pitch went to the backstop and was paired with a throwing error from the catcher Wilmer Perez to score two runs. It was the second wild pitch third strike of the inning to allow a baserunner for the Curve. Guasch allowed three runs on one hit in one inning with three strikeouts.

Tahnaj Thomas tossed two innings of relief for the Curve, allowing one run on an RBI double from Justin Connell in the eighth. One run scored on the play as Scott, Tucupita Marcano, and Henry Davis combined to check down a run at the plate. Bear Bellomy worked a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts to complete the win for Altoona.

With a 2-0 second-half record, this is the first time this season that the Curve are two games above .500 in their split season record. Marcano went 1-for-4 with a walk in this second game on Major League rehab, while Davis extended his hitting streak to five games.

Altoona continues its six-game series with Harrisburg on Thursday night at 6:00 p.m. RHP Kyle Nicolas takes the ball for the Curve, with RHP Steven Fuentes on the mound for Harrisburg. It is a Mountain City Game for the Curve with specialty uniforms, as well as Thirstday with $2 Bud Light Drafts.

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.