Patriots Capitalize on Bullpen Blunders
CURVE, Pa. – Po-Yu Chen tossed a season-long six innings with three strikeouts for Altoona on Tuesday afternoon, but the Patriots put six runs up on Altoona’s bullpen across the seventh and eighth inning to defeat the Curve, 7-4, at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The game began in a one-hour,
CURVE, Pa. – Po-Yu Chen tossed a season-long six innings with three strikeouts for Altoona on Tuesday afternoon, but the Patriots put six runs up on Altoona’s bullpen across the seventh and eighth inning to defeat the Curve, 7-4, at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
The game began in a one-hour, 33-minute rain delay before Chen took the mound, allowing just one run on four hits and one walk in his six innings of work. Chen threw a season-high 81 pitches with 51 strikes. His lone run allowed came on an RBI-double by Elijah Dunham in the fourth inning to give Somerset a 1-0 lead.
Altoona responded with four runs over the next two innings off Somerset starter Blane Abeyta. Tres Gonzalez knocked an RBI-single in the fourth inning to tie the game 1-1. In the fifth, Brenden Dixon and Connor Scott both reached to start the inning before Wyatt Hendrie laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance them into scoring position. Dixon scored on a wild pitch, with Scott scoring on a fielder’s choice and Tsung-Che Cheng scoring on a Kervin Pichardo groundout to give the Curve a 4-1 lead.
That lead stood until the seventh inning when the Patriots rallied for four runs. Grant Ford entered in relief and faced three batters without recording an out. After an RBI-double by Anthony Seigler, Altoona summoned Valentin Linarez into the game, who allowed both inherited runners to score before allowing two runs of his own on the inning.
Linarez walked five batters in 1.2 innings, with three runs allowed on two hits. Eddy Yean tossed the final 1.1 innings for the Curve without allowing a run.
Although today’s game was played, those with tickets to the game will be able to exchange them to another home game this season of equal or lesser value, (excluding July 4) subject to availability. Tickets can be exchanged in person at the PNG Field Box Office, or over the phone at 877-99-CURVE.
Altoona continues its six-game series with the Somerset Patriots, Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, on Friday night at 6:00 p.m. Altoona will send RHP Drake Fellows to the mound to face LHP Brock Selvidge for Somerset.
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.
And here's what it looked like!
— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) May 9, 2024
HIGHLIGHTS: https://t.co/PEV8MeFOHc