Bowen Smashes First Homer In 5-4 Loss

CURVE, Pa. – Jase Bowen knocked a game-tying homer in the eighth inning, but the Curve dropped a 5-4 decision to the Akron RubberDucks on Saturday night at PNG Field.

Altoona built a 3-1 lead after three innings with an RBI single from Aaron Shackelford and another from Joe Perez in the third in support of starter Po-Yu Chen. Chen turned in his best start of the season in the defeat, tossing 4.2 innings and allowing just two runs on two hits and three walks with three strikeouts.

Grant Ford tossed 2.1 innings of relief, allowing the game-tying run in the sixth inning, and picked up three strikeouts in his longest outing of the season. Eddy Yean allowed two runs across the eighth and ninth innings, ending a 6.1 inning scoreless streak.

Akron scored single runs in the fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth innings to secure the victory. With the Curve trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth, Bowen slammed a 1-2 offering from RubberDucks right-hander Davis Sharpe into the UPMC Home Run Junction seats to tie the game. However, Akron’s Petey Halpin re-took the lead in the top of the ninth with a single off of Yean and Jack Leftwich retired the side in order in the ninth to finish the game.

The loss marked Altoona’s eighth consecutive defeat, its longest streak since losing 10 games in-a-row from May 24 – June 3, 2014. The Curve have never been swept in a six-game series and will look to avoid it on Sunday.

Altoona wraps up its six-game series with the Akron RubberDucks, Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. Altoona will send LHP Anthony Solometo to the mound to face LHP Jaime Arias 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.