Reading Long Balls Silence Curve
CURVE, PA. – Reading hit six home runs on their way to a 14-5 win over the Curve in front of 5,898 people on Saturday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The Curve have dropped three straight games to the Fightin Phils this week and will need a Sunday victory
CURVE, PA. – Reading hit six home runs on their way to a 14-5 win over the Curve in front of 5,898 people on Saturday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The Curve have dropped three straight games to the Fightin Phils this week and will need a Sunday victory to split the week-long series.
Reading jumped on Curve starter Peyton Stumbo with two runs in the top of the first, using RBI singles from Raylin Heredia and Alex Binelas. The Fightin Phils added three solo homers, two in the second inning and one in the fifth, from Riley Tirotta, Bryan Rincon and Heredia. Stumbo tossed five innings allowing four runs on nine hits and one walk. Stumbo picked up four strikeouts and took the loss on Saturday night.
Altoona got into the scoring column in the second inning when Will Taylor laid down a bunt with two outs and beat the throw to first; scoring Jack Brannigan who doubled in his first at-bat back on the Curve roster after being optioned back from Pittsburgh’s active roster.
Altoona was held to just one run on two hits against Reading’s starter Jean Cabrera. Cabrera, who was ejected from the game after hitting Will Taylor with a pitch in the fifth inning, threw 64 pitches before four Reading relievers wrapped up the win.
The Curve got an RBI double from Lonnie White Jr. in the sixth inning to make it a 6-2 game. White Jr. has a 19-game on-base streak, stretching back to Altoona’s doubleheader with Erie on May 24.
Reading put the game away with a seven-run eighth inning, blasting a pair of homers off two Curve relievers.
Dominic Pipkin, a former Reading Fightin Phil, returned from the injured list and was tagged for five runs in 1.1 innings of relief.
Altoona’s six home runs allowed was a season-high and one shy of matching the franchise record of seven set in 2018.
Altoona wraps up their series with Reading on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. The Curve will send RHP Matt Ager to the mound, righty Braydon Tucker slated to start for the Fightin Phils.
For tickets and more information on the Altoona Curve, 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 4 p.m., during every home game and online 24/7/365.