Starting pitching rules Richmond in double-header sweep

RICHMOND, Va. - Starting pitchers James Marvel and Pedro Vasquez led the Altoona Curve to a double-header sweep, 2-0 and 1-0, over the Richmond Flying Squirrels at The Diamond on Saturday.
Marvel tossed a complete-game shutout in the first contest while Vasquez spun six scoreless frames in the second. The Curve pitching staff limited Richmond hitters to one hit combined over 15 scoreless innings.

Game 1
Marvel (Win, 2-1) halted the Curve's six-game losing streak when he tossed his first career complete-game shutout to start the twin bill. He sat Richmond down in order to start the game before Brock Stassi connected on a double to start the second inning. That was the only hit allowed by Marvel.
The right-hander retired the next 10 Richmond hitters, a streak that was broken up by a one-out error in the fifth by third baseman Hunter Owen . Marvel walked one with two outs in the sixth and struck out two.
The Curve gave him all the run support he needed with two runs in the fifth inning. Owen led off with a single before Richmond starter Garrett Williams (Loss, 0-1) walked Jerrick Suiter and Mitchell Tolman to load the bases with no outs. Richmond brought out reliever Ryan Halstead to face Jason Delay and induced a fielder's choice to second base as Owen scored. Marvel picked up his second career RBI moments later as Richmond third baseman Jonah Arenado committed a fielding error to allow Suiter to come in from third.
Game 2
Vasquez followed Marvel's tone-setting start and retired the first 14 hitters he faced in the nightcap, taking a perfect game into the fifth inning. Jonah Arenado broke up Vasquez's unblemished line with a single up the middle of the diamond with two outs in the fifth.
Jared Oliva delivered the game-winning single for Altoona in the eighth inning and plated Tolman for the lone run of the game. Tolman started the extra frame on second base as the placed runner.
Tweet from @AltoonaCurve: CLUTCH@Jared_Oliva41 knocks in @MitchellTolman and we're up 1-0 in the eighth pic.twitter.com/G6NvovxD4D
In the sixth, Vasquez walked pinch-hitter Jacob Heyward with one out and he reached third base after a groundout and wild pitch. Vasquez stranded the runner at third with a strikeout of Ryan Howard to end the sixth and sent the scoreless game to the seventh. The Curve right-hander finished with six scoreless innings, five strikeouts, walked one, stuck out five and allowed one hit.
Oliva connected on lead-off single to left to start the contest and was the only baserunner for either side until the fifth inning. Richmond starter Yoanys Quiala retired 13 Curve hitters in a row until Suiter and Tolman hit back-to-back singles.
Beau Sulser (Win, 2-0) tossed a scoreless seventh to force extras before Matt Eckelman (Save, 3) locked down his third save of the year.
The Curve will be off for Easter Sunday and return to action on Monday at Harrisburg. Right-hander Dario Agrazal (1-1, 5.00) will start for the Curve opposite right-hander Wil Crowe (2-0, 1.69) for the Senators.
Altoona returns home on Friday, April 26 for a six-game homestand against the Richmond Flying Squirrels and the Erie SeaWolves. Promotional highlights include Free Shirt Friday on April 27 and the Horseshoe Curve Neck Pillow giveaway on April 28. For tickets or more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office.
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