Aaaaddrrriiiaann Leads Curve to Series Win

CURVE, Pa. - Adrian Sampson picked up his fourth win of the season with his eighth quality start of the year as the Curve downed Binghamton, 8-5, to claim their third series win of the season on Thursday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. All three series wins have come at home and the series win overall is the first for the Curve since taking two-of-three from Bowie from May 5-7.

Sampson (4-3) rolled through the first inning in order before the Curve offense went to work on his behalf in the bottom of the inning. Alen Hanson got the party rolling with a double to left before Keon Broxton doubled behind him to bring him in and give the Curve a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Elias Diaz wanted to join the party and did so with a single to score Broxton to make it, 2-0.

Binghamton was kept off the scoreboard in the second before Altoona added another run in the bottom of the inning thanks to a Broxton groundout that scored Sampson, who had singled earlier in the inning, from third.

The only blip on the radar for Sampson came in the third inning when the B-Mets cut the lead to one by scoring a pair off the Curve righty. He settled in from there and faced one over the minimum from then on. All told, Sampson finished six innings and allowed a total of two runs on five hits while whiffing seven and walking one.

A big four-run third inning helped the Curve build a comfortable lead that they were able to ride to their second consecutive victory. Drew Maggi doubled home a pair in Stetson Allie and Gift Ngoepe in the inning. A throwing error by B-Mets third baseman Dustin Lawley on a ball hit by Hanson allowed Jarek Cunningham and Maggi to score to open up the big advantage.

The B-Mets made a late charge in the eighth with three runs (one earned) off reliever Joan Montero but the bullpen held in the ninth thanks to a third save of the season from Ryan Beckman. Yao-Hsun Yang made his Curve debut during the game as well, pitching a scoreless seventh.

Maggi led the Curve with three RBI on Thursday night while Broxton extended his on-base streak to eight games. Allie had the team's only multi-hit game in the victory.

Altoona (22-37) begins a quick three-game trip at 7:05 p.m. Friday night in Trenton where they'll meet the Thunder at Arm & Hammer Park. On the bump for the Curve in the series opener will be RHP Nick Kingham (1-6, 2.95), who is still searching for his first win since his first start of the season. He'll be opposed by Thunder righty Graham Stoneburner (2-2, 6.25) on Friday.

Airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

-CURVE-