Akron scores seven straight runs to hand Curve walk-off loss

AKRON, Ohio - The Altoona Curve allowed seven unanswered runs over the final three innings and lost to the Akron RubberDucks, 7-6, on Sunday afternoon at Canal Park.

The Curve (46-41) walked six batters in the bottom of the ninth inning to bring across the walk-off run for the RubberDucks (44-41).
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for Altoona, tied for their best this season. The Curve won three of the four games in the series, finishing the season series against Akron with a 10-10 record. This year marks the first season since 2010 that the Curve have not posted a losing record against the division-rival RubberDucks.
With the Curve leading, 6-0, Akron scored a pair of runs in the seventh inning and got a solo homer from Yu Chang to pull within three.
Jake Brentz (Loss, 0-1) took over in the ninth inning with the Curve leading by three runs. He walked the first three batters he faced before Eric Haase hit an RBI single to close the gap to two runs. Brentz followed with a walk of Bobby Bradley to plate another run and pull the RubberDucks within a run.
Chang followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the score at 6-6, chasing Brentz from the game. Miguel Rosario entered the game and got a lineout from Dorssys Paulino for the second out and Luigi Rodriguez was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Rosario followed with a walk-off walk to Yonathan Mendoza.
The Curve opened the scoring in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Edwin Espinal. He added to the lead with a three-run homer in the fifth inning, putting the Curve ahead, 4-0.
Tweet from @AltoonaCurve: #ElPoco ��Edwin Espinal with a three-run ��, his 11th homer this year pic.twitter.com/fqTuV10vnu
In the sixth, Wyatt Mathisen scored on a wild pitch and Pablo Reyes brought home Michael Suchy with an RBI single to stretch the lead to 6-0.
Tweet from @AltoonaCurve: Pablo Reyes is hitting .357 in the series This RBI single extends the Curve lead to 6-0 in the sixth pic.twitter.com/2py6Yq53GI
Altoona starter Tanner Anderson worked 6.1 innings and allowed two runs on nine hits with a walk and three strikeouts. He allowed his two runs in the seventh, snapping a personal stretch of 14.2 consecutive scoreless innings pitched.
Tweet from @AltoonaCurve: .@tanneraanderson strikes out a pair in a 1-2-3 second inning.Off to the third. We're leading, 1-0. pic.twitter.com/RSocKm1tR7
Luis Heredia entered in the seventh with the bases loaded and one out and got back-to-back strikeouts to escape the jam. For his outing, he allowed one run, the homer by Chang, with one hit, one walk and four strikeouts.
Tweet from @AltoonaCurve: Luis Heredia enters in a one-out, bases-loaded jam, and he gets two strikeouts to stand the 'Ducks on the pondWe're up 6-2. Off to the 8th pic.twitter.com/HlKxyBrOD4
Akron starter Matt Whitehouse issued a career-high five walks over five innings and gave up six earned runs on four hits with five strikeouts. Robbie Aviles pitched two scoreless innings and Neil Holland (Win, 3-0) did not allow a run over the eighth and ninth innings.
Espinal finished the day 1-for-4 with four RBIs, giving him 59 for the year. The home run was his 11^th of the season.
Reyes went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
After three days off for the All-Star Break, the Curve begin a four-game series against the Bowie Baysox on Thursday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field at 7 p.m. The first 500 fans will take home an Alzheimer's Awareness Purple Hat, presented by Home Helpers. It will also be Thirstday, presented by Q94, with $2 specials on 16 oz. Bud Light and regular-size sodas, as well as $1 hot dogs.
For tickets or more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office.
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