Curve claw back but fall to Baysox

CURVE, Pa. - The Altoona Curve returned from the All-Star Break and dropped the series opener to the Bowie Baysox, 4-3, on Thursday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field in Altoona.

The Curve (47-42) came into the day in a first-place tie in the Eastern League Western Division with Bowie (48-42), but dropped into second place with Thursday's loss.
The Baysox broke a 3-3 tie in the top of the eighth inning. Mike Yastrzemski started the threat by leading off the inning with a double off of Curve reliever Casey Sadler (Loss, 1-1). Two batters later, Garabez Rosa hit an RBI single to drive home the winning run and give Bowie a 4-3 lead.
Bowie scored first, jumping out to a 3-0 advantage. In the second inning, Steve Wilkerson hit a solo home run, his fifth of the season. In the fifth, Yastrzemski hit a sacrifice fly and Austin Hays hit into a fielder's choice RBI to extend Bowie's lead.
The Curve got on the board in the fifth when they scored a pair of runs. Jin De-Jhang led off the inning with a double and Wyatt Mathisen reached on a bunt single to put runners on the corners with nobody out. After Michael Suchy was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Pablo Reyes hit into a fielder's choice RBI, scoring Jhang to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Kevin Newman followed with a sacrifice fly to draw the Curve to within 3-2. Reyes was thrown out at home plate to end the inning trying to score on a single by Elvis Escobar .
Altoona tied the game in the sixth inning. With two on and two outs, Jhang singled home Logan Hill , who reached on a walk to lead off the inning.
Jhang finished 3-for-4 with an RBI, recording three hits in a game for the second time this season.
Altoona left ten on base and went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position. The Curve out-hit Bowie 12-6.
Curve starter J.T. Brubaker lasted 6.0 innings and allowed three earned runs on four hits, striking out five. Sadler allowed one run on two hits in two innings and Sean Keselica pitched a scoreless ninth.
Bowie starter David Hess pitched 5.1 innings and allowed three earned runs on seven hits, striking out six. Tim Berry (Win, 4-0) worked two scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Scott McGough (Save, 3) closed it out after pitching 1.2 scoreless innings for the five-out save.
The Curve will continue the homestand with game two in the four-game series against Bowie on Friday. Right-hander Austin Coley (3-2, 3.12) will get the start for Altoona while left-hander John Means (6-7, 4.19) will get the nod for the Baysox. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
On Friday, the world's #1 Jimmy Buffet tribute is coming to PNG Field (rescheduled from 6/23). Tom Watt - The Buffetman & the Fruitcakes will be performing in a postgame concert. There will also be a performance during the game by the entertaining traveling act of Reggy, The Purple Party Dude.
For tickets or more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office.
-CURVE-