Curve fall in back-and-forth finale at Binghamton

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - Jordan Luplow and Edwin Espinal each hit home runs, but the Altoona Curve lost in a back-and-forth game to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, 8-5, on Thursday morning at NYSEG Stadium.

The division-leading Curve (22-15) lost two of the three games on the brief road trip to the Rumble Ponies (20-14).
Kevin Kramer went 0-for-5, snapping his on-base streak at 32 games, one game shy of matching the franchise record for the longest in team history. It was the longest streak in baseball this season.
Binghamton broke a 5-5 tie in the sixth with an RBI groundout by Champ Stuart and added single runs in the seventh and eighth to pull away.
The Curve opened the scoring in the second inning with an RBI single by Jerrick Suiter.
David Thompson gave the Rumble Ponies a 3-1 lead with a three-run homer in the bottom of the second inning.
Luplow hit a solo homer in the fourth, his team-leading eighth homer, to pull the Curve back within a run, but Binghamton scored single runs in the bottom of the fourth and fifth to pull out to a 5-2 lead.
Espinal started the top of the sixth with a solo home run, his fourth of the year. Elvis Escobar tied the score with a two-run single later in the inning.
Yeudy Garcia worked 3.2 innings and allowed four earned runs on seven hits and three walks. Sean Keselica replaced him and allowed one run over 1.1 frames.
Tate Scioneaux (Loss, 4-1) surrendered two runs on four hits over two innings.
Binghamton starter P.J. Conlon (Win, 4-2) matched a season high with five earned runs allowed in his six innings on 10 hits.
The Curve return to PNG Field to begin a seven-game homestand on Friday night, welcome Erie SeaWolves for the first of three games. Right-hander Alex McRae (3-0, 2.47) will be on the mound for Altoona, with Erie tossing lefty Tyler Alexander (2-3, 4.32). First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
The gates open at 5 p.m. for Star Wars Night, Part 1, featuring the Al Tuna "Revenge of the Fish" bobblebody giveaway to the first 1,000 fans, presented by Clarion Inn and Suites. Tickets are available online at AltoonaCurve.com, by phone at 877.99.CURVE or in person at the PNG Field box office.
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