Curve Sweep Thunder with 2-1 win on Sunday
Win: Quinton Miller (1-1)
Loss: Mikey O'Brien (4-2)
Save: Luis Sanz (4)
TOG: 2:39
Attendance: 5,382
CURVE, Pa. - A sloppy game that saw six combined errors ended up going in favor of the Curve, 2-1, in front of 5,382 fans on Sunday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The victory puts the Curve in the win column for a fifth straight game to establish a new season-high. Starter Jameson Taillon allowed one unearned run in five innings while striking out six.
Taillon did not walk a batter in his five innings of work on Sunday, which was his first game action since June 4 versus Reading after he missed his last start due to a stiff neck.
Altoona jumped on the scoreboard first in the second inning off Thunder starter Mikey O'Brien (4-2). Jarek Cunningham laced a double down the left-field line to start the frame and came home two batters later when Justin Howard delivered a two-out single over the third baseman Casey Stevenson and into left field.
That lead lasted only a few innings as an unearned run would come across against Taillon in the fourth. Reegie Corona grounded out to start the inning but then Jose Pirela singled deep in the hole at short. He stole second before moving to take third during Stevenson's at bat. It looked like the throw from catcher Ali Solis was in time to get Stevenson at third but the ball came out of the glove of Adalberto Santos. Pirela got up and moved home to tie up the game at one.
Fortunately for Taillon and the Curve, that was the only run that Trenton was able to score on the night. The Curve grabbed the lead for good on an error by the shortstop Corona in the sixth. Santos walked to start the inning and then Gregory Polanco hit a high chopper towards short. With Polanco's speed, the only play for Corona at short was to try and get Santos at second. His throw was errant and it went into shallow right field, allowing Santos to get up and score the go-ahead and winning run.
The Curve bullpen trio of Quinton Miller, Jhonathan Ramos and Luis Sanz were able to make the one-run lead stick with four scoreless innings of relief. Miller (1-1) earned the win after he pitched a scoreless, hitless sixth. Sanz was able to grab his fourth save with a scoreless ninth.
Santos and Polanco each had two-hit games and combined to grab four of the Curve's six hits on Sunday. Santos now has himself a five-game hitting streak with his two-hit day on Sunday. Altoona also stole a pair of bases on Sunday, giving them a total of 10 for the entire series.
Winners of five straight, the Curve (30-37) now enjoy an off day on Monday before welcoming in the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA - Blue Jays) at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The three-game series kicks off with a Two-For-Tuesday presented by Atlantic Broadband. Tickets, hot dogs, and small popcorns will all be sold as two-for-the-price-of-one specials for the first game with the 'Cats.
Since the Curve could not become the Coasters last homestand because of a rainout, they'll turn into the Coasters for the Two-for-Tuesday game. The team will wear the limited edition Altoona Coasters jerseys thanks to Beck's Maintenance & Landscaping on Tuesday for the game with the Fisher Cats. Fans will have an opportunity to bid on the game-used jerseys during the game on Tuesday with a portion of the proceeds from the jersey auction benefitting Dreams Go On.
David Bromberg (3-6, 3.66), who is coming off a 12-strikeout performance in New Britain last week, gets the start on Tuesday night for the Curve in the opener. Gates will swing open at 6 p.m. while airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
For tickets and more information on the current Curve homestand, call 877.99.CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the ticket windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
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