Eighth inning dooms Curve, lose second straight

CURVE, Pa. - The Altoona Curve let a late lead slip away and lost, 5-4, to the Bowie Baysox on Friday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field in Altoona. 

The Curve (46-43) are now 1-8 against the Baysox (49-42) this season and have dropped the first two games of the four-game series.
Bowie orchestrated a three-run eighth inning to beat Altoona for the second straight night. Down 3-2 entering the inning, Garabez Rosa tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI single. Later in the frame, Jeff Kemp and Erick Salcedo also hit RBI singles to give the Baysox a 5-3 lead.
Altoona started a rally in the bottom of the ninth. With two on and two outs, Jerrick Suiter hit an RBI single to bring the Curve within a run. With a runners at the corners, Jin-De Jhang hit a line drive to center field and Austin Hays made a sliding catch to end the game and strand the runners.
Bowie scored first with a run in the third inning. Austin Hays hit a solo home run, his fourth of the season, to give the Baysox a 1-0 lead.
Altoona evened the score in the bottom of the third inning. With runners at the corners and two outs, Edwin Espinal ripped an RBI single into center field to score Justin Maffei .
The Curve broke the tie in the fourth inning. Kevin Newman hit a two-out RBI single to right field to score Jhang to give Altoona a 2-1 lead.
Suiter made it a 3-1 game with a solo home run, his seventh of the season, in the fifth inning.
Bowie pulled to within one run when Aderlin Rodriguez blasted a solo home run, his 14^th of the year, in the sixth inning.
Suiter finished 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBI and is now batting .382 over his last 33 games.
Altoona has lost three straight games are now two games behind the Baysox in the Eastern League Western Division. Five of the nine head-to-head meetings between Bowie and Altoona have been decided by one run.
Curve starter Austin Coley lasted 6.0 innings and allowed two runs on seven hits, striking out two. Brandon Cumpton (Loss, 0-1) allowed the three runs in the eighth inning. He gave up five hits in 1.1 innings. Tate Scioneaux pitched 1.2 scoreless innings.
Bowie starter John Means pitched six innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits, striking out six. Matthew Grimes (Win, 4-8) worked two scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Scott McGough (Save, 4) closed it out after collecting the final two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
The Curve will continue the homestand with game three in the four-game series against Bowie on Saturday. Right-hander Alex McRae (7-4, 3.95) will get the start for Altoona while left-hander Tanner Scott (0-1, 1.64) will get the nod for the Baysox. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
Saturday is Loco's birthday, featuring a Loco Tumbler giveaway to the first 1,000 fans (12 & under), presented by Allied Milk Producers. There will also be postgame fireworks and a performance by Reggie, the Purple Dancing Dude. Kids will be able to run the bases after the game and is also a Ritchey's Dairy Kids' Club Game, which is FREE for Curve fans 3-12 years of age.
For tickets or more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office.
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