Curve fall to Squirrels in extras, 6-5

CURVE, Pa. -  Johneshwy Fargas connected on a run-scoring double in the top of the 11th inning to lift the Richmond Flying Squirrels over the Altoona Curve, 6-5, in a back-and-forth contest Saturday at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
Fargas came to the plate for the Flying Squirrels (39-64, 16-20) with two outs and the go-ahead run on third. He drove a pitch off Curve (52-51, 18-18) reliever Jesus Liranzo (Loss, 2-1) into left field for a ground-rule double, scoring placed runner Jacob Heyward.

The game ended on a double play off the bat of Logan Hill in the bottom of the frame. With runners on first and second, Hill sent a grounder near second base but Jared Oliva beat Jonah Arenado shuffling to the bag before the shortstop threw out Hill at first. The runner that started at second base, Mitchell Tolman , ran around third and got caught in a rundown for the last out of the game.
The Curve carried a 3-2 lead after eight innings before the Flying Squirrels took the lead for the first of three times over the final three frames.
Bryce Johnson led off the ninth inning with a single off of Curve reliever Matt Eckelman and reached third on a two-base error by left fielder Chris Sharpe. Two batters later, Jalen Miller knocked him home with a pinch-hit double. The next hitter, Arenado, gave Richmond a 4-3 lead with an RBI single. The blown save for Eckelman was the first in 19 attempts in 2019 and his first blown save since August 3, 2018, a string of 26 consecutive saves converted by the closer.
The Curve answered in the ninth to send the game to extras when they loaded the bases against Raffi Vizcaino with a Tolman double and a pair of walks. Bligh Madris tied the contest, 4-4, with a sacrifice fly to right.
Both teams exchanged runs in the 10th inning. For Richmond, a single by Johnson scored placed runner Zach Houchins. For Altoona, placed runner Madris was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Arden Pabst and scored on an RBI single by Brett Pope before Carlos Navas (Win, 1-1) notched two to send the game to the second extra frame.
After Richmond scored an unearned run against Curve starter Beau Sulser in the first, the right-hander did not yield a hit over four innings and struck out a season-high five batters.
Sulser got involved in the offense during the second when he hit a sacrifice fly to center that brount home Robbie Glendinning , who led off the inning with a walk. Tolman gave the Curve a 2-1 lead with an RBI single to center.
Altoona tacked on a third run during the third inning when a Glendinning single scored Sharpe, who reached base with a single.
Curve reliever Austin Coley worked two innings in relief and allowed an unearned run when he took over for Sulser in the fifth. Angel German threw a pair of perfect innings over the seventh and eighth with two strikeouts.
Pope went 3-for-4 with a walk while Tolman, Sharpe, Oliva and Hill all connected on two hits for the Curve.
The loss for Altoona was the first time in 2019 that a lead after eight innings slipped away, starting the year 41-0 when holding a lead after eight innings. It was also the sixth straight loss for the Curve, matching the longest losing streak of the campaign.
The Curve and Flying Squirrels continue their four-game series on Sunday at 6 p.m. The Curve will turn to right-hander Cody Bolton (0-1, 5.79) while the Flying Squirrels have not yet announced their starter.
Gates will open for fans at 5 p.m on Sunday. The Curve's eight-game homestand will be capped off with Classical-themed, postgame FIREWORKS, presented by Quality Inn & Maybrook Hills. Sunday's game features Arts in the Park and an appearance by Simba. It's also another Ritchey's Dairy Kids' Club Game, FREE for all kids ages 3-12, presented by Ritchey's Dairy. For tickets or more information about upcoming promotions, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office. Additionally, the Stockyard Team Store is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., during every home game and online 24/7/365.
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