Santos, Cabrera Homer Curve Past R-Phils
Loss: Trevor May (7-8)
Save: --
TOG: 2:59
Attendance: 6,310
READING, Pa. - Adalberto Santos smashed his first two Double-A homers while Ramon Cabrera ended the night a triple shy of the cycle in the Curve's,7-1, win over the Reading Phillies on Monday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. The win is the fifth straight for the Curve, who are now once again just one game below the .500 line at 50-51.
The homer-happy offense didn't waste time to get going on Monday as Santos and Matt Curry went back-to-back on top prospect Trevor May (7-8) in the first with two down to place Altoona in front, 2-0. It was the third time this season that the Curve have gone back-to-back and the second time against the R-Phils. Reading countered with a long ball of its own from Darin Ruf off Kyle McPherson (3-4) to cut the lead to one but that is as close as McPherson and the Curve pitching staff would allow.
McPherson went on to pitch three more innings and completed five total while striking out eight and not walking a batter. His offense once again came to his side in the fifth when Santos made May pay for a leadoff walk to Robbie Grossman with his second home run of the game. After May had recorded the second out of the inning in Curry with a strikeout, Quincy Latimore singled to extend the inning to Cabrera. The Curve catcher proceeded to smash his third homer of the year and it had the Curve in front, 6-1.
Altoona added its only run that wasn't courtesy of a homer thanks to Cabrera in the seventh when the All-Star doubled in fellow All-Star Brock Holt off reliever Juan Morillo. The Curve hung six runs (four earned) on four homers on the Phillies' top prospect May on Monday night. On the flip side, Curve pitching walked just one batter while striking out 11. Logan Kensing and Vic Black each tossed two scoreless innings behind McPherson's strong start.
Winners of five straight, the Curve (50-51) will once again try to get back to .500 as they take on the R-Phils (51-50) at 7:05 p.m. in the second game of the series Tuesday night. LHP Kris Johnson (0-0, 2.33), who returned to the Curve roster on Sunday, will get the quick starting nod in the second game of the series after starting the second game of a doubleheader for Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday. LHP Mario Hollands (2-4, 5.30) is scheduled to make the start for the Reading Phillies and it will be the second time he's faced Altoona in 2012.
Airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. For tickets and more information on the Curve homestand that begins Thursday, call 877.99.CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the box office windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
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