Fightins Fall on Lambo's Walk-Off Homer

Altoona, Pa. - Andrew Lambo's league-leading 14th home run capped a three-run rally for Altoona in the bottom of the ninth as the Curve shocked the Fightin Phils with a 7-6 walk-off win on Tuesday night in front of 3,168 fans at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

The Reading offensive was very active in the club's first two innings of the day. The Fightins (22-34) rode a four-run eighth inning to a 6-5 win in the completion of the suspended game from May 23rd on and the club came out swing - and scoring - in the first inning of the series opener. Tyson Gillies led off the game with an opposite field single. He easily scored on a three-base error on Lambo who let a ground ball from Edgar Duran get between his legs and roll up the right field line. Tyler Henson followed with a RBI base hit and Reading had a 2-0 lead after a half inning.

Altoona starter Jameson Taillon was in trouble again in the top of the second as the Fightin Phils loaded up the bases with two outs on a walk and two singles. The 21-year-old was able to get out of the jam as Henson bounced into an inning-ending force out at second. That would begin a string of 10 consecutive batters retired by the right-hander.

Meanwhile, Reading starter Austin Wright got off to a terrific start. He needed only 23 pitches to get through the first two innings en route to retiring the first seven batters that he faced. The lefty issued a walk to the eight-hole hitter Drew Maggi. Taillon followed with a sacrifice bunt as the runner to second. Mel Rojas Jr. would get the Curve (24-34) on the board with a RBI double to left making it a 2-1 game.

Wright started the fourth by striking out Jarek Cunningham on three pitches, but he struggled with his command after that. On his next pitch, he hit Lambo then walked Adalberto Santos to put two men on for Carlos Paulino. The Altoona catcher delivered with a two-run triple to right to give the Curve its first lead at 3-2. Gift Ngoepe followed with a double to shallow right the extended the lead to 4-2. Wright walked Maggi and Taillon and would depart with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth. Right-hander Tyler Knigge stepped up and struck out both batter that he faced to leave the bases loaded.

The Fightins went back in front in the top of the sixth. The Reading rally got started on a leadoff single from Jim Murphy. Two batters later, Zach Collier reached on an infield base hit as he was able to beat Taillon to the bag following a diving stop by Lambo at first base. Collier took second on the first pitch to Cameron Rupp, but the Reading catcher would pop out for the second out of the inning. Albert Cartwright then hit a ball sharply to third that deflected off of the Santos' left shoulder and out to short. Ngoepe tried to make a spectacular play on the deflection but his throw to first was late and also short of the bag. It got away from Lambo enabling a pair of runs to score on the play including Collier from second tying the game 4-4. Cartwright was credited with an infield base hit and a run batted in. With the pitcher's spot up next in the lineup, Fightin Phils manager Dusty Wathan picked Anthony Hewitt to pinch hit for Knigge. The 24-year-old more than delivered as he crushed a two-run homer to the bleacher seats in left putting Reading back in front 6-4.

Knigge would combined with Mike Nesseth and Jay Johnson to turn in 4 2/3 scoreless innings as the Fightin Phils still led 6-4 going to the bottom of the ninth.

Right-hander Juan Garica, who was a perfect 7-for-7 in save opportunities, entered the game in his first save opportunity with Reading. He gave up a leadoff single to left to Andy Vazquez and Rojas followed with a chopped base hit back up the middle putting runners at the corners. Garcia would get a double play ball off of the bat of Alex Dickerson leading to a run that cut the Fightin Phils' lead to 6-5. With the bases empty and one out, Garcia walked Cunningham on five pitches putting the tying run on base and bringing the winning run to the plate. Lambo would play the role perfectly for the Curve as he hit a 1-1 pitch into the bleachers just out of the reach of a leaping Derrick Mitchell at the wall. It was the 14th home run of the season and he upped his RBI total to 42 with the swing.

Garcia (0-1) suffered the loss in addition to the blown save, giving up three runs in 2/3 of an inning. Altoona reliever Nate Baker (1-1), who worked a scoreless ninth, earned the win.

Wright allowed four runs and three hits in 3 1/3 innings, striking out five batters and walking four. He threw 73 pitches, 37 strikes, and received a no-decision.

Game two of the series between Reading and Altoona features a rematch of the May 20th pitching matchup between Fightins right-hander Seth Rosin (3-3) and Curve righty Stolmy Pimentel (2-3). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM and pre-game coverage begins at 6:30 PM on Oldies 1340 WRAW.