Cunningham, Kasparek Lead Curve on Wednesday
Win: Kenn Kasparek (4-2)
Loss: Shane Greene (3-3)
Save: Luis Sanz (12)
TOG: 2:42
Attendance: 5,034
TRENTON, N.J. - A two-run home run by Jarek Cunningham in the fourth inning gave the Curve their first lead of the series and they never looked back in a, 4-2, win over the Thunder on Wednesday afternoon. It was a team-leading 15th home run of the season for Cunningham and his first home run since June 20.
Altoona spotted Trenton an early run in the first inning when Slade Heathcott tripled in Reegie Corona before taking the lead in the fourth on Cunningham's two-run blast to left. Starter David Bromberg followed Cunningham's blast with a shutdown inning, retiring the side in order in the bottom of the inning to keep the one-run lead intact.
Kenn Kasparek (4-2) took over for the fifth and was solid over his four innings of relief. The right hander allowed just one hit in his four innings while walking two and striking out one. His four innings pitched were a season-high out of the bullpen, surpassing the 3.2 innings he worked in his last outing on July 13 in Akron.
The Curve gave Kasparek some room to work with by adding some insurance runs in the seventh. Mel Rojas, Jr. led off the inning with a single before he was moving towards second when Adalberto Santos hit a ball to the spot left vacated by the second baseman going to cover the bag. Right fielder Shane Brown then had trouble picking up the ball which allowed Rojas to continue running around third and head home.
Santos also moved to second on the fielding error and that proved costly as Alex Dickerson grabbed his second hit of the afternoon with two down to bring Santos home for a, 4-1, lead.
Kasparek pitched the eighth before turning it over to Luis Sanz for the ninth. Sanz converted on his 12th save despite allowing a run and remained perfect in save tries.
Bromberg pitched well in his four innings on Wednesday, allowing one run on two hits in four innings with five strikeouts. On the offensive side of the diamond, Gregory Polanco had a nice day at the plate, reaching base three times and going 2-for-4 at the plate. Dickerson and Cunningham had the team's other multi-hit games in the win.
Done with the Thunder for the remainder of 2013, the Curve (46-56) now travel north to Manchester, N.H. where they'll take on the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA - Toronto) beginning at 7:05 p.m. Thursday Night from Northeast Delta Dental Stadium. RHP Ethan Hollingsworth (6-4, 3.38) takes the ball in Game 1 for the Curve while LHP Sean Nolin (7-2, 2.45) throws for the 'Cats.
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 upcoming Curve homestand beginning Tuesday, July 30 with fireworks, call 877.99.CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the ticket windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.