Bromberg Superb But Curve Blanked, 1-0
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - The Curve bats were befuddled by a trio of B-Mets pitchers in a, 1-0, loss in the series finale on Thursday night at NYSEG Stadium. Altoona had just five hits in the game and had only one runner reach third base all night. Starter David Bromberg (5-9) was the tough-luck loser, dealing seven innings of one-run ball while striking out seven and allowing just three hits.
The B-Mets scored the only run they'd need on the day in the first inning when Rhyne Hughes singled through the right side to score Darrell Ceciliani from second base. Ceciliani had walked with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch before Hughes cashed him in.
That run was enough for starter Darin Gorski (4-1), who kept the Curve off balance all night long through his 7.2 innings of work. Altoona looked like it might start a rally in the seventh inning when Gregory Polanco doubled with one out. During the at bat of Adalberto Santos, Polanco broke for third and was called out on a bang-bang play at the bag for the inning's second out. Santos followed with a walk but Jarek Cunningham flew out to end the frame.
Altoona had another solid chance to score in the eighth when they loaded up the bases off Gorski and reliever Ryan Fraser. With the bases loaded and two out, pinch hitter Justin Howard lined a ball to left-center field that Ceciliani was able to track down.
In the ninth inning, Santos found his second hit of the game, an infield single, and moved to second before pinch hitter Charlie Cutler came to the plate with two outs. Cutler sent a sinking liner to right-center that Ceciliani was able to track down with a diving catch that ended the game.
Nate Baker also worked an inning for the Curve on Thursday and did not allow a baserunner while striking out one. Santos had the only multi-hit effort to the Curve, finishing 2-for-3 to run his on-base streak to 14 games.
The Curve (54-62) now return home at 7 p.m. on Friday night to open up a three-game series with the Harrisburg Senators. Gates will swing open at 5 p.m. with Ryan Matthew performing pregame on the Rocky Gap Casino Resort Entertainment Deck from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The first 1,500 fans into the game on Friday will take home a Brock Holt Bobblehead thanks to Capital Contractors as the third and final 15th season bobblehead of the season.
It's also a T.G.I. Friday's Mug Club Night at PNG Field with the first 250 fans 21+ that exit the park after the game taking home a Mug Club Mug. All fans are invited to T.G.I. Friday's on Plank Road after the game to meet two Curve players who will be signing autographs for an hour. After the game at the ballpark, kids can run around the bases.
Right hander Ethan Hollingsworth (6-4, 3.20) is expected to be added back to the Altoona roster on Friday and start the game for the Curve. He'll oppose Harrisburg's Rob Gilliam (3-6, 4.38) on Friday night.
Airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. For tickets and more information on the Curve homestand, call 877.99.CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the ticket windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
-CURVE-