Senators Curb Curve, Take Season-Opener 7-2

Branden Boissiere leads the way with homer, four RBIs

Altoona, Pa. (April 2, 2026) — The pomp and circumstance of Opening Day opened with a pitching prospects duel but later gave way to a Senators offensive slugfest, with Harrisburg beating Altoona, 7-2.

LHP Alex Clemmey, the Nationals’ #11-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline, made the start against RHP Khristian Curtis, the Pirates’ #25-ranked prospect. Clemmey struggled with command early, issuing three walks in the first inning and five overall, but he allowed only one hit and scattered the traffic to give up one run in three innings of work while striking out four.

Curtis started strongly, retiring the first four batters of the game with three strikeouts. Then, with one out in the second, INF Branden Boissiere blasted a home run beyond the rightfield wall to tie the game at one.

The Sens managed only two baserunners against Curtis who left the game with a 2-1 lead after five. He struck out nine.

Harrisburg took to the Altoona bullpen, scoring six runs on six hits and six walks against Curve relievers. Boissiere led the way with a bases-clearing, three-run triple in the top of the sixth, giving the Senators their first lead of 2026.

C Caleb Lomavita and OF Leandro Pineda added RBI base hits in the eighth to stretch the lead to 6-2. INF Cayden Wallace drove in INF Seaver King with an RBI double in the ninth, tacking on another run to lead 7-2.

Oppositely, Harrisburg relievers mostly quieted the Altoona lineup. The Curve managed a run on RHP Connor Van Scoyoc, in his Sens debut. The right-hander threw 1.2 innings, allowing the one run.

Then RHP Luke Young (1-0), RHP Erick Mejia, RHP Thomas Schultz, and LHP Jared Simpson combined for 4.1 innings of shutout ball. They allowed just one hit and two walks while striking out four after the Curve scored in the fifth.

The three-game series continues tomorrow at 6:00 p.m., with RHP Davian Garcia making the start for Harrisburg.

Box Score