CURVE, Pa. -- Another brilliant outing from Pedro Vasquez powered the Altoona Curve to a 4-2 win over the Akron RubberDucks on Sunday at Peoples Natural Gas Field.The Curve (30-30) took three of the four games from the RubberDucks (31-31) and have now won six of their last seven games.
CURVE, Pa. -- Another brilliant outing from Pedro Vasquez powered the Altoona Curve to a 4-2 win over the Akron RubberDucks on Sunday at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
The Curve (30-30) took three of the four games from the RubberDucks (31-31) and have now won six of their last seven games. The Curve are an Eastern League-best 7-2 in June and are back to .500 for the first time since May 22.
Vasquez (Win, 5-1) gave up just one hit, a first-inning, lead-off single to Ernie Clement, in six shutout innings with a Double-A best eight strikeouts and no walks. Vasquez struck out the side in order in the third and fifth innings while he sat down the final 16 batters he faced.
The Curve gave Vasquez some run support when they jumped on RubberDucks starter Tanner Tully (Loss, 5-5) for three runs and five hits in the fourth. Held hitless through three, Mitchell Tolman and Jerrick Suiter singled to set up Hunter Owen 's RBI single that broke the scoreless tie. Bligh Madris followed with an RBI groundout and Arden Pabst put the Curve ahead, 3-0, with an RBI single.
The 'Ducks struck for their only two runs in the seventh off Blake Cederlind . Cederlind allowed three straight hits to start the frame, including an RBI double to Wilson Garcia, as well as an RBI groundout to Chu, but stranded the tying run at second base to preserve the Curve lead at 3-2.
The Curve added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to go up 4-2 when Logan Hill scored on a wild pitch. Hill led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a throwing error by Akron right fielder, Trenton Brooks.
Matt Eckelman (Save, 6) entered for the ninth and struck out the first batter he faced. After he allowed a single to Brooks and walked Li-Jen Chu to put the tying run on base, Eckelman got Alexis Pantoja to bounce into a 4-6-3, game-ending double play. Eckelman has now converted 14 straight regular-season save opportunities dating back to August 3, 2018.
Angel German worked around a pair of two-out walks in a scoreless eighth inning, his seventh straight scoreless appearance, and held what was then a one-run Curve lead.
The Curve are off on Monday, but continue their seven-game homestand with the opener of a three-game series against the Portland Sea Dogs on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The Curve will turn to right-hander Austin Coley (0-0, 3.00), who will be opposed by Portland right-hander Denyi Reyes (1-7, 4.42).
Gates for Tuesday's game open to fans at 5:30 p.m. Post-game, Motown-themed FIREWORKS, which will be the third fireworks show in a four-day span, highlights the night. It's also a Two for Tuesday, with 2-for-1 specials on tickets, hot dogs and small popcorn, presented by Atlantic Broadband.
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