Leach Pitches 7 Shutout Innings; Power Lose #6 Straight

Trenton Thunder �9, �Altoona Curve �1 (box)

It was the Curve who were victims of a similar marauding in Trenton. �The Curve batters posted 7 hits, with SS Chase d’Arnaud collecting 2 of them. �They put two runners on base in the 3rd, when DH Shelby Ford doubled and d’Arnaud singled, but both were left on base. �The only run came in the 5th, when C Hector Gimenez led off with a single and scored on RF Miles Durham’s double.

The Thunder got to the Curve pitchers, scoring their 9 runs on only 7 hits. �Starter Tim Alderson kept the Thunder off the scoreboard for the first two innings, but gave up a 3-run homer, following a walk and a single, in the 3rd. �A single and two doubles added two runs in the 4th. �Jimmy Barthmaier began the 5th inning, and got two outs, then gave up a single, a wild pitch, and a walk. �A double steal, with a throwing error by C Gimenez, brought in one run. �Two more walks and another wild pitch brought in another run, and also brought in Jeff Sues to relieve Barthmaier. �Sues finished the 5th, and pitched a scoreless 6th, then was responsible for two runs in the 7th, when he hit a batter, then loaded the bases with two walks. �Dustin Molleken came on to relief Sues, and�a sacrifice fly and an RBI single brought in the runs charged to Sues. �Molleken also pitched a scoreless 9th.

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Hickory Crawdads �7, �West Virginia Power �5 (box)

Rain cut short the Power’s attempt to catch up to the Crawdads. �The Power scored 2 runs in the top of the 1st, on singles by 2B Jarek Cunningham and RF David Rubinstein, and an RBI double by C Ramon Cabrera. But the Crawdads came back with 4 runs in the bottom of the 2nd inning, on three singles, one driving in a run, then a 3-run homer.

The Power threatened in the 2nd, loading the bases with a walk by 3B Jesus Brito and singles by DH Jose Hernandez and SS Benji Gonzalez. A grounder to third forced out Brito at the plate, and two more outs ended the inning without a run scoring. �The Power did add a run in the 3rd inning, when Rubinstein reached base on a wild pitch on strike three. �Singles by Cabrera and Hernandez brought him around to score, and the Power were within one run, 4-3.

Jhonatan Ramos had pitched the first 3 innings for the Power, and allowed those 4 runs on 7 hits, no walks, with one strikeout. �Maurice Bankston took over for the 4th, and gave up a walk and two singles to load the bases. �A wild pitch allowed one run to score, and an RBI single drove in two more runs, increasing the Crawdads’ lead to 7-3.

The Power began chipping away at the Crawdads’ lead. �Ramon Cabrera also reached base on a wild pitch on strike three, then went to second on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt. �A ground out moved him to third, and he scored on Hernandez’s RBI single. �CF Evan Chambers began the 6th with a walk, went to second on Cunningham’s single, and to third on a grounder force out by 1B Aaron Baker. Chambers scored on another grounder force out by Rubinstein. �The rain got worse as the top of the 6th came to an end, and after a 40-minute rain delay, the game was called. �The loss extended the Power’s losing streak to 6 games.

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