The Altoona Curve beat the Richmond Flying Squirrels by a score of 11-5 in 15 innings. Richmond had a 5-3 lead with two outs in the ninth, when Starling Marte sent the game to extra innings with a two RBI single. Altoona went on to win the game, scoring the go ahead run in the 15th inning when Quincy Latimore lined a single to left, bringing in Miles Durham from second. Altoona then broke the game open with five more runs, capped off by a triple by Starling Marte, bringing in three runs.
The Curve got off to a rough start, managing one hit through the first five innings. Meanwhile, starter Jared Hughes allowed five runs in those five innings, with most of the damage coming in the third inning, when Richmond scored four runs.
Hughes started out the third inning with back to back singles. After a strikeout, Hughes allowed more singles, bringing in a run. With the bases loaded and two outs, Hughes walked in the second run, then allowed two more on a single to Jose Flores. Hughes allowed one more run in the fifth inning, giving up a double to Charlie Culberson, followed by an RBI single to Joe Koshansky.
Altoona didn’t get on the board until the sixth inning. Starling Marte led off the frame with a walk, and moved to second on a Tony Sanchez ground out. With two outs, Miles Durham hit an RBI single to center, allowing the speedy Marte to score easily from second. Quincy Latimore followed that up with a sharp line drive double down the third base line, allowing Durham to score from first.
Altoona scored another run in the seventh. Eric Fryer and Brad Chalk led off the inning with back to back walks. Brock Holt followed that up by grounding in to a double play, putting Fryer on third with two outs. Marte came through with the RBI single, making the score 5-3.
Brian Leach came on to relieve Hughes in the sixth inning, striking out the first two batters he saw, then getting a ground out for the easy inning. Tim Alderson pitched the seventh and eighth innings. He ran in to trouble in the seventh, loading the bases with just one out, but managed to get out of the jam with an inning ending double play. He came back out in the eighth, getting two quick outs, and closing out the frame with a strikeout with two runners on base.
Altoona was unable to score until the ninth inning, when Marte came through again with a two out, two RBI single, sending the game to extra innings. Michael Dubee pitched two shutout innings in the ninth and tenth, allowing a walk and a hit and striking out three. Tom Boleska came on in relief in extra innings, pitching three shutout innings, allowing no hits, two walks, and striking out three. Anthony Claggett added a scoreless inning in the 14th.
Altoona took the lead in the 15th inning. Miles Durham singled with one out, and moved to second on a balk. Quincy Latimore brought him in with a single to left, for the go ahead run. Eric Fryer doubled two batters later, bringing in Latimore, and putting runners at second and third. With the bases loaded, Starling Marte broke the game open, hitting a bases loaded triple, and scoring on a throwing error by the right fielder. Noah Krol came on to close out the game for Altoona.
The Curve will take on the Flying Squirrels tomorrow at 6:35 PM, with Aaron Pribanic taking the mound.
Notes for tonight:
-Starling Marte is fast. I feel that’s something I need to express often. If he’s on second, it’s a guarantee he’s scoring on a single. He’s also been hitting some in the air the last few games. He’s making good contact with some balls, and others he’s getting under.
-It rained the entire game tonight. I was surprised that they ended up playing the game, and the rain never really let up, outside of the seventh inning.
-Alderson was throwing 85-88 MPH, mostly sitting at 86-87 MPH. He was around the 88 MPH range when I saw him in Spring Training. I guess this is better than the 84-86 MPH range from last year, but I don’t think it’s going to cut it for him in the long term.
-Several members of the Altoona team have issues with strikeouts, and I mean in a “why are they swinging at those pitches” way. I’ve seen a few knee breaking swings for strike three, and it’s not because the Richmond pitchers are filthy. One of the biggest offenders has been Latimore.
