RICHMOND, Va. – The Altoona Curve lost their sixth straight contest on Thursday in an 8-4 decision at the Diamond to the Richmond Flying Squirrels.
(Photo of Logan Hill. Photo courtesy of Altoona Curve)
The Curve (6-8) jumped out front in the first inning as Jared Oliva doubled with two outs and scored on an RBI single by Logan Hill. The Flying Squirrels (7-5) grabbed their first lead of the game with two runs in the second. After a single and walk put runners on first and second, Jonah Arenado clubbed a double off the left field wall to tie the game, 1-1. Moments later, Hamlet Marte brought in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice to the same field.
Altoona tied the game during the next half inning on an RBI single to right by Bligh Madris. Hill walked to put runners on second and third with one out but Richmond starter Conner Menez (Win, 1-1) picked off Hill at first base. The play turned into an inning-ending double play when Madris drifted too far from second.
Richmond quickly regained the lead when Ryan Howard lifted a solo homer over the left field wall. In the fourth, the Flying Squirrels extended their lead to 5-2 with three one-out hits. Marte delivered his second RBI of the game with a single to left before Menez helped his own cause with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Arden Pabst tripled and scored in the seventh to tighten the game to two scores, but the Flying Squirrels blew the game open with three more in the eighth. Jalen Miller hit a lead-off, solo homer followed by a two-run blast to left by Arenado, who went 4-for-4 with three RBIs in the contest. Pabst led another late score in the ninth when he doubled and later scored on an RBI single by Stephen Alemais.
Menez turned in five innings in the start for Richmond and struck out eight Curve batters, giving up two runs, one earned, on six hits.
Curve starter Scooter Hightower (Loss, 0-2) worked through four innings, allowing five runs, four earned. Sean Keselica turned in two scoreless innings in relief while Angel German was tagged for Richmond’s three runs in the eighth.
The series in Richmond continues on Friday with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch at The Diamond. The Curve will send right-hander Pedro Vasquez (1-0, 2.45) to the hill opposite left-hander Garrett Williams (0-0, 3.00) for the Flying Squirrels.
Altoona returns home on Friday, April 26 for a six-game homestand against the Richmond Flying Squirrels and the Erie SeaWolves.
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