Curve Score Six with Two Out in the Ninth to Rally Past Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. – For the second straight night, the Altoona Curve rallied in the ninth inning to defeat the Richmond Flying Squirrels. The Curve scored six runs in the top of the ninth, all with two outs, to defeat the Flying Squirrels, 7-6, on Saturday night at The Diamond.

The Curve (19-17) have won a season-best five straight overall and nine consecutive games against the Flying Squirrels (10-25), who have now lost nine in a row overall.

Jin-De Jhang capped the rally in the ninth inning with a two-run double tucked down the first-base line against Richmond reliever Tyler Mizenko (Loss, 0-2), scoring Eric Wood and Edwin Espinal.

Trailing 6-1, the Curve had two runners on base with two outs when Harold Ramirez sparked the rally with an RBI double to right field. Erich Weiss following with a two-run double to cut the deficit to 6-4.

After an Richmond third baseman Ryder Jones committed his third error of the game to put Jose Osuna on base, Edwin Espinal reached on an infield single to Jones to bring Weiss across the plate and bring the Curve within a run, setting up Jhang’s go-ahead triple.

Montana DuRapau (Save, 8) pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to remain perfect in save chances this season.

Ramirez led off the game with a single and later came in to score on an RBI single by Jhang in the first to open the scoring, but Richmond tied the game with a run in the second and scored two after three consecutive walks and a pair of sacrifice flies against starter David Whitehead in the third.

Richmond added a run in the fifth and plated two runs in the eighth against Edgar Santana (Win, 1-0) to pull ahead, 6-1.

Whitehead allowed four earned runs on six hits and four walks in five innings with four strikeouts.

Altoona reliever Josh Smith struck out two batters in his three-up, three-down sixth inning.

Jhang went 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs in the game. Ramirez scored twice and went 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Barrett Barnes went 2-for-4 with a run scored.

The Curve look for a four-game sweep in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at The Diamond. Lefty Brandon Waddell (2-0, 2.03) will be on the mound for Altoona, opposed by Richmond right-hander Tyler Beede (2-1, 3.48). First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m.


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