CURVE, Pa. – Harold Ramirez scored the game-winning run on a passed ball in the bottom of the ninth as the Altoona Curve came from behind to defeat the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, 3-2, on Thursday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
Altoona (35-30) scored two runs in the ninth to clinch its 15th come-from-behind victory, while New Hampshire (29-36) drops its eighth game of the last 13 played.
Austin Meadows and Edwin Espinal led off the ninth inning for Altoona with hits to set the table for Jin-De Jhang’s game-tying RBI double off the right-field wall to make it 2-2. The Fisher Cats attempted to intentionally walk Eric Wood, but the first pitch to him went off the glove of Wilken Castillo, allowing Ramirez to score the walk-off run.
Altoona scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning, when Meadows extended his franchise-record hitting streak to 24 games with a solo home run to give the Curve.
Curve starter Clay Holmes kept the Fisher Cats at bay, tossing six scoreless innings and striking out an season-best nine hitters, allowing just two hits and three walks.
New Hampshire starter Jeremy Gabryszwski punched out eight batters in his seven frames, allowing four hits and just Meadows’ home run, while also walking a batter.
The Curve led 1-0 heading into the top of the ninth, but Montana DuRapau (Win, 2-0) issued a leadoff walk to Melky Mesa to set the table for a two-run home run by Matt Dean, giving the Fisher Cats a 2-1 lead. It was DuRapau’s first blown save in 12 save opportunities this season.
Meadows and Jhang recorded the only multi-hit games for the Curve, while the Fisher Cats went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position on the night.
Altoona will welcome the Hartford Yard Goats to PNG Field for a three-game series beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday. Curve left-hander Cody Dickson (5-2, 3.34) gets the nod for Altoona, as he will oppose Yard Goats righty Zach Jemiola (4-4, 3.97).
Friday is a Salute to Coffee Night, and the first 1,500 fans will receive a Gregory Polanco “El Coffee” Bobblehead/Bobblehand Giveaway, presented by UniFirst. It is also a Ritchey’s Dairy Kids’ Club Game, where kids 12-and-under who are members of the Ritchey’s Dairy Kids Club will receive free entrance to the game. For tickets and more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office.
Copyright © 2024 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited.
