READING, Pa. – Taylor Hearn allowed one hit over five innings to pick up his first Double-A win as the Altoona Curve defeated the Reading Fightin Phils, 5-4, on Thursday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.
(Photo courtesy of Altoona Curve)
The Curve (17-14) scored three runs in the fifth inning to pull ahead by four and held off the Fightin Phils (11-19) late to open the four-game road series.
Hearn (Win, 1-3) allowed one run over his five innings and walked two with three strikeouts.
The Curve broke a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Christian Kelley plated the go-ahead run with a groundout to first. Reading worked out the inning to strand a pair of runners in scoring position.
In the fifth, Cole Tucker hit an inside-the-park home run, his first homer of 2018, to extend the lead to 3-1. Later in the inning, Jordan George added two runs with a double to bring in Ke’Bryan Hayes and Logan Hill, opening the lead to 5-1.
Reading answered with three runs against Logan Sendelbach in the sixth to close within a run, but the Curve reliever returned for the seventh and threw a 1-2-3 frame.
Jesus Liranzo (Save, 3) threw a perfect eighth inning. In the ninth, Reading put runners on first and second with two outs, but Liranzo struck out Cord Sandberg looking to end the game.
Altoona opened the scoring in the first inning on an RBI single by Jason Martin, one of his two hits on the night.
Reading tied the score, 1-1, in the third inning against Hearn with a sacrifice fly by Malquin Canelo to score Brandon Bednar, who reached on a wild pitch after striking out to begin the inning.
Tucker went 2-for-5 with a homer and two runs scored. Logan Hill had a 2-for-3 night and scored a run. George was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and two walks.
The Curve and Fightin Phils continue the series on Friday night. Right-hander Pedro Vasquez (0-0, 3.00) will be on the mound for Altoona in his second Double-A start, opposed by left-hander Elniery Garcia (0-2, 8.10). First pitch at FirstEnergy Stadium is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.
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