CURVE, Pa. – The Harrisburg Senators scored five runs in the first two innings and beat the Altoona Curve, 6-5, on Friday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
(Photo courtesy of Altoona Curve)
Altoona (11-9) stranded the potential tying and go-ahead runs in the bottom of the ninth as Ryan Brinley (Save, 3) secured the win for Harrisburg (10-9).
Trailing 6-3 entering the bottom of the eighth, Jackson Williams hit an RBI single and Connor Joe drove a pinch-hit RBI double to close to deficit to one.
Harrisburg started the scoring in the first inning, tagging Curve starter Austin Coley (Loss, 0-1) for a pair of runs. An RBI single by Neftali Soto and an RBI double by Raudy Read put the Senators in front, 2-0, after a half-inning of play.
The Curve knotted up the game at two in their half of the first. Kevin Kramer lined an RBI double off the left field wall, and Edwin Espinal ripped an RBI single through the right side of the infield to tie the game. Kramer’s hit extended his on-base streak to 18 consecutive games, which leads the team.
In the second, Harrisburg broke the tie and scored three runs. Alec Keller, Soto and Read each had RBI singles to give the Senators a 5-2 lead.
Altoona cut into the deficit in the second inning. Michael Suchy blasted a solo home run to left field, his first of the season, to make it a 5-3 game.
The Senators plated an insurance run in the eighth when a throwing error by Kevin Newman allowed Mario Lisson to score, pushing the lead to 6-3.
Coley pitched three innings and allowed a season-high five runs (four earned) on nine hits, walking one and striking out three. Sean Keselica pitched three shutout innings and Buddy Borden allowed an unearned run in his two innings of work. Luis Heredia made his Double-A debut and sent the Senators down in order in the ninth inning.
Mark Blackmar (Win, 3-1) started for Harrisburg. He pitched six innings and allowed three earned runs on eight hits with two strikeouts. Derek Self pitched a scoreless seventh inning, and Phillips Valdez allowed two runs on three hits in 2/3 of an inning. Brinley converted the four-out save and allowed just one hit.
Altoona will continue the homestand on Saturday with the second game of the series against Harrisburg. Right-hander Yeudy Garcia (0-2, 10.80) will get the start for the Curve, opposite of right-hander John Simms (1-1, 2.87) for the Senators. First pitch is at 6 p.m. from Peoples Natural Gas Field.
