CURVE, Pa. – The Altoona Curve topped the Reading Fightin Phils, 6-4, on Tuesday behind a sixth inning go-ahead three-run home run by Jonathan Schwind at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
(Photo: Jonathan Schwind. Photo courtesy of Altoona Curve)
With the win, the Curve (59-55), clinched the season series with Reading (60-54) and improved to 4-1 against the Phillies Double-A affiliate. It marks the first series victory for the Curve against the Fightin Phils since 2012.
Tied 3-3 in the sixth, Michael Suchy walked and Justin Maffei singled to put two runners on with none out. Later in the inning with the pitchers spot due up, Schwind was summoned to pinch hit when he blasted the three-run shot to give Altoona a 6-3 lead. It was just Schwind’s second at-bat of the season and third pinch-hit home run by the Curve this year.
Altoona opened the scoring with a run in the third inning. Cole Tucker tripled with one out, and Pablo Reyes hit a sacrifice fly to get the Curve on the board.
The lead became 3-0 in the fifth inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, Jerrick Suiter lined a two-run single to right field to widen the gap.
Reading got on the board and evened the score in the sixth inning. Four straight hitters reached in the frame to chase Curve starter J.T. Brubaker. Angelo Mora hit an RBI single and Cord Sandberg and Zach Coppola hit sacrifice fly’s to tie the game at 3-3 before Schwind’s blast decided the game in the bottom of the inning.
Schwind’s home run was his first since August 17 of last year.
Brubaker pitched five innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits, striking out two. Yeudy Garcia (Win, 4-7) inherited the bases loaded in the sixth inning and allowed two of Brubaker’s runs to score. Sean Keselica allowed a run in 1.2 innings and Luis Heredia (Save, 1) retired all four hitters he faced.
Reading starter Elniery Garcia allowed one run in four innings in his Double-A debut. Jeff Singer (Loss, 0-1) surrendered the home run to Schwind and gave up three runs in two innings in relief.
Altoona will continue their series with Reading in the finale and rubber match on Thursday. Left-hander Brandon Waddell (1-2, 4.10) will start on the mound for the Curve, while the Fightin Phils will send out right-hander Franklyn Kilome (AA debut). First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at PNG Field.
