From the Altoona Curve:
Martin Homers Twice in 12-9 Win Over Akron
Altoona’s First Baseman has homered six times in his last four games
CURVE, PA – Mason Martin moved into a tie for the league lead with his 14th and 15th home runs of the season in Altoona’s 12-9 win over the Akron RubberDucks on Tuesday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
Martin gave the Curve a 6-0 lead in the third inning with a three-run shot to right-center and added a solo homer in the seventh to lead Altoona to their 30th victory of the season. Martin has homered in four straight games, totaling six round-trippers, stretching back to Saturday’s doubleheader at Hartford. At the end of play on Tuesday night, Martin is tied for the league lead with Hartford’s Taylor Snyder and leads all Pirates minor leaguers with 15 home runs.
Jonah Davis turned in a fantastic day at the plate on Tuesday night recording his first four-hit game of the season. Davis smashed a two-run homer in the sixth inning, his sixth of the season, to keep the ‘Ducks at bay. He drove in three runs as well, a season high.
Altoona built a 7-1 lead after four innings in support of starter Cam Vieaux. Vieaux turned in a terrific outing to earn his second win of the season. The left-hander retired the first 11 batters he faced before surrendering a solo homerun to Steven Kwan in the fourth inning. Vieaux would allow just two hits and no walks in his five innings on the mound, he struck out five and threw 75 pitches, 50 strikes.
Canaan Smith-Njigba drove in two in the victory as the Curve banged out 14 hits on Tuesday night. Chase Murray made his Double-A debut with two hits, a run batted in and a stolen base.
Each bullpen allowed several runs as the game wore on into the late innings. Each team scored at least one run in their at-bat in the sixth, seventh and eighth inning with the ‘Ducks totaling eight runs off the Curve bullpen and Altoona scoring five runs off the Akron ‘pen.
Cristofer Melendez finished off the victory with two innings of relief. He allowed a two-run homer to Will Benson in the eighth inning and retired the side in order in the ninth; recording four strikeouts in his outing.
Wednesday night at PNG Field is Awful Night – with promotions so awful you have to see them in person, presented by Powerhouse Subs. It’s also a Wine & WingsDay with $6 glasses of wine and 50-cent boneless wings available.
ROSTER MOVES:
The Pirates made a bunch of changes to the Altoona roster yesterday. Pitcher Roansy Contreras and infielder Oneil Cruz were both placed on the seven-day injured list with sore forearms and outfielder Brendt Citta landed on the 7-day IL with a left hamstring injury.
Infielder Ji-Hwan Bae was activated from the injured list. Infielder Claudio Finol was promoted from low-A to Altoona and outfielder Chase Murray was promoted from high-A Greensboro. Left-handed pitcher Nathan Kirby was added to the Curve roster after he was acquired from Milwaukee over the weekend.
Infielder Rodolfo Castro was called up to Pittsburgh and scored the winning run for the Pirates last night.
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