From the Altoona Curve:
Dreaded Walk-Off Weasels Strike Again to Flatten Curve
Curve fall in the bottom of the ninth to New Hampshire on Saturday night.
MANCHESTER, NH. – For the second time in the series, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats walked off the Altoona Curve after Zac Cook knocked an RBI-single in the bottom of the ninth, lifting the Cats, 6-5, on Saturday night at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium.
With a 5-4 lead and Enmanuel Mejia on in relief for the Curve, the Fisher Cats managed a pair of singles from Rafael Lantigua and Orelvis Martinez to put runners on first and second in the ninth inning. A passed ball by Henry Davis moved the runners into scoring position before a wild pitch that grazed off the mitt of Davis allowed Lantigua to score the game-tying run. One batter later, Cook lined a ball over the head of center fielder Jared Triolo to end the ballgame.
Mejia worked out of a jam in the eighth inning when he entered with the bases loaded and two away. One run had already crossed when Trevor Schwecke came home on a Cam Eden steal of second base. Mejia rolled a groundout on the second pitch of the frame to escape the inning.
The Curve were on the board first after Brendt Citta barreled his fourth home run of the season, a three-run shot, in the second inning off New Hampshire starter Luis Quinones. Triolo and Andres Alvarez, who both drew walks to open the frame, scored on the shot to left field.
The Fisher Cats struck back for two runs in the bottom of the third off Altoona starter Quinn Priester. Chris Bec drew a lead-off walk before Sebastian Espino doubled to put two in scoring position. Then, Lantigua grounded out to short to score a run. Later in the frame, Martinez singled home another off Priester, who went four innings allowed the two runs on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Davis, who recorded a multi-hit game for the second night in a row, launched an RBI-double to score Liover Peguero in the fifth inning. It was the second straight game for Davis to record an RBI-double and gave Altoona the 4-2 lead.
Matt Fraizer opened the seventh inning with a triple and scored on a passed ball to round out the Curve offense. Luis De Los Santos knocked a solo home run in the seventh off Kyle Nicolas, who made his return from the injured list in the outing. Nicolas allowed two runs on three hits in 2.2 innings, walking one batter and striking out two. Austin Roberts tossed a scoreless inning of relief for the Curve.
Matt Gorski recorded two outfield assists in the contest, becoming the second Curve outfielder to do so this season alongside Triolo. He threw out Martinez at second base in the first inning and followed by throwing out Bec at home in the fourth.
Altoona will finish its six-game series with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, on Sunday afternoon at 1:35 p.m. RHP Hayden Juenger will get the start for the Cats, with Altoona yet to announce a starter.
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