From the Altoona Curve:
Big Bae Blast Lifts Curve Over ‘Ducks in Extras on Sunday
Solo home run in tenth proves to be the difference as Altoona wins series
AKRON, OH – Ji-Hwan Bae slugged his fifth home run of the season for Altoona in the tenth inning to give the Curve the cushion needed to outlast in a 9-8 extra inning victory over the RubberDucks at Canal Park on Sunday afternoon.
Altoona scored twice in the tenth inning. Connor Kaiser hit a sacrifice fly to plate the placed runner, Matthew Fraizer. Bae then hit the solo shot with two outs off Nic Enright to extend Altoona’s lead to 9-7. Bae finished 3-6 with two doubles, a home run, and three runs scored.
In the bottom of the tenth, Andruw Monasterio singled with one out to score the placed runner, but Cam Alldred worked two more outs to end the ballgame. Alldred allowed the lone unearned run in 2.1 innings with two strikeouts to earn the win.
Altoona jumped out to a 6-0 lead across the first six innings. Carter Bins hit an RBI single in the first inning, while Diego Castillo hit a solo home run in the third, his 13th of the season. Then in the sixth, a lead-off triple from Fraizer led to a sacrifice fly from Josh Bissonette. Kaiser then slashed his third home run of the season, a solo shot, before a Bae double set up an RBI single from Jack Suwinski.
Akron scored twice in the sixth inning on an RBI double from Bryan Lavastida and an RBI single from Will Brennan, but it was the eighth inning that proved to be an issue for Altoona once again.
After allowing 10 runs in the eighth last night, Altoona blew a five-run lead in the bottom of the eighth, allowing five runs to score on four hits. After a Brennan sacrifice fly, Bo Naylor hit an RBI double. Later, Will Benson cleared the bases with a game-tying, three-run double.
Osvaldo Bido allowed one hit and no runs for Altoona in four innings. Steven Jennings was touched for two runs in two innings and Nathan Kirby allowed three in 1.1 innings. Will Gardner also gave up two runs, recording one out.
RubberDucks starter Adam Scott struck out 10 batters over 4.2 innings. He became the third pitcher to strike out double digits against Altoona this season, joining Bowie’s DL Hall and Harrisburg’s Cade Cavalli (twice).
The win improves Altoona to 6-0 in extra innings this season and gave the Curve the win in the series over Akron 4-3.
The Curve travel to Erie to begin a six-game series with the SeaWolves, Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. LHP Omar Cruz (1-2, 3.75) will start for Altoona, with RHP AJ Ladwig (5-4, 4.25) slated for Erie.
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