GAME SUMMARY COURTESY OF THE ALTOONA CURVE:
Brad Case worked a scoreless 1-2-3 eighth inning with a strikeout in his first Double-A sidearm appearance on Saturday night, but Altoona’s bats were kept at bay as the Akron RubberDucks defeated the Curve, 5-2, at Canal Park.
Case, who made the transition late last season to become a permanent side arm option in the bullpen, tossed nine pitches with eight strikes to get two groundball outs and a strikeout in his first appearance of the season.
Altoona’s offense was only able to work four hits in the defeat, including a double by Jase Bowen and singles from Jackson Glenn, Abrahan Gutierrez, and Connor Scott. Altoona’s two runs came in the eighth inning, when Akron reliever Tyler Thornton walked the bases loaded to open the frame before the Curve got runs off a double play and fielding error.
Curve starter Sean Sullivan tossed 3.2 innings in his 2024 debut, allowing two runs on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts. Sullivan allowed two singles in the first inning before Aaron Bracho lifted a sacrifice fly to get Akron on the board. He then surrendered a two-out double to Kody Huff and an RBI-single to Yordys Valdez in the second inning.
Akron added three runs off the Curve bullpen. Eddy Yean gave up a run on two hits in 1.1 innings in his Double-A debut. Nick Dombkowski surrendered two runs on two hits over two innings of relief work.
RubberDucks pitching totaled 13 strikeouts in the win, with starter Tommy Mace earning the win on five scoreless innings and four strikeouts. Ross Carver struck out five over two innings and Andrew Walters struck out all four batters he faced in his professional debut.
The Curve finish their series to open the 2024 season with the Akron RubberDucks on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. Altoona sends LHP Anthony Solometo to the mound with Akron slated to start RHP Ethan Hankins.
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