Walk-Off Home Run Hands Curve 11th Consecutive Loss
HARRISBURG, Pa. – Brenden Dixon smashed his first home run of the season in a four-run seventh inning for Altoona, but Harrisburg’s Brady House hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Curve an 11th consecutive loss, 5-4, at FNB Field. Altoona entered
HARRISBURG, Pa. – Brenden Dixon smashed his first home run of the season in a four-run seventh inning for Altoona, but Harrisburg’s Brady House hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Curve an 11th consecutive loss, 5-4, at FNB Field.
Altoona entered the seventh inning trailing 1-0 when Harrisburg went to its bullpen with RHP Ty Tice. Dixon tied the game leading off the frame with a home run to left field before Mike Jarvis drew a walk and Connor Scott doubled to place two runners in scoring position for Wyatt Hendrie, who doubled to give the Curve a 3-1 lead. The Curve scored again later in the frame on a sacrifice fly from Joe Perez to take a 4-1 lead entering the bottom of the seventh.
Curve reliever Eddy Yean recorded two quick outs before giving up a solo home run to Jordy Barley to cut Altoona’s lead to two runs. Robert Hassell III then doubled before Altoona went back to the bullpen with Grant Ford. Ford allowed an RBI-single Andrew Pinckney and hit House with a pitch, setting up Yohandy Morales with a chance to take the lead for the Senators. Morales would shoot a line drive to right field, but Jarvis threw out the game-tying run at the plate to end the inning and keep Altoona ahead 4-3.
In the bottom of the eighth, Harrisburg put two on base with a throwing error and a hit-by-pitch before Isaac Mattson entered for Altoona. Mattson allowed a sacrifice bunt before walking two consecutive batters to tie the game. He came back with two strikeouts to end the inning but allowed the walk-off shot to House in the bottom of the ninth to take the loss.
Sean Sullivan turned another impressive outing for the Curve in the start, allowing just one run on a home run to Hassell. Sullivan tossed five innings, allowing three hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Kervin Pichardo saw his hitting streak of 10 games come to an end in the loss for Altoona. Jackson Glenn and Dixon each had two hits in the loss.
The loss matches Altoona’s longest losing streak in franchise history, which occurred in 2000. Altoona's 5-17 start is the worst record for the club through 22 games in franchise history, surpassing the 2009 Curve who started the season 6-16. The 5 wins in the month of April were the fewest for the team in a calendar month in which they played at least 15 games.
Altoona continues its seven-game series with the Harrisburg Senators, Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, on Thursday with a doubleheader beginning at 5:00 p.m. Altoona will send RHP Braxton Ashcraft to the mound to face RHP Cole Henry for Harrisburg in game one. Game two starters are yet to be announced.
For tickets and more information on the 2024 Altoona Curve Season, presented by Stuckey Automotive, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office. Additionally, the Stockyard Team Store is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., during every home game and online 24/7/365.
Brenden Dixon leaves the yard and we are tied in the seventh!
— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) May 1, 2024
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