Curve weather rain, Thunder to take series opener in Trenton
TRENTON, N.J. - The Altoona Curve scored four runs in the fifth and received strong relief work from Logan Sendelbach in a 5-1, series-opening win over the Trenton Thunder on Tuesday night at ARM & HAMMER Park.
TRENTON, N.J. - The Altoona Curve scored four runs in the fifth and received strong relief work from
The Curve (60-50) are now ten games over .500 for the first time this season with the win in the rematch of last year's ELCS against the Thunder (63-50).
Sendelbach (Win, 4-2) took over in the second inning and worked 4.1 scoreless innings, his longest outing of the season, picking up three strikeouts while holding the Thunder to one hit and one walk.
He took over the second inning after Altoona starter
In the fifth inning,
The triple by Craig extended his season RBI total to 91, moving him ahead of
Later in the fifth, JIn-De Jhang scored Craig with a sacrifice fly to cap the four-run inning.
The game was delayed for 56 minutes in the top of the seventh inning due to rain. Five of the last seven road games have been delayed.
Jhang, playing in his first game since being activated from the disabled list, extended the Curve lead to 5-0 in the seventh inning with a run-scoring groundout.
Reliever
Hayes went 3-for-5 with an RBI and scored two runs. Craig also went 3-for-5, added a double, a triple and two RBIs.
In his Double-A debut, Trenton starter
Over his last 12 outings since June 24, Sendelbach has gone 2-0 with a 0.77 ERA, lowering his season ERA from 6.55 to 4.19.
The win closed the Curve within four games of first-place Akron in the Western Division standings. Altoona also holds a three-game lead over Harrisburg in the division's wild card chase.
The Curve and Thunder play game two of the three-game series on Wednesday afternoon. Right-hander
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