Duffy taken off in Curve victory

The atmosphere in the clubhouse after the Curve's 4-3 win over Harrisburg normally would have featured players joking with one another and enjoying the victory for a few minutes.

Instead, the room was mostly silent Thursday as outfielder Chris Duffy was loaded onto a stretcher and taken by ambulance to Altoona Regional Hospital with dehydration.

Curve trainer Thomas Pribyl said Duffy was not in any immediate danger and that his condition could be described as ''mild dehydration.''

''A serious concern with dehydration is cramping and not sweating; those are signs of heat stroke,'' Pribyl said. ''He has a history of this in the big leagues.''

Going to the hospital, Pribyl added, is ''more of a precautionary thing at this point.''

Duffy played seven defensive innings in Thursday's contest at Blair County Ballpark but was removed in the bottom of the seventh for a pinch hitter. Pribyl said Duffy progressively felt his condition worsen as the game went on.

''The main thing was that he felt good when he came in but was starting to feel under the weather during the game,'' Pribyl said. ''He has been fighting the flu for the past week. With the days off and not playing, it was something we were concerned with.''

The 28-year-old Duffy had been out of the lineup for six games with flu-like symptoms and inner-ear problems. He traveled home to Arizona during this week's Eastern League All-Star break and returned for Thursday's game.

Pribyl said the plans for Duffy were to remove him from the game at some point but, as his symptoms became more pronounced, extra attention was necessary. Pribyl and members of emergency medical services worked on Duffy in the clubhouse training room, starting him on fluids before transporting him to the hospital.

Pribyl indicated there would be no timetable for Duffy's return to the team and that the situation would dictate when he could return to action.

''It depends on how much fluid the patient ends up receiving,'' Pribyl said. ''It could be that he is feeling better [today] and would be in the lineup. That's just a situation we will have to monitor and make a decision on later.''

Players are notified of dangers regarding dehydration, Pribyl said. They are directed to maintain a steady consumption of fluids throughout the day and to replace electrolytes, as well as maintain a steady diet.

Duffy's medical situation overshadowed a come-from-behind win for Altoona before 5,199 fans at Blair County Ballpark.

Silent for most of the game, the middle of the Curve lineup came to life in the eighth inning to deliver two runs for a 4-3 lead. Brad Corley walked to lead off the inning, and Jason Delaney doubled off the wall in right to put two in scoring position.

Steve Lerud delivered a sacrifice fly to center to score Corley and tie the game 3-3.

Luis Cruz, who homered earlier, capped his 2-for-4 night with an RBI single to the left-field gap to plate Delaney with the decisive run.

''We got a lot of clutch hits in that inning,'' Delaney said. ''Steve Lerud had a great at-bat to drive in a run and move a guy over. Those are the at-bats that get looked over but are really important in the course of a game.''

Juan Mateo (3-1) pitched the final two innings for the win. Senators reliever Adam Carr (1-1) took the loss as he was unable to hold the 3-2 lead heading in the eighth.

SUBHD: Game recap

Key player: Luis Cruz went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs for the Curve.

Key play: The Curve scored two runs in the eighth to take a 4-3 lead.

Key stat: Altoona is just 2-7 against Harrisburg.

SUBHD: How they scored

Top 2nd: Rhinehart doubled, scored on Herrera single (0-1); Ivany singled, scored on Bynum single (0-2).

Bottom 2nd: Lerud singled, scored on Cruz homer (2-2).

Top 6th: Baez doubled, scored on Rhinehart double (3-2).

Bottom 8th: Corley walked, scored on Lerud sacrifice fly (3-3); Delaney doubled, scored on Cruz single (4-3).