Saturday night ended the same way it did Friday for the Curve - with a position player toeing the rubber in a Bowie hit parade.
With an already thin bullpen nearly exhausted and the game out of reach, Curve manager Tim Leiper again elected to dip no further into his pitching staff. It was indicative of how things have gone for Altoona in two games against Bowie.
The Baysox won in a blowout for the second time in as many nights, burning Altoona, 12-2, before 8,692 fans at Blair County Ballpark.
The Curve were 7-2 against Bowie heading into their three-game set but have dropped the first two games by a combined score of 31-5, including the worst loss in franchise history Friday, 19-3. Bowie also has pounded out 37 hits in the two contests.
''We are in a groove right now - hitting with men in scoring position - and things are going really well,'' said Baysox catcher Matt Wieters, who was 3-for-3 with two RBIs.
Curve infielder Jason Bowers took the mound for the fifth time in his career with two outs in the ninth inning. He came on with runners at second and third and walked a batter before getting Jonathan Tucker on an infield popup.
Fact Box
Next stop
Tonight: Altoona Curve vs. Bowie Baysox at Blair County Ballpark, 6:05 p.m.
Pitching matchups: Curve RHP Dan Reichert (1-1, 2.89) vs. Baysox RHP David Hernandez (5-4, 2.63)
Promotions: Fireworks
Record: 51-63
Catchin' up with the Curve: Page C3
Bowers, throwing an 83 mph fastball and a knuckleball, has done solid work on the mound in his career. He has allowed just one run on three hits in five innings.
Bowers fared much better than catcher Milver Reyes, who yielded four runs on four hits - including two homers - in mopup duty Friday.
''They are swinging the bats real well right now,'' Leiper said of the Baysox. ''You are going to have those kinds of games. It's just unfortunate that it happened on back-to-back nights.''
Sebastien Boucher went 4-for-5 for Bowie, while Tucker and Blake Davis had three hits apiece.
The Curve are 1-4 since a roster shakeup that sent Jason Delaney and Luis Cruz to Triple-A, but Leiper added the team chemistry is still good.
''I like the lineup we have out there right now,'' the manager said. ''We were in the game and swinging before they got a cushion, and they had a good guy out there [on the mound].''
Winless against Altoona this season, Bowie starter Brad Bergesen shook off his troubles early and shut down the Curve before getting substantial run support. Bergesen entered the game 0-2 with a 4.26 ERA against the Curve but 13-1 with a 2.50 ERA against the rest of the Eastern League.
Bergesen (14-3) fell behind quickly in the first on consecutive doubles by Shelby Ford and Jim Negrych, who shot a ball to the gap deep in right to score Ford. Fresh off the disabled list, Jonel Pacheco roped a single up the middle in his first at-bat and was singled home by Boone for a 2-0 lead in the second.
Bergesen recovered to pitch six solid innings, scattering six hits, walking none and striking out two.
Curve starter Christian Castorri pitched out of two tough spots in the first two innings but was unable to hold off Bowie. Castorri (0-2) was touched up for six runs on 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings, walked one and struck out none.
Game notes: First baseman Randy Ruiz has been called up to the Minnesota Twins, becoming the 73rd former Curve player to reach the major leagues. Ruiz opened the 2007 season with Altoona and was one of the team's best hitters, but his personality rubbed some people the wrong way and he was traded to the Phillies. OF Jonel Pacheco came off the disabled list Saturday after missing 17 games with a back injury. Former Curve pitcher Landon Jacobsen returned to BCB on Saturday as the franchise recognized the 2006 team. Jacobsen retired after last season and now lives in Roanoke, Va.
SUBHD: Game recap
Key player: Brad Bergesen pitched six solid innings to pick up the win for Bowie.
Key play: Bowie scored at least two runs in four straight innings to break the game open.
Key stat: The Baysox have outscored the Curve 31-5 in two games.
SUBHD: How they scored
Bottom 1st: Ford doubled, scored on Negrych double (1-0).
Bottom 2nd: Pacheco singled, scored on Boone single (2-0).
Top 3rd: Rojas hit by pitch, scored on Wieters double (2-1); Montanez singled, scored on Nettles groundout (2-2).
Top 4th: Tucker singled, scored on Boucher single (2-3); Davis singled, scored on Rojas single (2-4).
Top 5th: Wieters singled, scored on Finan double (2-5); Tucker single scored Finan (2-6).
Top 6th: Rojas walked, Montanez walked, Rojas scored on Nettles grounder, Montanez scored on Gonzalez error (2-8); Wieters walked, scored on Finan sacrifice fly (2-9).
Top 8th: Wieters walked, scored on passed ball (2-10).
Top 9th: Davis singled, scored on Wieters single (2-11); Boucher singled, scored on Nettles double (2-12).
