MANCHESTER, N.H. - It's past the point of embarrassing for the Curve on the road.
It's now 11 consecutive losses away from home after a 3-2 setback at New Hampshire's Northeast Delta Dental Stadium on Friday night. Altoona has lost four in a row overall, but the road woes are another story entirely.
The same team that looked so good in winning five straight at home last week has now proven it has no idea how to win anywhere other than Peoples Natural Gas Field.
The anomaly that has become this 2012 season shows a 180-degree difference between the Curve at home and on the road. They are 38-24 at PNG Field but an abysmal 21-41 away from home, on pace to set the worst record in franchise history in the latter category.
As is the often the case in baseball, teams that lose never figure out a way to put together all aspects of the game on a given night.
When the Curve lost six straight on their last road trip, a struggling bullpen was the primary culprit. But during this latest portion of the road losing streak, the pitching has done its job for the most part, while the offense has fizzled.
Fact Box
Next stop
Tonight: Altoona at New Hampshire, 7:05 p.m.
Pitching matchups: Curve RHP Brandon Cumpton (11-9, 3.86) vs. Fisher Cats RHP Yohan Pino (7-7, 3.48)
Record: 59-65
The Curve lost the first game of the road trip at Portland, 13-2, but in the past three games the pitchers have allowed just six runs. The offense, however, has managed only a meager three runs.
The Curve led for much of the night Friday. They grabbed a 1-0 edge in the second inning when Charlie Cutler walked and scored on Stefan Welch's double.
New Hampshire pulled even in the third against Tyler Waldron on an RBI single by Yorvit Torrealba.
Altoona pulled ahead 2-1 in the fifth as Jarek Cunningham led off with a single and came home on a groundout by Evan Chambers. That's all the Curve offense could manage, however, and it wasn't enough.
New Hampshire pulled ahead for a 3-2 lead with two runs in the sixth off reliever Kris Harvey (0-3).
The worst road record in Curve history is 25-45, set in 2001. This team has to go 5-4 in its final nine road games to avoid breaking that dubious record.
Game recap
Key player: RHP Ryan Tepera limited the Curve to two runs - one earned - in seven innings for the win.
Key play: LF Brian Van Kirk singled home the decisive run in the sixth inning off Curve reliever Kris Harvey.
Key stat: The Curve have lost 11 in a row on the road.
How they scored
Top 2nd: Cutler walked, scored on Welch double (1-0).
Bottom 3rd: Van Kirk walked, scored on Torrealba single (1-1).
Top 5th: Cunningham singled, scored on Chambers groundout (2-1).
Bottom 6th: Schimp singled, scored on Goins single (2-2); Van Kirk single scored Goins (2-3).
