Curve stuck on 3-game losing skid
From Mirror reports
AKRON, Ohio — The Curve have been getting hits, but coming through in the clutch has started to become a big problem for the club.
Akron finished off a three-game sweep of Altoona on Sunday at Canal Park, 6-1, with Eric Haase doing most of the damage for the RubberDucks on a fourth-inning grand slam.
Akron had only three hits on the day and struck out 15 times, and the Curve actually out-hit the home team in all three games (9-3 Sunday, 9-8 Saturday and 7-5 Friday). Hitting with runners in scoring position, though, continues to be Altoona’s biggest issue this season.
The Curve were 1-for-7 in that category both Saturday and Sunday, and 0-for-8 Friday, so they were 2-for-22 in the series, for an average of .091. In their last seven games, the Curve have gone 9-for-57 with runners in scoring position (.159 average), and if you take out one 8-3 win over Erie, they are 4-for-52 in the other six games (.077).
Despite all that, Altoona remains tied for the Western Division lead with a 9-7 record. Still, if the hitting problems aren’t corrected soon, the losses almost certainly will keep piling up.
Here’s how strange of a season it’s been: The Curve have the third-highest team batting average in the Eastern League at .254, but they are next to last in runs scored (55).
Starting pitcher Yeudy Garcia (0-2) had another tough day on the mound for the Curve, his third in as many outings, as he allowed five runs in 3-plus innings. He finished with nine strikeouts and gave up only two hits, but he also walked four and allowed the grand slam to Haase with two outs in the fourth.
Garcia has had issues closing the door in innings after getting two outs. The first two hitters reached base in the fourth off him Sunday, then he struck out the next two. Garcia walked the next two batters, though, forcing in a run, and Haase made him pay by belting the grand slam.
Altoona scored its lone run in the fifth on back-to-back doubles by Kevin Newman and Michael Suchy. Both Suchy and Kevin Kramer had two hits for the Curve.
Travis Banwart (1-1) won for Akron, giving up one run on six hits in five innings with four strikeouts and one walk.
Altoona will have to get its offensive woes corrected starting tonight as it travels to tiny Jerry Uht Park to face a potent Erie offense.
Game recap
Key player: C Eric Haase went 1-for-2 with a grand slam and two runs for Akron.
Key play: Haase’s slam in the fourth inning gave the RubberDucks all the runs they needed.
Key stat: The Curve have dropped three in a row and hit 2-for-22 with runners in scoring position in those games.
How they scored
Bottom 4th: Krieger walked, scored on Paulino bases-loaded walk (0-1); Chang doubled, Papi walked, both scored along with Paulino on Haase grand slam (0-5).
Top 5th: Newman doubled, scored on Suchy double (1-5).
Bottom 7th: Haase walked, scored on Hankins double (1-6).
Next stop
Tonight: Altoona at Erie, 6:35 p.m.
Pitchers: Curve RHP Alex McRae (2-0, 2.16) vs. SeaWolves RHP Myles Jaye (0-1, 3.38)
Record: 9-7
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