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For the second consecutive night, late-inning offense propelled Harrisburg past the Curve.
The Senators scored the game-winning run in the sixth inning and added three insurance runs in the eighth to defeat Altoona, 6-2, at Peoples Natural Gas Field on Wednesday night. The Curve have now dropped four of their last five games.
Altoona is now just 9-10 at home this season, compared to 16-8 on the road. The Curve are 5-5 in their last 10 matchups.
"We dominate on the road, but at home it's a little harder for us to win games," Altoona manager Miguel Perez said. "It's hard to explain."
The two sides traded runs early in the contest before Harrisburg took a 3-2 lead in the sixth. The Senators then strung together a trio of hits and benefited from a fielding error in the eighth to extend their lead.
"It's always one play, it's always one inning, it's always one little thing, one pitch, that puts us in a tough situation," Perez said of the issues at home. "That eighth inning could have been different with that ground ball to third base."
Players of the game
Senators first baseman Aldrem Corredor had a stellar night at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Corredor smacked two doubles and blasted a solo home run to center field in the sixth inning, which proved to be the game-winning run.
Luis Reyes (4-4) got the start on the mound for Harrisburg and threw six frames, earning the win. The righty allowed two earned runs on six hits while striking out nine.
Stats and stuff
Righty Travis MacGregor took the ball for the Curve and tossed five innings. He allowed one earned run on four hits and two walks in a no-decision.
"MacGregor had an OK outing," Perez said. "He ran into some stressful innings."
MacGregor has now thrown at least five innings in three of his last four starts. Wednesday night marked his second start this season in which he hurled five innings and allowed one or fewer earned runs.
"It was alright. I probably didn't pitch my best," MacGregor said of his performance. "The guys behind be picked me up (and) got me out of some jams."
Altoona righty Will Gardner (1-3) was tagged with the loss, his third of the year. Gardner tossed two innings, allowing one earned run on two hits.
Jhon Romero earned the save for the Senators, his first of the year. The right-hander pitched the final three innings, allowing just two hits and no runs.
Called up
Left-handed pitcher Omar Cruz was promoted from High-A Greensboro to Altoona on Wednesday, and will make his first start for the Curve on Thursday night against the Senators.
Cruz started seven games for the Grasshoppers this season, going 3-3 with a 3.45 ERA. Thursday will mark his debut at the Double-A level.
Cruz came to the Pirates in a January trade with the Padres for pitcher Joe Musgrove.