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Tonight: Reading at Altoona, 6 p.m.
Pitchers: Curve RHP Kyle Nicolas vs. Phils LHP Josh Hendrickson
Record: 68-64
By Jarrod Prugar
For the Mirror
Under Kieran Mattison, the Altoona Curve are known for putting pressure on opponents and playing hard. Tuesday's five-run seventh inning was the perfect example of that as Altoona emerged with a 9-4 win over Reading at PNG Field.
"One of the keys is we want to continue to pressure the defense," Curve manager Kieran Mattison said. "When the ball's in play, we go hard and guys just start putting good at bats together and it's hard to stop a lineup like this, they feed off each other."
The inning started with Andres Alvarez singling to center field before left fielder Matt Fraizer moved him over to second on the next pitch.
Liover Peguero hit a ball through a hole on the right side of the infield which plated Alvarez.
Peguero took off on the first pitch to second baseman Nick Gonzalez, who eventually hit a deep flyball that was caught, but still moved Peguero one base closer to home.
Endy Rodriguez stepped to the plate and promptly roped a line-drive RBI double to center field that scored Peguero easily to put Altoona up 6-5. Rodriguez's hustle allowed him to get to second safely and set the stage for what was to come next.
Matt Gorski walked before Henry Davis was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Connor Scott. Scott singled to right field, scoring both Rodriguez and Gorski, but a throwing error by Reading catcher Herbert Iser allowed Gorski to score as well, effectively putting the game out of reach for the Fightin' Phils.
"If you make a mistake, we try to take advantage of it and that's our approach on the bases," Mattison said.
The knuckler
Starting pitcher Matt Eckelman is no stranger to Altoona having been with the Curve in both 2018 and 2019. After a lackluster start to the 2022 season, Eckelman was sent to Greensboro to focus on working on his knuckleball.
He was promoted September 1 and Tuesday marked his second appearance in a Curve uniform thus far. Eckelman didn't disappoint, going five shutout innings scattering five hits and striking out three.
Rehab stint
Pirates reliever Dillon Peters made his second appearance for Altoona during his current rehab stint, throwing an inning giving up two runs on two hits while striking out one.
Record-setting homer
The Curve have been no stranger to the long ball this season especially within the friendly confines of Peoples Natural Gas field where entering Tuesday's contest they had tied a single-season team record for home runs at home with 67, a record in place since 2005 when the lineup boasted names such as Brad Eldred, Josh Bonifay and Jose Bautista.
That record was broken with Davis' fifth-inning two-run shot that put Altoona up 4-3 before Reading tied it in the top half of the sixth. The home run was Davis' third with the Curve and just his first since his return from the injured list with a broken wrist. It marked the 68th of the season for the team.