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By Jarrod Prugar
For the Mirror
The Altoona Curve snapped a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over Akron, courtesy of a Matt Gorski walk-off RBI Friday night in front of 6,595 at PNG Field.
Gorski's fielder's choice to walk it off -- and give Altoona its first win of the series -- was undoubtedly huge, but it was the control of the run game by the pitching staff and catcher Dylan Shockley that ultimately led to the victory.
"Forget Shockley for a minute, but pitchers' holds, sidesteps, varying their looks that was the thing that we were working on all game," Curve manager Callix Crabbe said.
Of course, on this night, it's not easy to forget Shockley, who threw out four would-be base stealers and picked a guy off at second.
"Shockley is a very good defensive player," Crabbe said. "I think if you just look at the body of work that he's had as a Pirate, the carrying trait is defense."
Defense is claimed to be what wins championships and though this is still May, being able to salvage a split of the series against Akron could pay huge divdidents in the Eastern League playoff race with this being the only time the teams will play each other in the first half of the season.
"We got two more and our goal is obviously to take tomorrow's game as it's the most important game and try to get another one," Crabbe said. "Then go into Sunday with an opportunity to hopefully try and tie the series which is the ultimate goal."
Try this out
For the second game in a row, Henry Davis found himself playing right field. It should come as no surprise as Davis getting reps in the outfield is by design and something that will continue to happen throughout the season.
"He actually looks really good out there. That doesn't mean that he's going to right field," Crabbe said. "It just means it's an option. He's going to continue to develop as a catcher. That's still something that we value a ton and knowing that he could play out there adequately isn't a bad thing."
Davis has tracked down a few balls in right field in those two games and has looked very much the part. To the casual observer, he looks like he belongs out there just as much as he belongs behind the plate even with a different viewpoint.
"Just taking fly balls. Learning I have more time than I think," Davis said of the change of pace. "I'm used to catching the game being a little more fast paced. Out there it's just read the ball then go after it."
Strong start
Starting pitcher Aaron Shortridge tossed six shutout innings against Akron Friday night.
He struck out three Rubber Ducks and allowed only four hits to a potent Akron offense.
"We needed that big time," Crabbe said. "I probably could have sent them off for one more but I felt really good at where we were in the lineup."
Next up
RHP Kyle Nicolas will toe the mound for Altoona Saturday while RHP Justin Meis will get the ball for Sunday's Mother's Day matchup.
Nicolas is 1-4 with a 5.74 ERA and has gotten knocked around in his previous two outings allowing five and three runs respectively.
For Meis it's the second time he's started during this homestand having gone four innings allowing three earned runs in the Curve loss on Tuesday