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Altoona Curve

One-time Giants prospect helps Curve pick up the victory

3 min read

From Mirror reports

RICHMOND, Va. -- Jacob Gonzalez launched the first pitch of his fourth-inning at-bat over the left field wall for a two-run home run, that propelled Altoona ahead for good as the Curve defeated the Flying Squirrels, 6-3, on Thursday night at the Diamond.

The former Giants farmhand went 1-for-3 with a walk and his second home run of the season in the win for the Curve.

His two-run shot off Richmond starter Mason Black scored Matt Gorski, who reached on a one-out single in the prior at-bat. He later scored the sixth run of the game for the Curve in the sixth inning, after drawing a walk and scoring on a wild pitch from Spencer Bivens, a State College graduate, later in the frame.

Altoona scored four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Following Gonzalez's home run, Matt Fraizer drew a six-pitch walk and took second on a wild pitch, setting up an infield single from Drew Maggi off Bivens. That allowed Fraizer to score on a throwing error by third baseman Carter Aldrete. Maggi scored later in the frame on a wild pitch.

The Curve scored the first run of the game on an RBI groundout from Gorski in the first inning, scoring Henry Davis, who was hit by a pitch.

Davis reached base three times on the night, while adding a walk and a single in the contest.

Curve starter Sean Sullivan saw his scoreless inning streak snapped at 14• innings to begin the season, after Marco Luciano hit a solo home run with two outs in the third inning, his first at the Double-A level.

Sullivan was touched up for three runs in the outing in four innings. He walked Simon Whiteman and gave up a double to Ismael Munguia to open the fifth before Luis Matos singled them both in off Oliver Garcia.

Garcia struck out three batters in two innings, allowing only the two inherited runners to score. Juan Minaya followed with two hitless innings of relief with two strikeouts before Braeden Ogle earned his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning.

Altoona and Richmond continue the six-game series tonight with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. back at The Diamond. Righty Aaron Shortridge will take the ball for the Curve, facing southpaw Juan Sanchez for the Flying Squirrels.

With the victory, Altoona improves to 12-10, good for second place in the Southwest Division, right behind first-place Richmond, which fell to 14-9 on the season.

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