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By Jarrod Prugar
For the Mirror
Matt Gorski put the exclamation point on a wild day, scoring the winning run as the Altoona Curve won 4-3 in 10 innings in front of 3,036 fans at PNG Field Wednesday.
Gorski's night began in centerfield before he was called into the infield to play second base to fill in for Domingo Leyba who exited the game with an injury.
"A manager always has a plan for this. We knew we were short on bodies so I instinctively know who are the guys that are versatile," Altoona manager Callix Crabbe said. "Even if he's never played second, Gorski is a very athletic dude. He's someone that I have a lot of history with and I felt like that was the best person."
He's played in the dirt at first base, but his professional debut at second was the first Gorski had played the position since high school.
"It was awesome. Going back to my high school days, I played there all four years in high school," Gorski said. "So that was really cool."
As solid as Gorski was in his new position, at the plate, he was even more solid, drilling a solo home run in the fourth inning to put the Curve up 1-0 early. It caps off a May where he hit .309 with four home runs.
"I've just been watching a lot of videos from last year getting back to you know a little more upright, a little more smooth with my motions instead of just being so stagnant," Gorski said.
Those film sessions paid off big time as his home run was a mammoth shot to right-center field which has become a power alley for him.
"When Gorski is really good, that's what he's doing, he's hitting to the big part of the field so it's telling me he's seeing the ball pretty long and deep," Crabbe said.
Gorski struck out to end the ninth which set things up for Connor Scott's heroics in the 10th.
The home half of the 10th started with Gorski on second base. A sac bunt by Jacob Gonzalez saw Gorski caught in a pickle between second and third. Gonzalez wound up at second on the rundown with Gorski and Gonzalez was called out.
Gorski late stole third with Scott up at the plate. Scott followed with his walk-off sac fly.
"It felt really good. My legs were a little tired because it's such a different move in the infield, Gorski said. "Like the pre-pitch step is so much different than the outfield so my legs are a little tired. I'm glad I could get that game over."
Altoona starter Kyle Nicolas notched his second straight shutout outing, throwing six innings while allowing only two hits and striking out eight. In every outing in May, Nicolas struck out five or more.
The bullpen picked right up where Nicolas left off with Juan Minaya Noe Toribio both executing hitless innings.
Tyler Samaniego gave up a three-run home run in the top of the ninth for the lone crooked inning of the night before Oliver Garcia shut the Rumble Ponies down in the 10th.
"That was really cool to watch Garcia in a really tricky situation," Crabbe said. "You know you have the guy on second baseman to start the inning and he was able to execute it right and it worked out well."
LEYBA LEAVES EARLY
Curve infielder Domingo Leyba returned from a stint on the Injured List only to exit the game after one at bat.
Prior to his initial stint on the IL, Leyba was hitting .329 with 17 RBI for Altoona.
He'll be reevaluated on Thursday, but it's not something expected to keep him out long.
MAGGI SUSPENDED
Altoona's Drew Maggi was suspended for three games prior to the game Wednesday night.
NEXT UP
Knuckleballer Matt Eckelman gets the start for the Curve on Thursday. He was roughed up in his last outing giving up five earned runs on three hits and failed to get an out.