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A leaping grab at the wall by right fielder Jase Bowen helped preserve a 4-3 Altoona Curve win over the Harrisburg Senators in front of 3,758 fans at PNG Field Friday night.
With no outs and a runner on first base, Bowen tracked down a ball roped toward the right-field wall by the Senators' Daylen Lile. He leapt and snagged the ball before it hit the wall and went for extra bases.
"I went straight back, and we actually just did those exact balls in practice two days ago," Bowen said. "Just being close to the wall, being comfortable with it, and just giving my best effort, and I was happy that I caught it."
Bowen's grab put an exclamation point on a night highlighted by spectacular outfield play.
"They went and got it tonight," Curve manager Robby Hammock said. "They went out and made some big plays. Sammy Siani ran down a couple balls as well, then the huge catch by Bowen late. I don't think the ball was going over the fence, but it was 100% extra bases, probably tying the game up."
Just four pitches after Bowen's grab, shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng put the finishing touches on the win.
Altoona benefited in large part due to a three-run sixth inning that saw Curve hitters tattoo Harrisburg's Todd Peterson.
It started with Siani's single before Dustin Peterson grounded into a fielder's choice and scored on Bowen's double to tie the game at 2-2.
Kervin Pichardo singled home Bowen to give Altoona a 3-2 lead. Jackson Glenn then roped a double to left field that scored Pichardo on a throwing error by center fielder Andres Pinckney.
"They saw him well tonight," Hammock said. "They were on his heater and hit some balls hard. I mean, there were some balls squared up there in a row that looked like they saw Peterson well tonight."
Feeling it
The Curve donned their Copa de la Diversion jerseys and Peces Dorados moniker for the fourth time of the season.
They are now 4-0 when they turn into their alter ego and have now won three games in a row against the Senators.
Dialing in
Curve starter Po-Yu Chen did not have his best stuff in the first third of the game. He allowed a run in the first inning and three walks in the third that led to a run coming across the plate.
From there, Chen was nearly unhittable as he settled in. Chen allowed only one hit in his next four innings and struck out five.
"He was off tonight. I mean, sometimes it'll take him a month to walk three guys and he walked three at one end of the night, which is unlike him," Hammock said. "He was off, but he was able to grind and take advantage of their early swinging."
Next up
The Curve will send RHP Drake Fellows to the mound Saturday night against Harrisburg. Fellows is 2-2 with a 3.06 ERA for Altoona this season.
Against the Senators in his last outing, Fellows went seven innings and allowed two runs on three hits and struck out nine.