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By Jarrod Prugar
For the Mirror
Six pitchers combined for a shutout to help Altoona to a 4-0 win over the Bowie Baysox in front of 5,041 fans at PNG Field Tuesday night.
Altoona starter Bubba Chandler tossed the first two innings, needing only 19 pitches to dispatch six Baysox hitters in a row.
Chandler struck out two and did not allow a hit. Fret not, the early exit was by design because on Thursday, Chandler will depart for Texas to participate in Major League Baseball's All-Star Futures game at Globe Life Field.
Knowing he was only throwing a few innings allowed him to channel his mindset to one similar to the relievers who followed him.
"We treated it like a reliever where you come in there for three outs," Chandler said. "I prepared like it was a start, but knowing I only had to go out there and get six outs."
From there it was all bullpen with a little help from a couple of Pittsburgh Pirates pitchers who were rehabbing, which posed an interesting dynamic for Curve manager Robby Hammock.
He had to navigate situations for David Bednar and Ryan Borucki as well as his own bullpen.
"We had some assignments with the Major League rehab guys to get them in certain spots," Hammock said. " We had to figure out a way to get that set up right, but we figured out a way to get Major League rehab guys in there and still win a close game so it was a good day."
That good day began with Chandler, who was followed by Jaden Woods, who tossed 1• innings where he struck out two and allowed only one hit.
Woods was relieved by the lefty Borucki who was in Altoona to finish his rehab stint.
Borucki notched five outs in a row before making way for Bednar who would shut the door on the Baysox in the sixth inning.
Tyler Samaniego came on for the seventh and eighth and allowed three hits and struck out two. Luis Peralta took over in the ninth and allowed a lead-off single before a groundout and double play ended the game.
"The bullpen has been outstanding," Hammock said. "Aside from the hiccup we had on Saturday last week, the last game of the series, the bullpen has been outstanding."
The Curve pitching staff benefitted from the offense doing its part as third baseman Charles McAdoo put Altoona on the board in the third inning with an RBI single, followed by a three-run home run from Tsung-Che Cheng in the seventh to seal the game.
Streaking
The win marked the fifth in a row for the Curve. Three of those five wins have come via shutout.
The long ball
Cheng extended the Curve lead with his home run. It marked his ninth of the season, good enough for the team lead.
The home run was also the first home run Cheng has hit in front of the home faithful.
"He's been having some really good at bats over the past month," Hammock said. " He just turned some things around and is turning the corner."
Next up
The Curve will send righty Thomas Harrington to the mound toight to face Bowie. Against Harrisburg, Harrington tossed seven shutout innings where he allowed only three hits and struck out six.